Ages to get through passport control, many people not being able to use the chip passport lanes, so had to re-queue wasting yet more time. The explanation was that I looked "different" to the passport picture. Right. The departure security takes ages, and the semi-circular disorientation of duty free shops is just awful.
The worst airport we've ever been, we were with one year old child and nobody care. They are very slow and the service is horrible.
Avoid at all costs. I would have given zero stars if I could.
Airport needs to be expanded to cope with increasing numbers of passengers.
The worst UK airport and probably one of the worst I have ever visited in Europe. Overcrowded and with an impolite staff. Security controls are slow compared to the other airports. Also, store staff is really unwelcoming and impolite especially the ladies in the last shops after the baggage control and before the travellers exit. One last suggestion: flight from and to this airport if and only if you don t have any other choice. Any other airport in London is definitely better than this.
Everything was okay apart from the fact that the doors that enable us to exit into the main terminal were locked and the airport staff was unable to open it for about 10 minutes
A quick and efficient arrival. Streamlined walk through the airport, to passport control and out. Clean and modern facilities, well maintained and bright.
The outbound flight was less efficient, queues at security that were a little tiresome and frustrating. Overall, a pleasant experience and great place to grab a bite to eat before catching a flight.
Security checks are slow and in room with 10000people all in coats as its winter, you would expect some fresh air, but no!! Also tuns of shops all useless with expensive goods! OMG what happen to you Stansted!!
Good airport.I don't understand how people speak badly about this airport.It is small and easy to move around.I have also been more than 20 times and have never had any problems.
Yes ... I am really a bigmouth - but here are missing the words. In turn: On the way to Stansted I lost my car key in the plane - even guilt. I noticed the whole thing just before the passport control. Here I was placed in the fast track line, so I quickly get to the baggage claim. Sound competent, helpful and good. Arrived at this complaint I described my problem and got nothing, except a piece of paper with a number, at which I should call at 9. I did that too - unfortunately it's only Mon to Fri - but it was Saturday. It was addressed to the statement of the employee "Yes, that's right, it's Saturday, well, that's bad, then unfortunately you have bad luck." And anyway you could count 60 days, until something does. Toll - reminiscent of the 11800 - Here you will be helped, competence in any case on a level. But fine, that's the way it is. If the car stops for 60 days in the airport car park, 29 a day, bargain so ... At this point, a short praise to the car cracker from the ADAC - true savior in distress. So I do not have to wait for the key from Stansted.
The return flight started even more beautiful, delayed (the airport can not do anything) but dealing with it was catastrophic. Spontaneous gate changes, contradictory announcements and suddenly there are two groups of passengers at one gate - the one here to FRA board the others somewhere in the direction of Poland or something. Class! When the right gate was diced, boarding began. Was also great, after scanning the boarding pass we stood in the waiting area even more relaxed 20 minutes in the stairwell, because the machine was not ready. When the doors finally opened it went to the plane and there ... Then we stood again a few minutes before the plane on the tarmac - because he was still refueled. Organizationally, I know one or the other 6 year old who has more order in his Lego than this airport in its processes.
All in all a really great experience to write a satirical book out of it, but I would travel to the surrounding airports to avoid traveling and avoid this caricature of an airport.
Very nice facilities good and well served.
Absurd checks endless files kindness under the shoes.
Certainly much more convenient if you have a passport
Very efficient and clean airport with speedy service
A few pointers about my experiences flying to and from Stansted:
The way the airport is designed is not good for the amount of people it accommodates. At least, if the airport was instead spread over 2 or more terminals there would be less confusion and chaos in terms of the queues, crowds, and boarding areas.
The check-in area is chaotic and it can be confusing especially if it's your first time ever at the airport.
The security check can also involve a really long wait, especially because not all the lanes are opened at the same time. As a result there are usually frequent bottlenecks in the influx of passengers.
After security, you have to walk a long way through a seemingly endless duty free area.
When you get information on your boarding gate, you have to sprint to arrive there on time. The time between when you get your gate number and when the gate closes is too short. To add to this mess, the distance between the duty free area and the gates is relatively very long and can involve going up and down escalators. Imagine what a hassle this causes if you can't walk very fast for whatever reason.
