Bristol Airport

The facilities were fair though snaking customs queues unnecessary. Duty Free shop offered goods found considerably cheaper on the high street. Boarding was reasonable although seating in the waiting area limited. Parking is highway robbery and taxis cost £42 return. I travelled again in May - an absolute nightmare. The snaking queues for customs were worse there was almost no available seating in the waiting areas - most space taken up by new cafes and retail shops. Then there was the walk to the aircraft! I am a pensioner with walking difficulties though not bad enough to warrant being disabled. Is it possible that untold millions have been spent to expand the airport and that they have not seen fit to provide escalators or moving walkways or lifts. If it had not been for the kindness of others who helped me up innumerable stairs and along the half-mile (confirmed by an official a half- mile!) walk to the boarding gate I don't know what I'd have done. From now on Heathrow will be a better option: a comfortable return journey by coach will only cost £25.

Modernisation at Bristol seems to be solely for the benefit of the retailers and not passengers. I agree that the security staff are amongst the most surly and miserable I've come across. However there is now one thing that redeems it for me. Bristol has a smoking area after security. As far as I'm aware it is the only airport in the UK that provides this facility. Nicotine addicts are treated like prisoners at other airports which is more than a bit cynical since they all derive profits from selling cigarettes. Congratulations to Bristol Airport for recognising the needs of this persecuted group of travellers.

Like the previous reviewers I have been a regular (6-10 times a year) user of Bristol over the past 20 years. Last weekend was my first visit in 2010 and I have to agree that the amount of seating has reached the point where it is inadequate in all but the very quietest times. I do not know if the on-going expansion will address this problem but if not there will be major problems in the summer - the amount of physical space available even for standing has been reduced drastically. Where is one supposed to go if one does not want overpriced food and drink? There are still good things about Bristol: the long-stay car park is expensive but a two minute walk from the terminal building and on Saturday we checked-in went through departure control and security in about five minutes total (it was a quiet time of day). The management need to be aware that one of best UK airport experiences (in my opinion) is rapidly approaching average at best.