Tonight:
9°c
Stansted is hit as passengers desert
10.06.09
Passenger numbers at Stansted Airport are in freefall.
London's third airport, whose owner BAA is trying to force through the construction of a second runway, reported today that it handled 18.5% fewer passengers in May compared with a year ago.
Stansted, which is home to several budget carriers like Ryanair, blamed airlines for cutting services.
Reader views (6)
They'd forgotten that we are CUSTOMERS.
- Alan In London, London
Difficult to get to if you don't live nearby, but I agree it's a hell hole when you get there as it's dominated by Ryanair and they treat all their passengers like cattle (well actually worse than cattle, they get more space)
- Paul, London
Stanstead and Luton:
The gates of hell from Dante's "Divine Comeday".
Expensive and difficult to get to and from.
Surly, unhelpful, rude and iliterate BAA ground staff.
Served mainly by plastic airlines like Ryanair and others.
My favourite airport by a wide margin: London-City.
Even LHR and LGW look good compared with Stansted or Luton.
- Weddigen, London SW3
The high train fares to Stanstead, and now Luton, mean that is now cheaper for me to fly domestically from Heathrow. The only reason people used these airports in the past was he low cost, given this is no longer the case i'm sure the decline will continue.
- Pete, N1
One of the reasons for passengers avoiding Stanstead is the airport taxes when booking with Ryanair, Easyjet etc.
It is pretty much £25.00 each way / passenger, then another £20.00 or so for return rail trip from London.
The actual flight tickets are generally cheaper than the rail & airport tax!!
Other airport, eg Luton are undercutting on airport tax so cheaper to fly via another airport.
- Chris Pattison, London, UK
Not only that but it is a complete hell hole. Difficult to get to, and once inside we "the customers" are made to queue to get airside and coming back into the country is even worse with often 45 minute to an hour queues to get through passport control. I used to use Stansted a lot - now I just avoid it
- Gazza, London/UK
