Reported by BBC "L***n Airport has been named the worst in the UK for the third year in a row in a passenger satisfaction survey. London L***n was rated one star for its baggage drop queues, shops, seating, toilets and staff in the Which? study." - I have to say apart from the fact the place should be renamed "London M1 Junction 10 Airport", it is always my preference over Stansted or Gatwick and it is easier to get to than than Birmingham. All in all I have never found the experience using the airport bad at all. Perhaps airports in the UK are pretty good. Personally i think Manchester, John Lennon and East Midlands are inferior to L***n. Its the one thing that L***n can be prod of and i hope it goes from strength to strength expanding the range of destinations on offer.
Presumably many of the issues are caused by the massive expansion going on there ? I'm always happy to fly out from there safe in the knowledge that the noise and pollution will be raining down on, and upsetting, the locals.
Lu*on is sh*t but Gatwick is worse. My personal sh*t list with years of experience. 1. Gatwick - Flights always late, baggage always late, security queues take for ever, check-in is a bun fight, everything is a 20 minute walk away 2. Lu*on - Charge for everything, (Ryanair of airports), security is appalling, traffic getting in is horrific, queues for desks awful, and it's in lu*on 3. Heathrow - Just too many flights meaning you're always delayed. Immigration coming back in is an utter joke, checking in is so slow 4. Stanstead - Flights generally on time, bit of a trek 5. Southend - Flights always been on time for me, so small it's just a nice experience, journey worth it
This reminds me of the case in 1999 with the Cuban three-time heavyweight Olympic gold medalist Teofilo Stevenson, who was returning home via Miami airport with the rest of the Cuban team. As he passed through the ticket gate, the airport employee who was evidently a Miami worm, started making some offensive remarks. As Teofilo said: "I didn't mind him insulting me, but then he started insulting Fidel...." At that point Teofilo unfortunately dropped his boarding pass on the floor and as he stood up from picking it up, accidentally managed to catch the gentleman's chin with his head, thereby knocking him out and causing him to lose a few teeth. Complete accident. But nonetheless, the yankees put out a warrant for his arrest and he couldn't go back there anymore.
I doubt that Luton deserves to be top of this particular table - or any other- but it is in a class of its own when it comes to the drop-off charge
I was gobsmacked after I explained to my "partially sighted" mate that I wouldn't walk him in into the departure lounge due to Luton's astronomical parking prices and Palaeolithic parking policies I would just drop him off at stupid o'clock in the morning...
The monorail's pretty good too at Gatwick. Whenever I'm meeting a person who hasn't been to England before, I always park at the other terminal so we can go on the monorail. Where's the driver!? They think they've arrived in Futureville. Shame the exchequer can't lay out a few thousand to pretty up the landscape and improve the view a bit. First impressions are important after all and we're missing a chance to make the country look modern, slick and clean. Instead of which, there's a sort of derelict overgrown wasteland.
The lack of seats and space generally at Luton airport is dreadful but few UK airports are that decent. I fly from Edinburgh half a dozen times a year and the shops and gates are too close to each other meaning the whole place is jammed. And like Luton, it charges a fee for drop off which is cheeky to say the least. Went from Newcastle a couple of years ago and that was good. Bad memories of getting to/from Gatwick at silly o'clock and forgetting each time how long it took to get back to Watford.
Which sparks the Great Debate. Was Stevenson better than Ali? Close call & no doubt by the late 70s TS, ten years younger, would have pulverised Ali. Fidel was arguably more able than Messrs Ford & Carter, too. COYC!
Stevenson and Ali were great friends and Ali came to Cuba often. According to stories, the boxing promoters offered huge amounts for Stevenson and Ali to fight - $5 million was one offer. But as we see week in and week out in the Premiership, professional sport is a horrific stain on humanity and is banned in Cuba. And as Teofilo said "What's a million dollars compared to the love of 8 million Cubans?"
Luton and Birmingham are my two closest airports and are about equidistance away from me. Haven't had awful experiences at either but do prefer Birmingham.
It's been a while since I've actually flown from L*t*n but do they still have the scummer kit for sale in "Duty Free"?
Surely being in Luton is enough to qualify as the worst? Worst Greggs? Luton. Worst Clintins cards? Luton. Worst football club? Luton. Worst airport? Luton Worst bratwurst? Luton.
Luton airport is the business. 40 mins by taxi from Harrow, 30 mins by motorbike, bike park next to terminal, Ryanair to Nimes and Beziers often around £10. What's not to like?
Our group of rivals is linked by airports. Watford is a hop, skip & a jump from LHR. L*t*n is Bloke’s airport. And Croydon was the location of the original London airport. Closed after WW2 as it was the flights (about 2 a day) would be too bothersome to the burgeoning population.
There are a few of us there, flying the flag and making sure they know they are forever in our shadow.
