Justyna

Review of Robin Hood Airport Doncaster S...

Do not use this airport if you are flying with a b...

Do not use this airport if you are flying with a baby/toddler. I used this airport twice when travelling with my daughter- first time she was 8 month old and in a carrier and second time a pre-walking 15 month old. Both times the staff couldn't be more unhelpful. First time a member of staff asked me to skip the queue and go straight to the passport check where I was stopped by a very rude member of staff (Malcom? Mavis?) who told me that mothers with children have no priority rights and now, having un-rightfully skip the queue I need to wait until the entire previous flight gets passport checked and then my own entire flight gets passport checked. So I waited. With a tired, screaming baby attached to my chest and a bag, standing (no chairs provided).
Second time I was travelling with my 15 month old pre-walker so I had a pram (one-piece stroller) with me. It is normally a courtesy of the airport to allow mothers to leave their prams by the aircraft, as their start boarding the plane, so they can use the pram whilst waiting for their flights in the waiting area. Upon arrival after reaching destination, the prams that were left by the aircraft are waiting for mothers and babies as their leave the plane to make their journey a bit less tedious (everyone who traveled with a baby knows it- it is not fun at all). Unfortunately, this is not the case at the Doncaster airport.
Firstly, parents are allowed to take prams to the lounge (which I had to do, having been given an alternative of carrying 13 kg weighting toddler that doesn't walk and a bag). However, then I was faced with a challenge- from the waiting area to the aircraft the only way is via narrow tunnel with stairs. I asked staff if I could have some help with the pram but was told that there is no one who could help me and unfortunately I need to manage by myself.... In consequence I had to carry my toddler, my bad AND a pram down the stairs to the aircraft by myself!
Thankfully this paid off as my pram was waiting for me upon leaving the plane in Poznan, making my journey a bit less miserable.
This however was not the case on my way back. I made sure I asked everyone I possibly could if my pram can be left by the plane when we land in Doncaster, the Poznan-airport staff, Wizzair staff etc. It was important for me, mostly because I somehow pulled my neck muscle and was in an excruciating pain on my flight day and simply could not face the situation where I need to carry my daughter to the passport check area which is quite a long walk from where the plane lands. Upon landing, the was no pram, there was however a member of staff (with funny mustaches) who was guarding prams taken from the aircraft. I approached him and explained my situation and asked if I can get my pram. I was told I cannot and if I needed any assistance I should have booked the wheelchair (sic!).
It took me long time to get to the passport check area, long enough for the entire flight to be already gone and for all main luggage to be already picked up by passengers, apart from my case and my pram, of course. The exercise of getting a pram off a baggage carousel where there is no one around to help with you toddler that is desperately trying to put her finger in the carousel bits is enormous.
Eventually I managed to leave the airport, on my way being asked few times by smiling staff- is everything oK? well, I was crying, cover in sweat and barely could walk.. no I was not ok.