Quite often, after going through the boarding gate, passengers are left to wait to board the aeroplane. I can recall one occasion where I and other passengers were left waiting outside in the rain before we could board the plane.
With regards to flying to Stansted Airport, it is also an adventure of a lifetime. You have to walk a long distance to get to a shuttle train which more often than not, can just fit in everyone, and so everyone is packed like sardines.
Passport control is also a chaotic mess. Sometimes the e-passport machines don't work properly which then result in longer queues. The queues are also usually very convoluted and slow paced. I once missed a National Express bus that I'd booked because the passport queue was dead slow.
I use this airport not because I want to, but because I have to. If I could, I would fly to and from Heathrow and Southend only!
An airport stop ;-) to have everything you need. But compared to Germany, very expensive.
It seems to always be under construction. Security are nice, check in is hectic, and there are a lot of seats but a lack of plugs. In order to be picked up at the airport for free, you'll have to take a bus out to the medium stay car parks and agree on a pick up point with your driver.
Although restaurants and pubs are closed, it is actually quite nice.
How can anyone allow this airport to rip people off. They charge more than Heathrow or Luton. Thought the meet and greet greedy companies were bad.
5 bodies in an airport still can't sort Wi-Fi. Pathetic.
Decent airport, gets very crowded despite large amounts of seating. However, plenty of places to eat and good signs for directions. Easy to get to via National Express or Stansted Citylink.
Terrible, terrible, terrible. Crushing crowds and endless queues.
Astonishingly incompetent staff.
Waited one hour in the snow for the bus to the long stay car park. Turns out that it s not running and they made the announcement inside the terminal. How am I going to hear that when I m waiting for the bus?
Has zero seats available for people to wait. Especially at night. Even all walls and corners are busy.
Crazy maze of useless snakes and labyrinths that only waste your time.
Does the airport job, but terrible user experiences.
Ghost airport and pointless filling in forms the Government apparently wants all passengers to fill in (Passenger Tracker) when no one checks! Absolute joke!!!!
A good and logical Airport. Long queues but very fast. Everything is very simple and understandable.
Security took me 2 hours. Ended up missing my flight because all of the staff were just fannying about not doing anything. Parking and drop-off is a rip off. THERE WAS NO CORONAVIRUS TESTING OR CHECKING.
No transfer desk to move from internal UK flights to European. Baggage has to be collected and then taken outside the terminal, and re-entered again, with the consequent queueing to go through security again. Very poor service at security with many scanners un-manned and very long delays.
Just stick to the rules and its a breeze. Make sure your baggage is the correct weight, don't have any liquids over 100ml. Nice modern bars in departure lounge. UK border on return was also hassle free.
I have been here twice and felt good! Before reaching the gates there are also many shops and places to eat.
Easy to navigate, good visible directions and number of quality outlets
Its a difficult time for airport staff and travellers but Stansted are trying hard to make it as hassle free as possible. My only 2 concerns were at security control too many people were gathered waiting on luggage to come through. Either open more lanes or reduce throughput flow. In addition Ryanair insist on boarding you to the stairwell where social distancing and airflow is nigh impossible. Please only call boarding when boarding to the aircraft. Otherwise everyone is doing as good a job as possible in the circumstances. Majority of eating,drinking and shopping facilities were open.
Many concessions and facilities in the terminal are still open and available despite the Covid restrictions. Still a good experience
Airport good. But Gold walking in shops. On check-in fluid banding.
After free?
Flight company is Rus ruul raning.
Fast security and brilliant staff good runway aswell
Small aiport. Was there during peak time and the waiting area after security was really packed. Not enough seats before security. Good connections to London.
The big airport has everything that an airport should have. Landing here, we only feel Western Europe, Chopin Airport is hiding. Connected to London by a network of coaches and by rail. The downside is the distance of about 30-40minutes by train, by coach about 1.5g-2.2g.
Absolutely shocking system, why we have to be one of the only countries in Europe where nothing actually works is beyond me, what're are appealing, along with the two brunette ladies who were probably fresh out of uni or school who had no idea how to interact with people and had no reason to be working in such a rebound airport, this sounds terrible, but they deserve the sack after the way they had spoken to people.
