London Gatwick Airport

Through here again on return last week. I am beginning to wonder whether there will ever come a time when the airport does not resemble a building site. At some stage the new owners need to get the job done forget the gimmicks like the bar codes that have appeared around the place with some app for download allowing people to see the work being done. The place really is a tacky dump if they don't get a shift on people arriving for 2012 Olympics will get a poor first impression of the UK.

North Terminal is nice enough but shops started to close at 8pm which feels early for an airport which stays open all night. This led to interminable queues in the only remaining WH Smiths (the other was one of the shops which closed). On return hardly any immigration queues which was really good and didn't have to wait long for our bus back to the long stay car park.

The airport is a mess and seems to be forever a work in progress . The views of the ugly and tatty terminal buildings on arrival shows a complete lack of any real planning. What might have passed as acceptable in the 1970's now looks third world. Went to use the Gents toilets in he departure lounge and there were so few urinals that a queue had formed! The soap dispenser was empty. The emphasis appears to be on retail and this has little to do with airport efficiency. On return from Copenhagen the airport arrival route is very long leading to a part built Border Control area. The checks are fast enough but could be done away with for European travel surely? Anyone arriving in the UK for the first time should be prepared for a shock if they choose to go by train. Both the station and many of the trains are grim and the prices very high. The services are also infrequent outside peak hours.

Arrived at Gatwick very late at night after a bank holiday break and flight delay. My flight was parked in the far end of North terminal and then we were shuttled to the south terminal. Normally I quite like the shuttle transport since it saves time walking and passengers are sent right outside the immigration section. It was a totally different story this time. Actually since they carried out renovation the immigration service has been poor. Last time when I came back the immigration officer cared more about the comfort of her chair and was chatting to her colleague rather than doing her job checking my passport. The immigration hall was packed with passenger at 11pm at night. I have never seen such a long queue and chaos in a civilised country. Because of the renovation work they removed Iris check so one option of faster track was removed. No special line for business class passengers either. There were empty desks that weren't being used and the queue even extended outside the door. Luckily for passengers with EU passports the wait is only 10-15 minutes. I did feel sympathetic for passengers not holding EU passports since the process was very slow the queue was just too long. It is a shame for the airport owners who acquired this airport not long time ago and have since then given themselves good dividend. It is also a shame for the Home Office not to resolve this issue quick enough. After all it's the first impression that UK makes to the visitors!

Came through LGW South terminal after connecting from LHR. The airport seems to be as it has been for years - a building site. The usual long snaking queues around the terminal and staff with long faces. The whole place really does have a low cost feel to it.

We experienced a pleasant departure and arrival in mid April. All staff encountered were pleasant and polite from car-park bus drivers to passport control and nothing like the hold- ups experienced at Stansted or Luton.

Dreadful and tired old airport. Passport control on arrival was mayhem there was a mass of people waiting blocking up the whole area with no queues and I've witnessed this on various occasions. Only the Gatwick Express is a decent train of a similar standard to other European countries but the other local trains from Gatwick are old rickety and distinctly over- priced.

Security surprisingly quick and the Departure Lounge is quite spacious (north terminal). If LGW wonder why they are rated so low in terms of passenger comfort and satisfaction they should seriously look at their constant announcements! There cannot be more than 15-30 seconds free of announcements at any one time and it makes for a very noisy and quite stressful atmosphere. Flew into LGW from ZRH which seemed to be a haven of tranquillity compared to the LGW stress.

Friday afternoon departure and return on a Sunday night to and from the North Terminal. The building work in the terminal is causing minimal disruption. Security was a breeze and in the departure lounge in ten minutes from being dropped off at the terminal. The return was equally uneventful and efficient along the walk from the gate at the airbridge seemed to go on and on and on. That being said I was out and in the car in less than half an hour of landing.

An early morning departure from the south terminal it was very crowded. The security staff coped well and were very helpful to some passengers who had too much in their liquids bag. Arriving back in the evening was a different story. The immigration staff were incredibly rude one was just plain nasty not to me but to a young lady flying on her own who was nervous. If you cross the line before the officer calls you you get snapped at if you hesitate it's the same .Who trains these people and who monitors their behaviour?