London Stansted Airport Reviews 

Stansted Airport is a hell hole. The terminal is too small for the number of passengers. The airport owners do not care, because they know as long as the budget airlines keep offering cheap flights from Stansted people will put up with the cramped, rude staff and the rip off expensive poorly signed drop and collect car fees.

I had a terrible experience at stanstead airport today. I asked for an alternative to the radiation scanning machine and a team leader was called. She said she would go get another lady to take me in the room to search. The team leader read out all the conditions and then the young girl searched me. I asked her if she should be doing it there and she said yes and I asked the team leader and she said she didn’t. She said I’ve just watched her and she didn’t. I didn’t have a witness so it would be my word against these two women. I will be putting in a request for a dsar and to see if that was captured on camera or it was recorded as I think their staff need to be trained properly when dealing with us in that way. I came away so upset. The team leader asked if I was happy with the search I said was you and she said yes and I said well that’s on your conscience and she walked away. I questioned it and she could have handled it better and maybe noticed that the staff might need some better training.

Is absolutely terrible if u have connect flight, u still have to leave airport and go all the security and everything, same as u just arrive. It was absolutely shocking service, amount of people had stress, some people miss the flight, and we have more then 2 hours to connect to our another flight, no information or anything where to go with connect flights
, I have to stop and ask somebody two times. And security more u telling them u missing flight more slow they get. I hope I don't have to go to this airport again!!!!

Less organised than a piss-up in a pigsty - and just as clean. Personel were brash and on occasion just downright rude. Yelling at travellers for YOUR poor organisational abilities isnt going to make it better. I understand people get frustrated when standing in LONG queues, but those people shouldn't be the staff. Needed my shoes scanned, staff tells me to put my first foot up, then hits my knee and tells me "NO, your left foot". If you want my left foot up first, say my left foot first, not first foot - which bloody foot is the first one? And on top of that, physical contact is absolutely not required, desired or necessary!

This was just one female member of staff so seems unfair to review poorly. However, this woman seems power crazy. She berated a man loudly & sarcastically ahead of me for not pushing his tray over to her .. very demeaning. "If you leave that there it'll stay there, there's no one going to move it for you ! " So I asked her should we keep fluids & electronics in our bags (there was no signage to say) . I've travelled through a few airports lately so airports differ. She seemed irritated by my question & stared me out .. she was middle aged .. prob a tad younger than me & preparing for a confrontation. Then said ' leave them in' .. I then asked should I take my (flat) boots off, I had been asked to remove them on the outbound flight .. she really didn't want any questions. She told me, irritatedly, to keep them on. Then I was pulled afterwards to scan them 🙄. I had a bulky coat which I'd put into the tray & she shouted at a man in front to make sure his was secure & then told me to check mine as well. I decided to take out another tray to add it & my belt as I had already quite a bit in the tray.. no .. that wouldn't do either (other times they don't allow overloading trays!) .. she took the coat & put it under my bag .. we just couldn't do anything right. The rest of the staff were perfectly lovely but it only takes one to create an atmosphere. It wasn't overly busy either ..

We travel a lot but have never experienced more ignorant, rude and horrible security staff at any airport. As a paying customer I don’t take it well when I am shouted at and treated like we were today.
Rude, obnoxious, ignorant, aggressive horrible security staff.
Go get a bit of training and learn how to treat your customers with a little bit of respect.

45 minutes to get from the boarding card machine to the end of security due to queues and broken machines….

I accidentally drove into the Express drop-off zone at Stansted and exited within 60 seconds - the parking system logged me in and out. The signage is confusing and the lane layout makes it easy to end up in the wrong area. I was charged £7 for a genuine mistake with no stopping. If airports want to be fair, they should either extend a small grace period for accidental entries or improve signage so drivers don’t get caught out.

Really bad - won't fly out of here again. Testing the fire alarms means the lifts won't work apparently - you'll have to carry your suitcase up 4 flights of stairs. 20 kilos, on my own, no assistance. I would still be there now if a kind passenger hadn't helped me. Security is an absolute farce - half the bags get pulled for no good reason - the scanner just misses them - and then only 3 security people moving at the speed of rheumatic snails apparently unaware anyone might have a plane to catch. Lots of shopping etc but no time to use any of it by the time you finally got through chaotic security. Absolutely dreadful - avoid like the plague

The security checkpoint stuff treated me and my family horribly, dreadfully. My parents are elderly and my mum disabled. They were so so rude, I can't believe this is allowed. My mother had a sling and was told to remove it and go back to the end of the queue and do it all over again. I asked for help to one of the staff and she didn't even look at me and said: Move to the side. Where's the humanity? Why is this happening ? Treat us with respect, please! I will try to avoid at all costs going through this cemetery again. I've got autism and this has left me scarred. NEVER AGAIN.