Firstly I've never had such uncomfortable seats in an airport before, literally sitting on a laid down fence, breaking my tailbone through the slats of wood. Secondly, an absurd amount of food places, like cmon man what is an indecisive person like me gunna do. Thirdly, cant think of anything right now but just gunna emphasize I'm having a terrible time in this airport. Thanks for reading
Ps please get better seating damn
Flew to Antalya during summer holidays so was always going to be busy. Problems like only 2 check in desks open for 4 whole flights and poorly laid out queuing pathways meant the whole pre security experience was slow and frustrating. The terminal is not sufficiently laid out or capable to deal with its amount of scheduled flights. As said once through security the shops and bars are ok.
I have just used Stansted airport ongoing to France via Dublin. I have used this airport many times, but my experience this time I thought I must pass on how I felt. I use the special assistance for my husband and I must say the staff are exceptional when it comes to helping they can not do enough to help, but on the other hand the airport authority seem to try and forget that the passengers should be their priority, when we fly in from Dublin (last flight and we fly out 6.30 in the morning we don,t need a hotel, but what we would like is a seat to pass the few hours we have at the airport. We found that there were people occupying three seats to sleep on, which I do not have a problem with except there were not enough seats and people were having to stand for several hours. I also found that when we went through security there were lots of seats unoccupied as people were too busy getting to their boarding gates. Pleases could you perhaps consider your passengers when you are altering the lay out of your airport, remembering if you did not have any passengers passing through your airport, because you do not consider them,I will give your airport one more shot ,hoping you have made some improvements for every ones comfort especially those needing assistance
Bad airport. Too many people or the infrastructure to handle these is not enough. Eternal waiting times at the immigration and the food stalls. In addition, the selection and the offer of this is very modest.
A horrific service, with bloody expensive car parking
Modern, many shops and eating options, polite, fast security on departure. When entering the Border Control very long waiting time for Non EU.
Terrible service given by the easy jet staff! Went all through security etc with cabin bag and handbag. Get to boarding and a lady tells me I must put my handbag in my cabin suitcase even though it states you may have a small handbag as well! Whilst trying to squeeze my handbag into my cabin suitcase the lady takes my passport to check, tells me to hurry and then THROWS my passport back at me on the floor!!! I then get to the plane and I get told I can t take my cabin bag on as there was no room but I could now take my handbag back out and take that on the plane instead. So all the fuss of not being able to have my handbag just the cabin bag and then I m told by another lady I could have my handbag but not th cabin bag! Terrible service and rude staff!
Wouldn t use this airport again!
Long walk for the gates of Ryanair. They refurbished it recently and the central square is really nice and comfy.
What was once a simple and pleasant airport has now been totally ruined by the new management. I travelled through Stansted mid-August 2014 and expected it to be busy, but it was worse than I had expected. Firstly, I queued for some time to drive into the airport at 5am (parking was straightforward once I got to the car park). Then inside the terminal things got worse. Departures/Security had moved to the far end of the terminal and looked like a temporary, dull area. Hundreds of people crammed into three disorganised queues. Once through that nightmare, onwards into the maze-like and even cramped shop. I was in no relaxed mood to shop by this stage. Then into the terminal lounge, which resembled a refugee camp. The two-way flight with Ryanair was pleasant though! When I returned a couple of days later, it took ages to transit from the gate to the terminal where I was met with more chaos. 15 ePassport gates were situated "for our speedy convenience" but not all were functioning and only one member of staff was able to assist those (and there were many) who had problems. When I got through this, I literally ran out of the airport to my car and accelerated away as fast as I could! I provided Stansted with my experience/feedback but I've heard nothing back from them. My sympathy goes to Norman Foster who never planned for his design to be treated in such a shocking, chaotic, cramped and stressful mess. Good bye Stansted, as I'll never use you again!
Actually, a normal, slightly larger airport, but certainly has its nice corners. At least on departure. The arrival here is (Ryanair) quite bureaucratic and sober. You go to the passport control and then you are already through, so you hardly get to see anything from the airport.
I can not recommend anyone to change money, the courses are not very advantageous. In addition, I can only say from personal experience, real money is needed in London and in the Greater England in general, not more. Credit card or smartphone with Google Pay ranges in London for everything.
