BAA London Stansted Review

Sibal ~ The sound coming out of the airport ;; Checking baggage takes a long time like x and lots of baggage; If you go to the departure hall, there is no place to eat or relax.

Congratulations Stansted on having the rudest security staff I have ever encountered anywhere in the world. I have never flown from Stansted before and will never fly from here again. Appalling rudeness! Disorganised layout too. The only saving grace was the lovely and helpful staff in the Escape lounge. Other than that even one star is overrating this dreadful excuse for an airport

I flew from/to this airport more than 100 of times in last 15 years. Over the years so many things didn t change or didn t improve much. Before I write about the -/+ be honest. Tell me why it s called London Stansted? It s so far from London and the prices are higher than at central London. Especially parking! You can t even drop off or pick up someone for free. This is robbery how much they charge for it. Check before you go as the prices go up regularly....
No seats at waiting are before you check in. People seating or laying down on the floor everywhere- even by the toilets.
Veeeery long waiting time almost everywhere in that area.
Security check is such as an unpleasant experience. They treat you a bit like an item. Plenty of shouting at that area...
Duty free zone always overcrowded. It could be difficult to find a sit.
Apart from very few shops the prices are like in Harrods. However there is a good range of shops, cafes and restaurants.
Toilets usually clean but still plenty to improve...
The worst in my opinion is passport control on the way back. Veeery long walk and very long waiting time. I think the fastest was 45 min. The average from my experience is 60-80 min. The bags are usually waiting for you on the roundabout.
I give 1 star as they could do much better than that, For the money they charge the facility and the service ought to be much better.

For a last minute disabled passengers is something to be forgotten wrapped up with a awful Ryanair flight ,destination : where ever

Departing through the airport can take a little while (nothing too bad) with security and passport checks, but I was amazed by how efficient it was for arrivals. Once our plane landed, we disembarked the plane onto the tarmac and walked directly into the airport terminal (no bus), short walk to passport control which was all electronic (not just for EU citizens but also AU/NZ/CA/US/JP/SG/KR) and automatic. Quick scan of your passport, nothing else, and you're through. From touchdown to exiting the airport in 15 minutes if you have no check-in luggage. Incredible!

Car Hire Bus takes at least 30 mins then 45 mins at security if lucky. Not my favourite airport. Chaos.

It has got better through the years. Would appreciate better 4G reception or any reception at all

Small airport for London, easy to get too, and great prices when I wanted to go to Riga

Will Nickel and Dime you for everything. So be ready.

This airport serves mostly budget airlines, so it's out of the way, can be tough to get to and is going to be crowded and security a mess. But that is to be expected.

Didn't print your boarding pass and don't want to pay Ryanair like 20 quid? No problem! You can print it out at the information desk instead for 5 quid...Want to hand them a fiver? No dice. No cash accepted. AMEX? Nope! Visa/Mastercard only.

Do you need cash but don't want to get ripped off at the numerous foreign exchange places (all the same company) in the terminal? Cool. Head to ATM.. Oh wait... it's administered by said foreign exchange company and I did not see any ATMs that were bank administered (Natwest, Lloyds, HSBC etc) in the terminal... Oh and the ATMs don't accept that many networks.. So you may have to get a cash advance from your credit card instead of using your ATM card. That's like 10-15 quid that your credit card will charge you. Then there is the exchange rate that the ATM offers you which is at least 25% more than the actual market rate that a bank ATM would provide (ie. 1 GBP = 1.32 USD as of today, but you might have to fork out 1.64 USD to get 1 GPB to get your cash). There might be an ATM usage fee as well (but I'll ignore that). in short getting 100 quid would in this case cost you at least $174-$179, where it should cost you $132... that's a huge difference.

Oh and you want to leave plenty of time to catch your flight since its crowded and lines for security will be massive. But that's to be expected.

Perfectly serviceable and appears to be working efficiently.
Parked in the 'Orange Zone' without pre-paying (the online prepayment feature didn't offer what I wanted) and ended up close to the terminal. Loads of vacant spots at 10:00 on a busy Monday morning.

Easy 'Departure' procedure and only a 5-7 minute delay through security. Departure lounge OK and supplied everything that I needed. Staff pleasant and helpful and the departure hall was clean with ample places
for rubbish. Free water dispensers are a good idea....

