London Stansted Airport

Great airport and good customer service. Just needs a refreshing uplift don't think anything's been done in 10 years!

I use this airport frequently and think on the whole it is pretty good. It can get crowded first thing in the morning between 5-8am) and on Sunday evenings but otherwise I find I just have to wait a few minutes to drop off my luggage and 5-10 minutes to get through security. I have found the staff polite and helpful. On the return flights the main problem is at passport control where there can be a lot of people particularly if several flights arrive at about the same time. The automatic passport machines seem to be temperamental - sometimes they recognize me and sometimes not. Luggage is usually on the belt in 15-20 minutes. Car parking as at just about all airports is expensive. It sometimes has cost me more to park the car for a few days then I've paid for the flight. Free and fast wi-fi is common in many airports in Europe (Paris Munich Vienna) and it should be also at all of London's airports.

This was a great airport when it opened but awful now. Security staff unfriendly and departure lounge area really crowded - seems Ryanair passengers are held there for as long as possible while the non-Ryanair piers connected to the transit appear under used. Good point was swiftness through passport control I must have been lucky from seeing other reviews. Such a shame as this is a great building and has been badly neglected.

The early Friday morning rush was already over but it still took some 25-30 minutes to negotiate security. This is unacceptably slow and reflects not enhanced security arrangements but simply poor organisation. Of the nine scanners installed just three were in operation. By the time I had completed security procedures there was no time to sample the "retail experience". If I were a retailer paying top-dollar rentals at STN I would be wanting a word with the Airport Management about its failure to deliver customers.

It would be a lovely airport if it wasn't for Ryanair's inability to check in board or disembark passengers in an orderly efficient manner. They ruin the airport. It is easy to get around with very little obstructions from drop- off to gate and a decent selection of shops but with pretty much only 1 toilet after security it bulges with the thousands that pass through every day. Its when you get to the gates were the real problems star they are basically long strips with not enough room for queuing and seating throughout. On the up side however it is kept very clean and immigration staff are cheerful and efficient.

I am a fairly frequent air traveller but have nver witnessed such crass ineptitude as I did at Stansted airport on my trip this week. At check in for the outward flight only half of Ryanair staff were at their posts when the desks opened queues were mixed up with no member of staff helping or organising the queues. On arrival back at Stansted the custom checkpoint was inadequately manned resulting in it taking over 1 hour to clear customs and this was 'normal' according to the only member of staff who spoke to anyone. Pity help anyone arriving for the Olympics they had best bring a sleeping bag.

Mixed feelings about this airport - very affected by your flight time. If on an early flight you will find terrible overcrowding in the airport retail food sector areas because flight gates are not announced until 45 mins before departure. With so many budget airline flights leaving between 6am and 7am expect chaos which is a shame since food and retail outlets are very good. Why they will not let passengers go to gate early where there is plenty of seating is beyond me. Likewise if you land late evening expect very long queues and indifferent staff at border control 30-45 minute wait normal. Dominated by cheap flight airlines only fly from here if flight price worth it. How any further expansion of the airport or a second runway be considered is beyond me believe BAA has to sell this airport and lack of any further investment obvious.

I had always been happy with Stansted before Friday night took almost 2 hrs of queuing before my girlfriend could get through passport control. Only 6 desks open and hundreds and hundreds of people queuing right down the corridors leading to the hall. Visitors will hate the UK before they even step foot outside the airport. What made it worse was there was no announcements or info given out so everyone was just standing waiting wondering what was going on when flights had landed so long before but still no sign of their friends/family.

I fly from Alicante to the UK (Essex) fairly often. I usually go into Stansted as it is cheaper but after the last few times will be paying the little extra to use Southend. As others have mentioned a large percentage of the staff would benefit from some extra or just some training in the art of customer service particularly the immigration staff who appear at times to take great delight at the expense of the so called customers frustration.

Flying out Thursday no problem - flying back Sunday 22 April very different. Locked in narrow steel corridor before being allowed into hall for passport control massive queue when got to desk I politely queried what was happening I was she was just doing her job looking over her shoulder 2 police in full regalia laughing at us no apology just treated like animals appears either staff or facilities not adequate - will try to avoid this airport.