The departure here is very well structured. The security checks are done quickly, if you have done the preliminary work and play with little. Generally I can only say, about 90 minutes before departure, is already a good time to arrive at the airport. So you have in the "worst case" still 30 minutes that you can spend in the lounge area. There are a lot of small bistros, including a Burger King :), and all kinds of ways to do his duty-free work.
Security control terrible staff, rude.
Suitcase was searched then everything not yet checked in the things Reinlegen.
It has never been so rude to me to handle security checks as at this airport.
If you like low cost European flight, this is the place for you. Costs about 25 pounds minimum to get too, and it will always take 2 hours to get too, whether it be by car, train or bus.
The airport itself isn't horrible. It's probably one of the better ones in Europe, but the airlines you take from it are all budget, which is fine, but they are budget.
You'll never go door to door comfortably if you fly from Stansted.
What you will do is go door to door.
It's a great airport for what it is but it isn't a great airport.
I would give a minus three if I could!!! No services, no shops, no nothing. Just building, building, building, horrible noise, no seats, no air, the worst experience in an airport ever! Hope this is the very last time i travel via this airport!
Extremely long queues and distances , very little staff and assistance. A truly terrible airport
Decent experience everytime I've used Stansted despite the numerous gripes we all have with regards to airports i.e. prices, parking, etc
Small but nice airport. Fast security check out. Lot of bus services available to go different. Office available to buy ticket.
Good airport, everything is very well organized. The one who gives a low rating probably never flew and was frightened at the sight of the number of people in it, but the staff works on 5+, came to the airport at peak hours and it took a maximum of 30 minutes to do everything. Prices at the airport are one of the lowest that I have seen and there is enough choice of shops. Regarding the students who are sleeping at the airport on the floor before landing, trying to save money on a hotel is generally embarrassing and hard, but there is one. They took the bus to Liverpool train station, it is very convenient and comfortable, the difference in price online and on the spot is not very big, you can get a ticket at the place from the airport (it runs every 15 minutes), and when it s better back online, otherwise it may not be enough space. I wish you good impressions!
Very nice and big, but the workers do not give much guidance if you have a language other than English
Great service. Almost no queues at all. Only downside is that all the shops were closed apart from a WHSmith while getting there at 8.
Downloaded the app and went to purchase tickets for the Express, verified the destination and dates where correct and purchased the tickets, however, once I paid, the issued ticket had the incorrect destination, which was not selected at time of booking. Called the number in the app, refused service as I did not book via the website, apparently the app is an external entity, called about 6 numbers, finally got through to the correct person, refused to refund me, as of tickets non refundable even though, the incorrect one was issued. Do not use this app
We were treated terribly the elderly people in my party were shouted at by a member of staff for sitting in the seating area designated for the elderly and our flight got delayed by an extra 2 hours!
As with most airports these day customer services is near minimal, waiting times and prices of snacks etc are high. painfully slow.
The security area is very slow, there are no comfortable waiting rooms and the staff is not well informed.
If it wasn't that you have to walk a half hour through shops, even if you risk losing your flight, it would be pretty good
Not a very great airport. Arriving here is pretty hectic. The lines for passport or ID check after arriving are pretty outrageously long and often times out of 10 desks only many 4 are open causing long wait times. Yet when you get through you are OUT and that is pretty cool. No more checks or nothing. The front doors are practically right there. Leaving here is even worse. The Ryanair employees are not friendly at all. My passport was expiring but I had my German ID card to travel home yet one female employee refused to listen and shoved me off to the side. After 15 minutes she sent me to her manager who accepted my ID but still blamed me for the woman's behavior which was very rude. Security was actually really friendly but you are only allowed 1 plastic bag for toiletries per person which is quite stupid. You get through quickly even if you are stopped. There is also a LOT of walking. It feels like you are walking through France and if it is crowded there you get really claustrophobic. The only redeeming factor this airport has are the shops. There are SO MANY shops. Souvenir shops, food, drink, toys, perfumes, electronics, everything you could desire. The main waiting area is surrounded by many different restaurants that are all very clean. The toilets are also really clean. If you have a long layover you will not get bored either. Sadly it does not save this airport. Would not travel there again if not absolutely needed!
stanstedairport.com