London Stansted Airport

We fly from London airports at least 3 times a yr last week we flew from Stansted-Malaga with Easyjet. All was well until we went through Security with our hand luggage. I told the official as I put my bag jacket and small bag containing a few items of cosmetics into the plastic tray that my bag contained insulin and other diabetic-related paraphernalia. My carry-on bag was diverted from the main conveyor without any explanation where it sat for more than 5 mins before a male staff member took it to a table and started to empty it out. When I politely asked what the problem was I was told that my plastic bag containing a few items of cosmetics was the 'wrong size' ( I have used this bag at Heathrow x 2 Miami Cork Dalaman and Luton) and was directed to a machine where I paid £1 for four bags. I transferred my liquids to the new bag and expected this to be the end of the matter. My mobile was inspected with a geiger like object as was my husband's i-pod. They were then taken to another machine and re-inspected. Nothing was found as there was nothing to find. After 15-20 mins the official indicated that I could re-pack my bag. I asked again politely what the problem had been. He then picked up my cosmetic bag rooted through it and pulled out my mascara - which he hadn't looked through previously. 'This' he said waving it under my nose. 'It should have been in the plastic bag'. So it took all that time and the emptying of the entire contents of my bag to tell me that. Ironically he didn't look through the diabetic items - insulin Novo-pens needles a glucometer and testing strips etc. I am fully aware that Security is of the greatest importance but perhaps their security staff need to undertake further training in dealing with the general public.

Every thing was fine on departure except security control had massive slow moving queues with people everywhere. Other passengers were panicking about missing flights as it took about 30 minutes to clear security. There was just not enough security lanes open for the amount of people in the airport. Too many people seem to be held in the shopping area before being told which gate to go to. We already new roughly what gate our flight would depart from and headed to calmer atmosphere near the gates. I can’t believe this airport was pressing for a second runway when it can’t handle the passengers it’s got now. If you’re not an experienced traveller I would suggest that Stansted is best avoided! On return it took over an hour to get through immigration. Massive queues everywhere we were held in hot cramp unventilated corridors with no explanation as to why. Car parking very efficient at the mid stay prompt bus and very helpful driver. I’m seriously considering looking at other airports now even if they are further away. Since you will be stuck in endless queues at Stansted anyhow.

Second time at Stansted and most certainly the last. Two main reasons. Firstly the truly abysmal and over- priced "fast and no fuss" train service to London. Our trip back to the airport was an shambles. Some issue on the line appalling communication and a couple of trains worth of passengers dumped in the car park at Broxbourne Station. Cue chaos. We waited an hour for the promised buses in 26 C heat and after concluding that they might never arrive ordered a taxi from Harlow (£40) and missed our flight. Then the shambles that is check in and security. It is almost as though the airport isn't expecting there to be any passengers. It took over an hour to get through security checks - more than half the xray machines were unmanned - and best of all we were told our plastic bags carrying fluids were the "wrong size". Luckily the airport can sell you plastic bags for £1. Even better the official selling the bags managed to keep a straight face when he said the £1 wasn't about making money. So in summary avoid the train at all costs. If you have hours to kill and want to stand in queues for ages then this is certainly the airport for you.

Used this airport to fly to Glasgow rtn Great staff support from special assistance and also polite staff through security who were very good with my friend who has a learning disability. Nice selection of shops and food outlets. Out of the terminal within 15 minutes of landing. Stansted Express train very good too.

Returned on a flight to Stansted on 15 June 2011. Flight arrived ten minutes early at 11.45 pm- then followed by a one hour slow moving queue from the arrival gate into the main terminal passport hall. No explanations provided security staff dismissive when asked why there is a delay-and no apologies from UK Border Agency. Hundreds of passengers stopped in the corridors. This is a disgrace to the airport. Surely they must know how many passengers to expect at any given time as there were no unforeseen flight delays from anywhere. Given a choice (which we don't have) we would never use this airport again.

Arrived back in the UK at 06:15 am on 9 June transit and baggage claim fine passports and customs fine. Toilets in the main departures area were disgusting and unusable. Departures drop off point was being vigorously policed by officials with cameras and would allow Pickups in this area so then tried to find our way to the arrivals Pick up point! So poorly signed I roamed around for 10 mins trying to find my way out to the 15 min Short stay eventually got the idea so called my friend who was picking us up but it was too late they missed the badly signed entrance and ended up in the Red Car Park instead where it cost £2.60 for a 60 second pick up.

Why can they not close some of the utterly useless shops and put a proper number of immigration desks in their place ? It is ridiculous to have to spend an hour in a queue to get through non- EU immigration and the crowd trying to get through EU immigration cannot have enjoyed it very much more. Add to that the lies about 'every 10 minute departure' to the mid-term car park and you can only conclude that someone else ought to run this airport. And quickly. Avoid it if you possibly can.

I concur with previous reviewers the immigration queues at Stansted are a disgrace. I use the airport once or twice a year but I have never known anything other than lengthy queues no matter how many posts are manned. Last week (15 minutes) was better than normal but the depressing thing is that nobody seems to be interested in solving the problem; it has certainly not improved in the past 4 years. It is a shame because apart from that Stansted is not a bad airport - though I do try to travel with hand luggage only as check-in can be a lengthy process.

There is one very big issue with Stansted Airport and that is the passport control delays that they are experiencing. On landing you are held in corridors in a holding pattern no doubt as other flights are landing they don't want the passport control hall to turn into a crush. I land at the airport at around 12.30am with two young children both of which were very tired. We then had to queue to get to the passport control area they were letting people out in batches of 20 or so then we had to queue to get to the passport check. This was a complete mess. There were no defined queues just a free for all for everyone to get in the best queue or the right place in the hall. For some reason some of the queues seem to move quicker than others and the passport checkers are just super slow. It took us around 1.5hrs to get through the security check to then get our baggage. This is not acceptable. It is an embarrassment to our country that the first experience for visitors to England is a 2 hour queue god knows what is going to happen with the influx of visitors for the Olympics.

Queuing at Stansted Immigration put a total mood dampener on what was a very good holiday. It took us over 50 minutes to get through Immigration.