Stanstead nightmare
Stanstead nightmare
We flew from Stanstead last Monday morn and it was the biggest nightmare I have ever experienced. Be warned!!!!!
Our flight was at 7am. We arrived at the airport at 4.30am- Ryan air didnt open their check in desks till 5.15am. We stood in a very long queue for an hour- we were 1/2 way in the queue. We then went to the queue for security and it was looped round the airport 3 or 4 times- it took us 10 mins to find the end. At 6.35 we were still standing in the security queue- actually deiciding that we wouldnt make the flight! At 5 mins to 7am we got to the departure lounge and ran to the gate like maniacs it was like whacky races, I almost collapsing with an asthma attack.
Ryan air waited about 20 mins for most of the passengers but then chucked off the bags from the poor passengers that hahnt arrived and left.
We were told that Ryan air wasnt responsbile for the security checks and BAA seemed to be blaming Ryan Air for not opening their check in desks in time. Grrrrrrrrrrr- no one taking responsibility.
I know that there are much more security worries recently but it seems that getting to the airport early doesnt even help. I actually dread the next time that I fly. I have already decided that at Christmas I am going to drive the 400 miles home to Scotland as I cannot face flying again.
Answers:
Yes its not in the news anymore but it is still ridiculous at the airports.
Flew from LHR a week or so ago and again last week, which were my first flights since august (taken a break for a bit)
Fast track security was abysmal and took over 45 mins, and the queue for econ check in was almost out of the terminal building (thank god for a very fast business class check in- if not I 100% WOULD have missed my flight despite arriving 3ish hours before) - so lord knows how many people are still missing flights.
Got abuse about me carrying a bone dry empty bottle through, and then the screening at the bottom of the jetway for every other person as boarding was again a complete farce and extremely slow, and dare I say, totally un-needed. Found BAA staff to be pretty rude and not particuarly consistent either- (for example, they confiscated a pen from the person in front of me, but my laptop bag had 4 pens in plain sight under the flap on the front and they ignored them)
In total contrast, at JFK I was allowed to carry a bottle of sealed water through security twice, they were quick and polite but very efficient , and as the US doesnt have the stupid current uk rules on carry on sizes there was no clipboard hitler walking round yelling at people and forcing them to check bag size in the bins.
US are also allowing all duty free onto ALL flights (it is delivered down the jetway as you are boarding so tamper proof).
There were also no huge lines for US security.
Put simply, the airlines are fine- it is BAA's total inability to screen quickly but competently that is causing these massive delays and lines. Heathrow security looked like a market stall with all those tables full of confiscated stuff on display.
I must say it hasincreased the hassle factor a lot and reduced the enjoyment factor a great deal . Sadly, I dont think BAA will be inproving any time soon.....:(
Answers:
Re: Stanstead nightmare
I know that there are much more security worries recently but it seems that getting to the airport early doesnt even help.
I personally blame those who get to the airport too early! A month ago (once the security measures had been relaxed a little) we flew out of Heathrow on a late evening BA flight. BA's advice at the time was to arrive 40 mins before departure (we'd already checked in online). We arrived 50 mins before departure, dropped our bags at check-in and then started the long wait to go through security. The wait at check-in was minimal, but the queues at security were unbelievable, considering there were only a dozen or so flights scheduled to depart for the rest of the evening. Of the people queuing with us, some were for our flight and flights departing in the next hour or so, but the vast majority were there for flights that were scheduled to depart in 2-3 hours. So what on earth were they doing going through security so early? :mad:
We made our flight without any problems (30 mins to go through security and 10 mins to walk to the gate, so we even had a few mins to spare). ;) I imagine that the others had a good 2+ hours at their disposal to get themselves to their gates, so why the rush, particularly when the airline doesn't even ask that you arrive early?!
OK... OK... I've calmed down now. :cool:
Normally I'm one of the first to diss Ryanair (I even refuse to fly them - on principle) but in this case I don't think you can blame them. Budget airlines don't have the luxury of opening extra check-in desks (not enough staff to go round) and their turnaround times are so tight, they can't wait for people to get to the gate, irrespective of the reasons why they're late. I suppose it's a risk you take when you choose a budget airline over a scheduled carrier.
Answers:
"I personally blame those who get to the airport too early!"
Interesting philosophy there! But I too do a fair bit of travelling with business and 9 times out of 10 I am one of those running for the plane with minutes to spare kind of people. We simply overjudged the time that we thought it would take to get there and unusually got there a wee bit too eary. Thank god though or we wouldnt have gone on holiday. And yes I'd have loved to go charter or with a lovely company like BA who actually allocate you a seat as opposed to having to wrestle with your flight companions for a seat! But alas only Ryan-- Take a chance with us- Air flew to Sardinia on the day that we wanted to go!
Answers:
Interesting philosophy there! But I too do a fair bit of travelling with business and 9 times out of 10 I am one of those running for the plane with minutes to spare kind of people.
Heh heh I'm exactly the same. :lol:
I've even managed to get to the airport less than half an hour before the departure of my flight three times - and made it on every time!
The one time when we overestimated the amount of time it'd take us to get there and arrived extra early, we had actually gone to the wrong airport (Heathrow rather than Gatwick) so we still managed to get to the right airport in time for our flight (but what a rush that was). :eek: What can I say, obviously there *is* God!
If I used budget airlines, I'd be one of these people on the easyJet programme who arrive late and then scream at the cameras at how inefficient the airline is (the same airline that's promised to fly them half way round the world for a tenner). ;)
We flew from Stanstead last Monday morn and it was the biggest nightmare I have ever experienced. Be warned!!!!!