Gate announcements given clearly and in good time. I can't understand why so many negative reviews, sorry, but I can't.

Worst security experience ever. The security staff had zero knowledge regarding religious items and behaved in a very insensitive manner. They should all be given training and knowledge before starting to work there, it's unacceptable...

One of four or five airports in London. Large, easy to use, a lot of people from around the world. Passport check-in and service very nice. Lots of cameras :)

Stupid!
After we had to wait for our luggage for 2 hours on arrival, our gate was not displayed on the monitors until the final call one week later. The organization is apparently very bad here.

Always a sad place, old Stansted.

Not only is it far but it is so inhospitable they have actually hired workers to wake people that are waiting for their flights up in their newly implemented NO SLEEPING policy .

That s right - You need to stay awake, sitting up straight all night if you arrive early or are unlucky to have a delayed flight in the evening. Someone in high viz might come and talk at you until you wake up and even threaten to expel you from the airport for 24 hours if you happen to fall asleep.

Seems like next they ll get some cattle prods to organise passengers.

If you get though that lovely experience you ll find that after security there are no places - none - to fill a water bottle up in the airport s THE MORE TRASH THE BETTER policy.

I d recommend choosing a different airport if you can.

I always prefer this airport as 1, it's my closest and 2, it's so easy to use and each time we do it improves more and more. I am looking forward to the new arrivals hall. Just make sure us drivers can collect customers from there! I don't see what people mean when they say it's complicated? It's really easy to find you gate, you just follow signs. I like the high ceilings which give an element of space unlike Birmingham. My only issue is seating is very poor but I hope that will change when departures becomes the whole building. I wouldn't fly with Ryanair ever again though.

Not very beautiful but quick if you just have hand luggage and an ePasaport.

Worst airport I have ever been too!! Planes never leave on time and baggage takes up to an hour to collect. Will never come back to this airport EVER AGAIN!!!!

Returned to work at Stansted Airport after 4 months.. it was excellent all management keeping to a very high standard felt very safe and secure.

The airport itself is not bad, but the distance to the gate is quite reasonable, and the means of transportation to the airport is not good...

Nice and easy to go through as covid 19 was in progress. Quick and not too many people travelling.

beware airport is a hot spot for THIEVES!!!. checked in luggage is at high risk with baggage handlers breaking into locks a stealing items. watch out for xray check too
. staff will pat you down meanwhime your untended items are being stolen. staff hesitant to help and Essex police unresponsive. theyre all in it...scandalous

Not enough seats for waiting passenger over night have to sit on coold floor

This probably the worst airport I have ever been. Desorganized to far away from London downtown and with a security check that could last as long as 45min. Also, gates are announced on the main lobby until just some minutes are left no matter if the gate that you would need to take is far away. Security check, distance and provably the fact that the way gates are announced you have a 50 / 50 chance to loose your flight. If you have no other option make sure to take at least 4 to 5 hours leaving from London downtown.

After reading all those bad commentaries, I was scared but it was not so bad.

Pros :
- cheap flights
- easy checkin at Ryanair for us (only 10 minutes on Sunday evening)
- lot of shops
- easy to go to London with the stansted express, book your tickets well in advance to get the better prices.

Cons :
- the security checking is awful... They need to improve this, really! It was something like 30 minutes..
- the toilets were really dirty. I'm not sure if someone is cleaning them.

Conclusion : it is not the best airport I've visited but it still not totally bad. I would say it's average. My worst experience was in Milan linate where the staff was asking travelers to cheat in the queue... We were waiting more than an hour for the check-in and everything was really bad!

If you want cheap prices, it's the airport to use in London. Don't expect a high quality of service, otherwise you will be disappointed.

Worst airport in the UK actually Manchester is worse. Screens are fuzzy so it's hard to see the text, gate information is released at the last minute, crowded, rubbish f&b shops too far from the gates to be bothered to go browse. It's like IKEA there is a meandering route your forced to walk down before routes branch out to find a gate.

Amazing breakfast at Stanstead airport, easy checking in, small queues great way to start a holiday.