Our flight was 1 hour delayed. We landed at 1 AM in the morning to just found out that we need to wait over 45 minutes for passport check!!! Kids were crying and lying on the floor, parents carrying their kids in their arms as kids were sleeping. What a poor service!!!!

Horrific Experience at London Stansted Airport
I have travelled extensively around the world, but I have never experienced the level of chaos and mismanagement I witnessed at Stansted Airport. The entire security process is a nightmare — overcrowded, disorganised, and handled by shockingly rude staff.
It genuinely feels as though they intentionally create bottlenecks at the security gates to push travellers into purchasing the £15 fast-track pass. I was delayed due to traffic and had no choice but to buy one, yet even after paying for the so-called “fast track”, the staff refused to let me through! As a result, I missed my flight.
The behaviour of the security personnel was unprofessional, hostile, and completely lacking in empathy. Many of them act less like airport staff and more like enforcers — treating passengers as though we’re inmates rather than paying travellers. There’s no sense of assistance or accountability, only frustration and intimidation.
This was a truly disheartening experience. Stansted seriously needs to review its crowd management, staff training, and the ethics behind its “fast track” policy. For an international hub, this level of service is unacceptable.

You arrive 2 hours early and spend that time in a long line. They funnel everyone into the same tiny area . This place is absolute mess the line for security is massive and not moving. Staff are clueless and swan around talking into radios with no sense of urgency . Gate closes in 35 mins and still have to clear security and walk there. Real chance we could miss our flight 😡 Absolute shambles of an airport

I have to transit through Stansted on a weekly basis, following all signs for connecting flights leads to passport control and the exit, then you need to go though security again for the connection. Despite the signage, there is no way to actually connect. It's the height of stupidity, and an insult. Feels like a practical joke.
The airport in general is overcrowded and flights are usually late... Without updates on screens. Another great practical joke, as they display "final call" and you run to the gate to find boarding hasn't started.
Ridiculous!

Warning: Stansted Express Pick-Up = Legalized Scam

Avoid this trap at all costs. There are no warning signs until it’s too late—by the time you realize you’ve entered the “Express Pick-Up” zone, you’re already being charged extortionate fees for just a few minutes.

Even worse? You can’t leave and come back once you realize the rip-off. It’s a one-way ticket into an overpriced corner with no escape.

Sadly, this kind of deliberate consumer exploitation is exactly what we’ve come to expect from anything associated with Ryanair—unpleasant from start to finish. But what’s truly shocking is that UK consumer protection authorities continue to allow this nonsense.

🚫 Don’t fall for it.
✅ Instead, use the free “Mid Stay” car park, which offers 1 hour free and has shuttle buses every 10 minutes—fast, easy, and fair.

Let’s make this go viral. This setup is not okay, and the more people call it out, the harder it becomes to ignore.

We had pre-booked tickets. On return trip from London to stansted airport, the trains wheren’t running. No information or arragements were made from standaard express. We had to take aan uber with Seven people. Then getting a refund was made almost impossibele. Dont take the stansted express. Use the bus or a uber

If there is a worse airport in the world I would like to know where it is. This one ticks all the boxes. Security gets worse with each passing month. Expect up to one hour delay.

Sunday 1030 pm flight .Massive queues at baggage check only one scanning machine in use .Staff no help and no info as to length of delay .
The two nearest toilets both closed for steam cleaning leaving long walks .
Ten minute walk from duty free to gate .
Overall a very bad experience.

Maybe we got lucky but absolutely no issues with Stansted airport.
8am Saturday morning flight.
Parked up orange car park 5.30am.
Granted the airport was very busy.
5 minute walk to Ryanair self check in.
That was done in less than 2 mins.
Pre paid £5 for fast track security.
Slight queue but plenty of staff on.
Through in 10 mins.
Car park to Wetherspoons 20 mins.
Return trip equally good.
Through customs very quick.
Bags came through quickly.
Disembark plane to car park exit less than 30 mins.
The airport is so busy but no issues for us at all.

I used my contactless card from Central London on the Stansted Express, expecting the same simple rules as every other London train. Instead, I got slapped with a penalty notice for no reason I could possibly know, and I wasn’t alone, eight other passengers on my train were trapped by the same absurd system.

This is a traveller service, not a trap for people trying to do the right thing. It’s completely unfair, stressful, and ridiculous. The fact that they can charge you and ruin your day for following what seems normal is outrageous. For a company that claims to serve airport passengers, this is nothing short of exploitation.

Avoid this service unless you want to be treated like a criminal for no good reason. Utterly disgraceful.