Stansted is on the Hearts/Essex border and although it is a bit out of the way to have the prefix "London" it is worth the extra miles. The low-cost airlines of Ryanair and EasyJet fly out from Stansted so it is much cheaper to fly than BA but also Stansted has much improved services than Heathrow and Gatwick for unstressful flying.
***Getting to Stansted***
ROAD: Stansted is off from J8a of the M11 and is about 20 minutes from the M25, but inevitably more in rush-hour traffic. Once you get into Stansted you have the choice of three different types of parking: Long-Stay, Mid-Stay and Short-Stay. Long-Stay is the cheapest than the others but futhest away from the terminal. Even though you may be only parking you car for only 3 days i is still the cheapest at £7.20 a day (more than 6 days at £6.80). The car park is very big and will take a long time being directed to a zone and then your parking space (especially if it is Zone Z - at the back). A transfer bus then will take you to the airport but be prepared to stand as you are crammed in with lots of luggage.
If you are willing to use Long-Stay then you do need at least 45 minutes. Mid-Stay is closer to the terminal but more expensive at £10 a day. Short-Stay is only used if meeting someone at the airport or dropping someone off as it costs £18 for 24 hours but free for the first 15 minutes.
RAIL: The Stansted Express runs from Liverpool Street via Tottenham Hale and is recommended (as it avoids the perils of the Long-Stay car park) and is quick taking 45 minutes, departing every 15 or 30 minutes. It costs £24 return (£13.60 for a cheap day return). Also a local train service operates from London, Cambridge and a Midlands but I would not rely on them as you would probably be delayed and would miss your flight. The train station at Stansted is underneath the airport.
The terminal bulding itself is very modern and airy. The first thing you will need to come across is the check-in desks. Queues will form especially on the Ryanair desks but the staff are suprisingly helpful. (It's a surprise when they genuinally smile at you at 4am).
The Next step is to go through the security gates. Since 9/11 this has been a slow-process and the queues are horrendous for EU destinations! But they do not mind at all if you skip the queue and go through the non-EU destinations security bit.
The 'frills' are few but found in the departure lounge. Insted of the usual uncomfortable airport seating, there are now big comfy blue and yellow lounge chair sort of like sofas. There are plenty of shops, bars, restaurants as well as Starbucks and Pret a Manger. Shops include FCUK, Nike, Dixons, Hamleys, Harrods and WHSmith. Also inside WHSmith you can send free e-mails as well as a photo of yourself. For the kids there is a play area outside Hamleys and inside WHSmith there are touch screen computers where you can play Hangman and other games. Outside Wetherspoons you can also watch Sky News. There are plenty of facilities such as toilets and even showers and are very clean - as so is much of the airport.
(In the departure lounge don't rely on the screens to tell you when to go to the gate as they don't work. Once there was a couple who were going to Friedrichshafen and stayed in the lounge as the screen said "Wait in Lounge." They went to buy a coffee and when they came back the screen said "Final Call," so they left there coffee and ran all the way. We saw them again 30 minutes later still waiting for their flight. The moral of this story is go to the gate 10 minutes before boarding starts.)
As I travel with Ryanair I have to walk about 15 minutes to get to the gates (down an escalator, along a moving-walkway and back up an escalator). If travelliong with another airline you have to take a monorail train to the gates.
The queuing system at the Ryanair gates has now greatly improved but every time someone queues in the wrong line. The first 60 people to check in get priority and queue in the outside line and the rest queue in the inside lane. If everyone queues in the outside lane the system messes up and has to be sorted out (This is because Ryanair operate a free-seating policy so everyone wants the best seats). Disabled Passengers and Children have priority over everyone else. (I saw this father once that tried to pass his son off as a child but looked about 20).
***Arrivals***
If you want to get out of the airport quickly by running, collecting your luggage and making a swft exit - you would have false hopes. As the terminal is quite a large distance from the gates, it takes twice as long to deliver the luggage, so you are in for a long wait.
One long, long wait I have endured is when GroundStar was in control of baggage handling. My flight arrived at 10pm but my luggage did not arrive until after midnight - very infuriating. But, I am pleased to say there are no more problems now and Stansted can be escaped in about 30 minutes from coming off the plane.
In the Arrivals Hall there is Costa Coffee and a WHSmith and there you can make your way journey home. (This is unless you have to go to the Long-Stay Car Park, where you have to wait for a bus to turn up with the right coloured zone shown on the front and then spend ages driving around the car-park until it is your stop).
***Tips***
1) To escape the Long-Stay Car Park misery you could park at either Bishops Stortford or Stansted Mountfitchet Railway Station and travel in by train - from J8 of M11. Trains are every 15 mins from Bishops Stortford at £4.90 return but slightly less frequency from Stansted Mountfitchet at £3.50 return.
***Overall***
Compared to Heathrow, Stansted is more breathable and has a relaxed atmosphere. There are plenty of things to keep the kids and yourselves happy which allows for pleasent stress free travelling, although Long-Stay Car Parking does need to be improved.
*** Disabled travellers do now not have to pay extra for a wheelchair with Ryanair.
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I'm afraid I dislike this airport, I used to fly into and out of it so many times, always with baggage delays and stuff like that. Big, Modern, but very cold! ~Maz x
chizster 18.07.2004 19:27
A very helpful review - very well done. One little thing, however - in your "tips" section you number the first tip with 1) but that is the only tip - were you planning more? Thanks for the good review once again. Chris
petitesquirt 07.07.2004 23:01
I'm too comfortable flying out of heathrow airport now to want to change to Stanted which is quite a long way away.
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Advantages: lots of shops, open until about 2am i think, for travellers and those who await others, great duty free, laid back easy to navigate airport Disadvantages: lack of toilet facilities, recent safety scares, duplicate shops in and outside duty free
judithritchie 10.03.2001 ·
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Review of London Stansted (STN)
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