Our flight was delivered from Treviso to Venice because of Stansted delay. They say it's because the lack of staff or the high number of fly companies inside

Ashamed not to have at least ONE bilingual person at this airport to be guided. My level of English is not extraordinary, ok, but do not understand a word of explanations about five or six people questioned .... Result: find yourself at the other end of the airport at the time of boarding and having to run everywhere to find the right "door". Shameful

Flights cancelled after we waited outside for nearly a WHOLE DAY! Why? Because of A SINGLE BUS? Quality Easter!!!

Well connected by train, but awful and unpolite staff at the security check.
Especially with non-English speaker's.

Clear signage, helpful staff, quick passage, check-in

In arrivals it is easier to pass with the passport than with the ID, it is faster, the exchange is cheaper in the bank that does not come out profitable there, although in London you can pay everything with a card, when you leave the cafeterias , supermarket, burguer king and of course to buy tickets for buses, trains and taxis, the cheapest is the easybus although in those who put national express you can get 2x1 for the attractions to visit. In the exits there is nothing until the international zone after security, although you can get closer to the arrival areas, both in this and in the international zone you can get good food at a good price, to pass the boarding pass as you pass by scanner many times do not look at your passport that seems fatal to me, but when you arrive at the security zone every two times you get a checkup and while you have to leave everything in the plastic drawer, someone can steal something from you, it's very poorly done, all liquids less than 100ml are left in clear plastic bags and out of the backpacks in the plastic drawer but at no time check your documentation, the international zone has a lot of shops, bars, pharmacy, many things It deserves when you can go directly to the international zone and take a look there is enough to see and the toilets are usually clean.

Very clean feels better than Gatwick
Think it's smaller

Worst airport I have ever been in, extremely rude staff, completely disastrous and nonexistent infrastructure, there are not even seats to sit on while waiting for your flight, this airport deserves to disappear from the face of the earth for the good of all

We were treated very badly at the entrance, the lady from the entrance to London together with the police, thanks to the girl who separates those who got off the plane we could communicate with the person waiting for us and leave the airport ..

Out of 6 times I came to London 5 I used as a Stansted airport
If bought on eadybus.Co.uk in advance the transfer can be paid 1.95 Lst from Victoria
It takes about 1 45 to return from London to Stansted but it is enough to get organized
Convenient for eating and never having problems with the contrarollo, s part make shoes be removed

Security checks are quick if you follow all the rules and this is the only nice thing you can write about this place. The airport has a strange rule that it shows gates just 60 minutes before taking-off. There is not enough sitting space for all the people waiting even if you count the cafes etc. Idk who designed this place but they should hide and never show their face. A long way to go through all the shops - that offer "bargains" so poor you honestly have to ask yourself who is buying this (i could get those toilet waters or perfumes for 1/3 of the airport price at Rossman). 3 or 4 decent places to eat (and you pay more for sitting in in most of them). Many people had problems with reading gates numbers and I had to get closer to the board to read the numbers for some older people (where is the airport staff for this?). Once your gate number is announced you walk for at least 10 minutes (or take a train) through long corridors with no moving walkways working (I had minor problems with my leg - tourists life to the extreme - and regretted not asking for help). What's surprising - there are some cafes etc. at those gates far away and they are empty because everyone is crowded at the main space waiting for the info about their flight. Toilets are really dirty, problems with paper, with soap, with space in the bins.

The pubs are closed but burguer King is open. What kind of joke is this?

Security staff absolutely useless. It took me almost 2 hours to go through security check. I was about to miss my flight and told one of the guards hoping I could be put to the front of the queue. They said there was nothing they could do. They also held one of my plastic bags saying they had to check the liquid. Another 15 minutes wasted only to hear the bag had no problem and we could proceed. I missed my flight by 7 minutes.

Open plan setup and airy. Employees and Security were friendly and professional during my visit. There is free WiFi available (you must sign on). There are many restaurants available after check in. There is Currency Exchange available. However, there are few wall outlets, so bring a battery pack to charge your phones. There are color coded car parks. However, you must pay to use most of them; the only free parking area is after the Green car park (behind the Radisson Hotel). You can also reach the airport via Stansted Express trains or buses. There are tour employees on site to assist arriving passengers that would be traveling into London and surrounding areas.

