London City Airport

Second visit to LCY this year and after the horrendous queuing last time I made sure that we arrived well in advance of check-in time. But I guess that it was a much less busy time of day (early afternoon) as there were no queues and we breezed through security. This left quite a long time sitting in the departure lounge which is a pleasant place with a small number of shops. Anticipating problems we'd eaten before check-in so the restaurants were of little use. If you're not subjected to excessive queuing the airport is very good.

City airport seems to be outgrowing itself. No problems at bag drop but queue for security snakes all round the place and into one of the landside restaurants. And limited airside seating and facilities for the number of passengers using the airport at peak times. Very courteous security staff. Comfortable gate lounges.

This airport has completely gone down the pan. Queues for security clearance snake around the check-in area and just finding the starting point is a challenge. Airport staff mill around the snake dancing passengers shouting out the destinations of flights which are about to depart. Once a flight is flagged as "boarding" on the monitor passengers are permitted to step out of the queue and head directly upstairs for screening - what's the use of arriving ahead of time and queuing up knowing that you'll be able to jump the crowd when your flight is called. Once through a security clearance which is a total circus passengers are offered a free chocolate bar as a peace offering - really? The stress level of passengers are off the charts by the time they get through the most annoying queuing system on the planet and trying to placate them with candy as one would with children is absolutely idiotic if not insulting. I am sure passengers would prefer to find the City Airport that used to exist sans le chocolat rather than the carnival it has become.

LCY to ANR. Horrendous queues for security back to the escalator although to be fair they did keep moving. Took about 30 mins from check in. They were trying to bring forward people with departing flights although this really just was an airport person standing in the corner shouting. My mood was partly improved by the free chocolate bars and coffee vouchers handed out. Departed gate 1 this has seen much better days.

LCY-EDI on AF 3rd February. At 1600 no problems at all with queuing; at 1700 still seats available in the main lounge. Security was ten minutes and could have been less. The airport's website is now acknowledging that they have problems here; they are now a victim of their own success. The new gates 21-24 have far more space while you have the last wait for your flight than what the older gates do.

Queues on 28th January 17.00-19.00 Horrendous! Just made my flight. Was the same the previous week. Shall be seeking alternatives if this continues.

The queues at London City were beyond ridiculous today no idea what was going on. It took almost an hour to get through security and that was only because we were allowed through more quickly once our flight got to final call. The staff helping with the queues were strict (quite rightly) about people trying to skip though. The security staff were poor I have never had a bag search like it rifling through my paperwork page-by-page and inspecting my clothes in quite a humiliating way. I'm all for enhanced security but this is not the way to do it.

I was lucky at this airport when I arrived for a flight to the Isle of Man. Lucky because I'd decided to turn up early (2 hours before departure) so that I'd have time to get a meal before departure. If I'd left it any later I'd have been queuing for Departures for more than the 55 minutes it took me and wouldn't even have had time for a quick snack. Clearly the airport is overwhelmed with the number of flights leaving on a Tuesday evening in January. Although staff were employed to help move the queue along and ensure that people who were on a final call were moved to the front the queue snaked up and down the upper floor then down the steps and into the check-in area (I couldn't see the end of the queue as it was growing all the time). Most people seemed to be flying to European destinations and were bemused by the chaos. Airport staff admitted that it was sheer number of passengers causing the problem which tells me that there is something basic wrong with this airport. It should be able to cope with all scheduled flights not just those at less busy times.

A great airport with investment in making it work well all of the time. Almost every visit something has changed as they seek to use every square foot to it's best use. Best reached by public transport as car parking costs lots. Arrive early for morning departures and enjoy a great breakfast.

LCY to Antwerp return. Very overrated experience. Long queues at security in a small claustrophobic area. Flight was called to gate 2B but staff had omitted to change the previous flight (Nantes) causing confusion. Passengers herded onto a bus in zero temperatures where we all stood for 10 mins waiting for the last stray passengers and the bus then took 15 mins to travel 100 meters due to stops and starts for aircraft movements. On return only one of 6 Border desks was manned. In fact very little positive to say.