East Midlands Airport

Monday 2 June 6.30am - flying to Corfu. What has happened to the nice local airport that used to be East Midlands? The last time I flew from E. Midlands (admittedly some 10-15 years ago) it was a joy to use. Sadly not anymore. Absolutely heaving at 6.30am on a Monday morning with droves of passengers being herded through a cramped and crummy duty free area immediately after security into the pathetically inadequate seating areas. And upon return on 9th June the plane stopped some 30 yards from the terminal - so of course we all had to get on busses to be taken to the actual building. Really? I am aware that you have to keep outbound and inbound passengers apart but this is ridiculous. And as for passport control - somebody needs to improve the electronic passport gates or do away with them. This airport is no longer a joy to use - its only saving grace is that it is minutes from my home or I would not use it.

Horrendous experience with security yesterday. Massive queues people couldn't get through the automatic gates while the staff told passengers to move through the same blocked gates. Round the corner to find more queues and a security guard staring for 5+ minutes or more at the x-ray contents of 1 bag. I started to worry about just what he had found that was so dangerous it couldn't even be taken out of the machine to be manually checked. I thought that was what the system was all about. Meanwhile an elderly man was being subjected to a remarkably intimate search in front of a fascinated crowd. And then there's the confused signage impossible parking and general chaos at the Ryanair gates. I've been a regular user over the past 9 months but I really can't stick it any longer. Birmingham is better. Never thought I'd say that. EMA is best avoided unless you really have no alternative.

Me and my wife used the airport last week to fly to Ibiza. We found the security staff to be actually very friendly and a lot more helpful than staff at other near by airports I walked through and sounded the alarm on the metal detector and had to take my shoes off which I didn't mind because the staff asked nicely. I think half of the problem with the attitude report by some people about the security guards is that people probably go with the attitude to cause a problem. The departure lounge was good and the flight left on time.

We travelled from East Midlands to Murcia on Ryanair FR1924 departing 16.55 on Friday 11th April. We knew that traffic could be bad on Friday afternoons so booked the security express lane at a cost of £6 for the two of us. On arrival at 15.45 we had to join a queue in a temporary tunnel - which moved very slowly. When we reached the boarding pass desk situated below a sign saying "Express Lane" that was blocked. Staff member said they only have one lane. We joined the lengthy queue and eventually got to the gate at 16.32 (gate closure was 16.35). We watched another teenager who had inadvertently left something in a pocket that triggered the scanner alarm be treated with a similar attitude but with added obvious annoyance and eye rolling. My wife has had a similar attitude from security staff over the size of the liquids bag which she had carried on 3 other flights to and from USA. This is completely unacceptable but passengers have little time to complain there and then. Other passengers in the queue noted this indifferent hostile behaviour and said that it was typical for this airport. The express lane was sold to me a few days before the flight but we almost missed our flight because it didn't operate and security was so slow and inefficient. Surely the express lane is needed when alterations are being carried out causing extra delays? I realise that the express lane is no guarantee of getting through faster but it does reduce the stress of getting to the gate on time until the point when it is withdrawn and the staff at the airport have no idea what to do. We're flying from Birmingham in August and would not recommend East Midlands to anyone unless there is no alternative.

Landed at East Midlands on 15 March at about 6.45. Yet again ridiculous queues for passport control why are the electronic gates never open here? Had misfortune to visit the ladies toilets in the baggage claim hall they were absolutely filthy with several blocked! They certainly hadn't been inspected that day never mind in the last hour! it's about time things were improved here. Car park also a joke.

I hope that this airport is going to be reconstructed soon? In the meantime if you suffer from claustrophobia give this airport a miss (if you can)? The queues for the gates cut through the bars and cafes of the departure lounge and the space between yourself and the obligatory seats is devoid of space. There are no piers so walking out onto the tarmac in all weathers is a chance you certainly have to take. Arrivals is chaotic where the number of automatic immigration scanners don't match the number of people with the new biometric passport so fast track doesn't exist. It was quicker to go via the immigration official. It would certainly appear that demand on this airport has certainly been outweighed by its size and content. A definite upgrade is deserved here sooner rather than later.

As frequent users of EMA over 25 years we have gradually decided that standards have really gone down and we now quite dread using it. Last week the place was so full and congested at 5am security staff rude offhand wearing their jobsworth hats. When told to remove my flat shoes with a metal buckle I said I didn't want to walk on the dirty floor and was told I had to it wasn't her job to help me. She turned her back and resumed her chatting to 2 other staff. Queues for bottles of water at boots snaked all round the shop. No newspapers in smiths. Expensive food. Hard to find a seat. Staff seemed to enjoy social chats rather than helping customers. Regrettably we are booked to fly again twice more this year. Then next time BA from LHR! Our relations who we're travelling with us last week normally use Birmingham and said this was the last EMA for them. On arrival the wait for steps then the crammed busses and the wet walk into arrivals were poor as usual. Why can't they invest in piers and become a proper modern airport? We paid a lot for a special celebration cruise which was lovely but Spoilt by EMA at start and finish.

I live within 30 minutes of EMA and it always used to be my "first choice" airport but not anymore! The drop off and pick up facilities are a joke and parking facilities in general are a disgrace short stay is frequently rammed and it's still a fair walk to a the terminals through what is basically a building site! ££7 to park for 65 minutes (would have got it in the hour if the pay station machine wasn't broken and then the "card only" machines have the cheek to charge you an extra £1.50 to use a card). Medium stay parking is expensive long stay parking is miles away with a bus service. Security queues are horrendous staff were rude and arrogant and you are left with hundreds of stressed customers. The "food and beverage" offering defies belief shocking quality and rip-off prices. I now do everything possible to avoid flying from here despite it virtually being on my doorstep and that's a sad statement. For Europe trips now I try and use the train or for farther afield I travel the few extra miles and fly from Birmingham.

This airport is a disgrace. This year it is celebrating 50 years of business. Some of the old same buildings are still in use. East Midlands airport is the gateway to the whole region millions of people live close by and it is the first and last impression that visitors from all over the world get of the area. It is dirty over crowded and cluttered. Airport owners wake up we need a new showcase terminal. You have taken our money for years and given nothing back. Like many other people I have no choice but to fly into East Midlands airport. Please give us an airport we can be proud of. The 12 million pounds you are spending is peanuts as you know. All you ever seem to do is mend and make do.