Missing flights, long security queues? Hello, this is why they say get to the airport early! My only problem is the lack of phone or mobile charging places and the 15 minutes walk when you want to travel with Ryanair. If they displayed the gate numbers earlier, people could spread out a bit more.

Have used the airport for a few years and normally it's ok although it could be very crowded in busy times.

But I have to say some passport control officers are so rude...Most are nice but I've met one or two who were really unprofessoonal.

Come on do your work and be professional. Dont dump your emossions on passengers.

My flight from here reminded me why I haven't flown for eight years, Avoid

Great new area for departure, still a it crowded but ok

Crowded, poor toilet facilities, problem with new liquids allowance in small unsuitable, thin plastic bags.
Forced to walk through thesmelly perfume, yellow brick road, walk before reaching any tiolets, the foodhall and seating.....Stanstead owners hang you heads in shame, you have ruined a once pleasant airport !!!!!!

The worst passport control and baggage handling of any airport in the world.

Bardzo mile lotnisko, sprawna obsluga, dobre jedzenie i loty w kazdym kierunku swiata. Polecam goraco!

Very practical everything and very good attention by the staff. Thank you

The airport itself is very nice with shops and places to eat and relax
It is also well served for traveling to and from London by train (arriving in Liverpool Station)
Unfortunately it is disorganized to the maximum !!!
Something really embarrassing
For work I traveled a bit everywhere but this is really the most disorganized airport in the world
In China and Mexico I found myself much better
If I can I avoid it but unfortunately I sometimes touch ......
Too bad because London deserves much more (the other airports are in fact much better managed)

Had to wait 2 hours to get my bags, while other incoming flights got their bags.

A very low airport from all the points of view. Only Moscow is worst. The check gates are poor organised. The path to the gates is a maze. Does not have a miles and more lounge. All are terrible expensive. No electrical charging sources. Like a stone age airport.

Crowded, all passengers herded into a sheep pen after weaving their way through a maze of expensive and almost empty of shops,then there are no seats available due to poeple occupying 2 or 3 seats as a bed. Gates are not allocated until 1 hr before the flight and after the stampede to the gate there are many empty seats and empty coffee bars with only flight crew as customers.
If the managment cannot solve this problem I would be will and able to do so, as I would not be trying to extract as much money from passengers they are intent on doing.

I was very disappointed by the staff at this airport.I completely understand the security measures that must be implemented now but that we throw a product for lenses when we try to explain to them that if I lose a lens I do not see much and that actually I do not have a medical prescription for the product but that it is lenses are prescribed medically because my eyesight and under a certain threshold..These are not lenses for luxury or aesthetics. You are told that you can buy further after the check.
We ask you what nationality we are and we tell you that we do not know how to read French. Yet I was let in the country with my product lenses. I do not understand how I left the country.

I would try not to come here! The whole airport is a constant stress! I have been here 2 times. The first time I can remember waiting in the luggage drop off line for 45mins and then we went to security. I accidentally left my computer in the suitcase so it had to be checked by a staff member. They'd refused to do it and would rather talk to their colleagues! I did not like it! Had to wait 1hour and 30 mins until I'd finally convinced them to do it! Anyways I got through and rushed to my planes gate! The second time I was not happy to come here again, but I was surprised! Staff sempt freindly(unlike the time before) and they were seeming to cope with the 100s of people that was there! Yes the lines were big but they moved quickly. I checked everything before going through security. I got through but I accidentally left my belt on one of the trays. A kind staff lady helped me find it and I thanked her and got on with my day. I had got some food in the duty free area and went to go find a place to sit. It was loud and there was no place to sit so I had to go on the floor. It was dirty and people walked past me like they did not care. I started to feel unwell so I went for another look for somewhere to sit. It was loud and I had an headache. Then I saw a sign saying "Quiet area" so i thought that would be the right place to go. As i went down an escalator I saw the area. It was quiet had too many empty seats and was nice and cool. I took some medications and sat there. I immediatley got better which was good. So I got on my plane and got to where I wanted to be. I'd reccomend not to come here but if you must, buy a fast lane allowance ticket and once your in the duty free area, go straight to the quiet area! Stansted airport, please improve your sitting areas and aircon because it was very hot in there! Thankyou!

