London Stansted Airport

While hardly the best or most exciting airport in the world as a local resident (I live 15 minutes away by train or bus) I find it perfectly adequate even while hoping - as someone who lives under the flight path - that it doesn't expand further. Yes it looks a bit like a permanent construction site on the inside and yes it can be crowded but I prefer it to Heathrow. On the other hand I never use Ryan Air or Easy Jet (my last flight from STN was on Turkish) so maybe this helps. I've never had a problem with immigration or security and I even like the little trains from the main terminal to the gates. Stansted is nothing special; there are better airports in Europe and it can't hold a candle to the major Asian airports but it's certainly better than most American airports of similar size.

Arrived back in UK on Friday afternoon and was met with a huge amount of people waiting to go through the UK/EU passport control. Joined a queue and waited my turn. Noticed that the queue to my right the first queue nearest the 'Other than UK/EU passport holders' was progressing much quicker. When I eventually got to the desk I noticed that the queue to my right was being handled by three immigration officers whereas the rest of the queues were handled by one. When I mentioned this to the official on the desk was met with rude arrogant unhelpful reply. (Great to be back in UK!). Why does Stansted airport treat UK/EU passport holders so poorly whereas the rest of the world go through immigration quickly with minimal delays? Will certainly look to use airports other than Stansted in the future. Immigration at Stansted is one big let down!

Until recently Stansted airport has offered a reasonable arrival experience. Now however it has become a nightmare! Going through passport control recently took me two hours (at 11:30pm!) and a few weeks later an hour and a half (also in the evening). We were herded like cattle standing shoulder to shoulder in a cramped and badly ventilated area with queues and staff moving at snails pace. Avoid it at all costs!

Stansted travelling to Dublin. A worryingly long wait for the transfer coach even by STN usual standards. Check-in queue very slow but security went smoothly. As so often there was virtually no shopping time and the gate number changed. However as frequent travellers this was no surprise. The return journey from Dublin made a pleasant change as there weren't the same immigration formalities. I'm not sure that this is actually the right thing however in the current climate. The return coach transfer was a bit quicker than on recent occasions.

Second time through Stansted and again I had big trouble with the pick-up procedure at Arrivals. For a first timer you will need to keep your wits about you. After collecting your bags you face a very very long trip to retrieve your car from the Long stay. Expect your wife and kids to wait a good 45 minutes for you to return. The problem is the pick up point is effectively outdoors and your companions may freeze to death waiting for you. But if they wait in the terminal how are you going to find each other once you return etc.? In practice you have to negotiate some confusing signage to find the 15 minute pick up zone amongst many similar zones. Choose the wrong one and you've got another lap to do. Once parked sprint as fast as you can to find your companions in the airport - the clock is ticking. Sprint back down again with all your trolleys then the next challenge is to find your car. Stansted offers you a number of exit points all designed identically and impossible to distinguish from each other. You will come out at the wrong one the coaches Zone XX eventually you find your car. Load up as fast as you can and sprint back to the ticket machine before the 15 minutes expires. If you're lucky you will make it. If you're unlucky the queue at the ticket machine will be too long. And the object of all this? Is to obtain £1 from you.

I usually use Stansted to go in London because there is a cheap flight from my city (Forlì). But to be honest Stansted is not really a confortable airport - it's far from the city (45 minutes by train) and the organization of the staff isn't one of the best. The baggage check out is so long.

I was surprised how smooth my arrival was at STN. I think that coming before 7am might help. The shuttle train brings you to emigration I was the 3rd one in line for EU passport holders and off I went into the Stansted Express. Impossible to miss from the arrival area.I admit that the train is old but it does its job leaving and coming on time and that's all I'm asking.I left London pretty late the same day and I was just on time even if there was a long queue at the security and now there is a second shoes control. I really can't complain but I might have been lucky twice the same day so for me 3 stars.

NotHad the misfortune to fly from STN yesterday. Only 10 minutes to check in but 40 minutes in the security queue. Pity the people in front of me whose small son needed the toilet. Half the X-ray machines were unmanned although there were some security staff hanging around with nothing better to do. Didn't have time to complain so straight to Pret for inflight sandwiches no time for shopping. Another disaster area: they only had two left and obviously the staff couldn't care less about restocking. "We'll try and get some sent over if you'll wait" one said in an effort to be halfway helpful. Hello! This is an airport; people haven't got time to hang around especially after 40 minutes at security. One star? Minus several hundred stars!

I've passed through Stansted on a number of occasions over the past few months usually on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings and typically returning on Sunday evenings or nights. Stansted Express is pretty dreadful with about 1 in 4 journeys running to the timetable suggested and the trains themselves are old although usually clean. I tend to use online check in and travel with hand luggage so I can avoid the snaking queues for check-in and head straight for security. My general impression is that this is improving I would say 10-15 minutes is the typical wait I have endured which is acceptable to me. Airside there is little to do but the concourses are kept reasonably clean. Returning from the UK or Ireland to Stansted means that passport control thankfully does not apply; the queues for the border posts are invariably thronged on a Sunday evening. Overall I would say STN is just about keeping its head above water; hopefully the extension will provide some relief.

Not a pleasant experience. The main problem with STN is that it is running way over its capacity with the airport running out of places to sit down even on a (presumably relatively quiet) mid Friday afternoon in January. What it must be like at peak times I dread to think. However it did take only about 15 minutes to get through security outbound. Note that once in the main terminal you can't go to use the lounges (which are in satellite 1) unless your flight is departing from those gates as there is no way to return to the main departure hall (so e.g. Priority Pass is useless). On return at 10.30 Sun night having sprinted past other passengers on our flight and on others we were held for about 3 minutes in the previously mentioned corridor before we could join the queues to get through customs. It took us about 25 minutes to get to the front of these queues despite all available desks being open. Presumably those behind us were still stuck in the corridor. Then went straight down to the Stansted Express. This did run on time but the train was filthy seats were missing etc. I felt quite ashamed that this is some visitors' first view of Britain.