Our flight was at 7am. We arrived at the airport at 4.30am- Ryan air didnt open their check in desks till 5.15am. We stood in a very long queue for an hour- we were 1/2 way in the queue. We then went to the queue for security and it was looped round the airport 3 or 4 times- it took us 10 mins to find the end. At 6.35 we were still standing in the security queue- actually deiciding that we wouldnt make the flight! At 5 mins to 7am we got to the departure lounge and ran to the gate like maniacs it was like whacky races, I almost collapsing with an asthma attack.
Ryan air waited about 20 mins for most of the passengers but then chucked off the bags from the poor passengers that hahnt arrived and left.
We were told that Ryan air wasnt responsbile for the security checks and BAA seemed to be blaming Ryan Air for not opening their check in desks in time. Grrrrrrrrrrr- no one taking responsibility.
I know that there are much more security worries recently but it seems that getting to the airport early doesnt even help. I actually dread the next time that I fly. I have already decided that at Christmas I am going to drive the 400 miles home to Scotland as I cannot face flying again.
Answers:
Yes its not in the news anymore but it is still ridiculous at the airports.
Flew from LHR a week or so ago and again last week, which were my first flights since august (taken a break for a bit)
Fast track security was abysmal and took over 45 mins, and the queue for econ check in was almost out of the terminal building (thank god for a very fast business class check in- if not I 100% WOULD have missed my flight despite arriving 3ish hours before) - so lord knows how many people are still missing flights.
Got abuse about me carrying a bone dry empty bottle through, and then the screening at the bottom of the jetway for every other person as boarding was again a complete farce and extremely slow, and dare I say, totally un-needed. Found BAA staff to be pretty rude and not particuarly consistent either- (for example, they confiscated a pen from the person in front of me, but my laptop bag had 4 pens in plain sight under the flap on the front and they ignored them)
In total contrast, at JFK I was allowed to carry a bottle of sealed water through security twice, they were quick and polite but very efficient , and as the US doesnt have the stupid current uk rules on carry on sizes there was no clipboard hitler walking round yelling at people and forcing them to check bag size in the bins.
US are also allowing all duty free onto ALL flights (it is delivered down the jetway as you are boarding so tamper proof).
There were also no huge lines for US security.
Put simply, the airlines are fine- it is BAA's total inability to screen quickly but competently that is causing these massive delays and lines. Heathrow security looked like a market stall with all those tables full of confiscated stuff on display.
I must say it hasincreased the hassle factor a lot and reduced the enjoyment factor a great deal . Sadly, I dont think BAA will be inproving any time soon.....:(
Answers:
Re: Stanstead nightmare
I know that there are much more security worries recently but it seems that getting to the airport early doesnt even help.
I personally blame those who get to the airport too early! A month ago (once the security measures had been relaxed a little) we flew out of Heathrow on a late evening BA flight. BA's advice at the time was to arrive 40 mins before departure (we'd already checked in online). We arrived 50 mins before departure, dropped our bags at check-in and then started the long wait to go through security. The wait at check-in was minimal, but the queues at security were unbelievable, considering there were only a dozen or so flights scheduled to depart for the rest of the evening. Of the people queuing with us, some were for our flight and flights departing in the next hour or so, but the vast majority were there for flights that were scheduled to depart in 2-3 hours. So what on earth were they doing going through security so early? :mad:
We made our flight without any problems (30 mins to go through security and 10 mins to walk to the gate, so we even had a few mins to spare). ;) I imagine that the others had a good 2+ hours at their disposal to get themselves to their gates, so why the rush, particularly when the airline doesn't even ask that you arrive early?!
OK... OK... I've calmed down now. :cool:
Normally I'm one of the first to diss Ryanair (I even refuse to fly them - on principle) but in this case I don't think you can blame them. Budget airlines don't have the luxury of opening extra check-in desks (not enough staff to go round) and their turnaround times are so tight, they can't wait for people to get to the gate, irrespective of the reasons why they're late. I suppose it's a risk you take when you choose a budget airline over a scheduled carrier.
Answers:
"I personally blame those who get to the airport too early!"
Interesting philosophy there! But I too do a fair bit of travelling with business and 9 times out of 10 I am one of those running for the plane with minutes to spare kind of people. We simply overjudged the time that we thought it would take to get there and unusually got there a wee bit too eary. Thank god though or we wouldnt have gone on holiday. And yes I'd have loved to go charter or with a lovely company like BA who actually allocate you a seat as opposed to having to wrestle with your flight companions for a seat! But alas only Ryan-- Take a chance with us- Air flew to Sardinia on the day that we wanted to go!
Answers:
Interesting philosophy there! But I too do a fair bit of travelling with business and 9 times out of 10 I am one of those running for the plane with minutes to spare kind of people.
Heh heh I'm exactly the same. :lol:
I've even managed to get to the airport less than half an hour before the departure of my flight three times - and made it on every time!
The one time when we overestimated the amount of time it'd take us to get there and arrived extra early, we had actually gone to the wrong airport (Heathrow rather than Gatwick) so we still managed to get to the right airport in time for our flight (but what a rush that was). :eek: What can I say, obviously there *is* God!
If I used budget airlines, I'd be one of these people on the easyJet programme who arrive late and then scream at the cameras at how inefficient the airline is (the same airline that's promised to fly them half way round the world for a tenner). ;)