Don't expect to find yourself in London just because you fly to this airport. You are still quite a bit away from down town London. This airport is a bit hectic, the signs for rental car shuttles are hard to find (I never ended up finding them, had to ask). Going through security took much longer than expected, good thing I gave myself plenty of time.

Not so friendly staffs. Look for ways to get to Stansted cheap, you don't always have to go with the trains.

I had to walk through a mile of shops to get to my gate and then walk in the rain to board the plane.

Confiscated my bovril squeezey not liquid miserable b... ch!

Do not go on the train to the gates for 40-59, you will go the wrong way. My party and 8 others all got on the train and almost missed our plane.
The airport was great when it was first built but it below UK standards

Excellent airport, perhaps the best among those I used. The refreshment and sales blocks were excellent. Checks at check in very accurate. Seats in a number consistent with the huge number of passengers who crowd the waiting room for boarding. To go downtown I always used the train, really good for speed of arrival and for punctuality.

They took my jar of Marmite. Otherwise the service staff is very nice to me (well, I'm nice polite to them as well). But I'm never gonna forgive them for the Marmite.

Fantastic airport, somewhat far from the center of London but very well connected by transport at any time of the day.
The people are friendly, but they do not have a large staff to attend to all the travelers.
Enough influx of people from all over the world.
By bus to the center of London takes 2 hours at the most, but most of all it takes time for the traffic of cars .......
Otherwise all great

Very rude staff!
Very little seat before going to security!
No right to sleep, we wake up!
Is this an airport?

most unhelpful staff ever, especially on security check ! very rood and unprofessional. Try to avoid flying from this airport!

Very confusing queues for gates, frequently queues mix and people stand in line for the wrong flight without realizing it. This would be so easy to fix and yet wasn't fixed so far.

Only way to get to gates is with train getting to one direction. If you accidentally get to wrong gates, you pretty much lost your flight.

This review is only for the meet and greet service at the airport and does not extend to the rest of the airport services. Never in my life I received such poor service. My family and I had to wait from 00:15 am to 2:15 am to be given the car key. It was anarchy. All seemed so unreal. Children were crying, people were extremely upset and I have never seen such level of tension among staff. I have been told that this situation happens often. Please fire the manager and shut down the business.

I haven't had any emergency issues here (yet). Gotta say it's the best airport to buy Jo Malone. So cheap!

I am disappointed with the attitude of the staff and security check. I consider this airport regular travelers and enviroment unfriendly.

Nearly every bigger bag comes through extra check but in my case the man found first thing which he thought caused the problem, throw it away and didn't bother to have a proper search or listen to me or put the bag again through the check after throwing my item.

So I was forced to throw my empty (and not used for more than one week so I believe it was empty) 75ml bottle for my mouthwash because it didn't fit in my one package of my liquids. Well yes it didn't but it was empty.

I am a traveler for two years and I can see the approach to eco issues is very poor there. Also free plastic bags given to people on the airport..
I tried to explain that I reuse this bottle and fill it again when i come home.. and it was empty this time so I didn't put it through the check but the man insisted on throwing it.

I understand security check is important but honestly if I would buy a new small bottle every time I fly I would use tons of them and wouldn't feel proud of myself. Plus my bag didn't come through the check on the belt again so it didn't persuade me as the best approach to security check.

Obviously that is why there are long queues and many people everywhere because nearly every bag is taken to extra check and things like empty mouthwash bottle is considered to be a problem.

Really sorry to say this is as a regular air passenger but this the first airport I prefer not to fly from.

Ryan air, good company but STANSTED is the worst airport ever. 75 minutes queued for passport checking...

Awful. Nightmare to navigate through and security upon returning was almost an hour.

I like Stansted, lots of shops to make your waiting less miserable. Good parking, I prefer the mid stay.

First time in my life that I miss a plane ... 3 / 4h of tail, no call, the starting tables with gates down, we were more than 20 people to have missed our flight! Otherwise the shopping center in which you have to pass to join your plane is well decorated. ..

Barely any experience is as underwhelming as having to wait overnight at Stansted airport for the security to finally open. The level of ignorance from the responsible people is just mind blowing. People are covering the whole floor area because of the lack of seating. Just unbelievable.