Luton Airport – An Underappreciated Gem

After six months of commuting at weekends out to Stockholm (and experiencing the joy of both Luton and Stansted for the outbound legs), I would have to say I prefer Luton. Parking is cheaper and Mid-term is easier to walk to the terminal than Stansted.

But…. Yes, it’s a shithole still, despite the upgraded retail space. There is _still_ nowhere to sit and seeing all the people sitting around on the floor everywhere surrounded by bags reminded me of flying out of Bastion in 2012. Stansted is a lot worse though. i hate it. I hate the arrivals immigration area, the retail units, Ryanair and the way that, despite full signal, mobile internet is rubbish.

For the full crap experience though, you have to add Stockholm Skavsta into the mix. At least the non-Heathrow “London” airports are moderately close to London. Skavsta is two hours by car away and served by Ryanair in what I can only describe as an optimistic service. You know that jingle they play when a plane lands on schedule? Yup, never heard that once. At least Luton to Arlanda with EasyJet saves that horrific journey along the E4.

Bournemouth is a lovely little airport. Park right next to the terminal , through security and you are in the departure lounge. No long walks around endless corridors . Very relaxed

I only did the Ryanair to Stockholm once back in the 1990s. I paid my own money thereafter to fly via Arlanda rather than arrive at a small shed tacked on to a military airfield.

Norwich….£10*  to walk across the threshold into customs…..

* Development charge.

Not that I have seen any development in the 20 years I have been going through there.

Luton? It has 2 redeeming features for me.

1. If I’m flying out of Luton, it’s not a business trip. So I’m going on holiday. All be it with people who thought flying out of Luton was in any way a good idea.

2. It’s not Gatwick. This fact cannot be emphasised enough. I also haven’t had to drive halfway around the sodding m25 to get to Gatwick.

You have the choice of a seat next to Bob the paperclip salesman, sweating heavily from the exertion of climbing the steps into the mezzanine

Weird, I’d have thought he’d be OK – I mean, his footwear’s pretty much made for that sort of thing

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<div class=”bbp-reply-author”>paulosoxo
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Obviously, you haven’t flown from Barcelona South (Reus) Airport ”

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Was there about 6 years ago, early season, and only 1 flight a day operating from it, was eerily empty for the size of it.

Flew there from Luton though, so that maybe skewed my judgement.

My favourite is point-noire airport, the lack of airconditioning isn’t a problem as it’s not that not in Africa really, I quite like the way the airport security staff are more interested in the contents of my wallet than the contents of my bag, and paying 10 quid for a beer is just delightful.

(There’s a brand new airport building next door to it which is unused and abandoned for some reason, something to do with forgetting to install sewers i think)

(There’s a brand new airport building next door to it which is unused and abandoned for some reason, something to do with forgetting to install sewers i think)

The Germans have this trumped. They managed to build an entirely new airport in Berlin that will never open in its current state.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Brandenburg_Airport

It’s not Gatwick. This fact cannot be emphasised enough. I also haven’t had to drive halfway around the sodding m25 to get to Gatwick.

Indeed, J9 can be one of the worst junctions to exit. Just because people are going on holiday doesn’t mean you forget how to drive and/or start drinking before you hit the terminal…

Obviously, you haven’t flown from Barcelona South (Reus) Airport

I’ve just had the pleasure of flying out of Luton to Reus and then back to Stansted. Reus has the builders in airside currently and the waiting area is not kept clean. I was not enthused to eat or drink anything from there.

On the integrated transport front, Tours recently expanded their tramways finishing 1km short of the airport (a proper terminus not just a stop and turnaround point)! With no bus service now and no proper footway it’s a nightmare to get to.

Sounds better than the seamless blend of pricing at Edinburgh airport. Go anywhere in the city for £1.70, or for only an additional £4.30 you can get to the airport.

Luton airport terminal has been undergoing renovation for the past 6 years.

They’ve had the time to install rip off drop off charges no bother. gits.

It is however v handy for us in N London and is a good navigation aid when lost on a bike in Herts.  🙂

My favourite is Los Roques.

Tiny, wait on the beach for your plane, chatting to the blimey key who fires the shotgun to scare the pelicans off.

http://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/6/8/2/0333286.jpg?v=v40

This is all the fault of having to be part of the E.U., obviously.

Just see how everything quickly gets better after Brexit.

My nearest airport is clean,  efficient, safe and friendly.

Malaga.

Sorry. 😂

Loving the irony of Londoners whining about their shit airport provision.

With the exception of deadkenny who had the good taste to qualify his answer, can the rest of the SE dwellers please **** off moaning about airports. You don’t have a **** clue.

Couldn’t give a toss about the airport really. I always aim to spend as little time in them as possible. The best investment you can make when travelling by air is a fast track ticket so you can time your dash to the gate to perfection. The closer to home the airport is the better.

Very much this.

I can leave home and check at Luton within an hour. I’ll take that over nice architecture and retail spaces any day. I just treat it as a bus station with wings…

Echo the above. I left home at 2 Friday got to Luton at 3 breezed through the checks, flight left at 4:15. I do this every month to get back to Kerry, nearly every month and it’s never late.

Heathrow for business is a nightmare, always late back.

The odd thing about Luton for me was that when I lived in SW london (Tooting) it was a stress free airport to use as I could get an overground train 5min walk away and get a guaranteed seat for a 45-50 min journey to luton airport parkway that cost £13 open return. Gatwick and Heathrow were a lot closer but took just as long or longer to get to and the stress of taking luggage on the tube and changing several times or paying £60 for a taxi were avoided.  It is an awful airport though. Not quite as bad as Catania (Sicily) where easyJet have 2 flights going out within 10 min of each other and just 2 staff on the desk so the queues are terrible. Even 2hrs early is not enough time to check bags and get through security, also witnessed a punch-up at the gate?!

So given the choice of a midday flight to Edinburgh via Luton, or a 9pm flight from Stansted, do I avoid Luton on what is purely a business trip?

I’ve flown from Stansted and Luton recently, they are both operating at max capacity, and are pretty horrible places to spend time. I’d probably jump on the train instead, it won’t take much longer once you factor in the waiting around and transfer times.

As much as I’d like to jump on the train, I’m in return-to-flying therapy, so need to take my opportunities.

Interesting point though, as for this year as in last year we’ve gone to Gatwick to Menorca early in the morning from N London, and wondered why we didn’t just go to Stansted with Jet 2.   I didn’t think Stansted was all that bad, but not recommended in peak season with a family of 2 young kids?

Stansted is horrendous too, or maybe it’s just the half mile forced detour via duty free and the “shopping street” before arriving in a space that has more people than seats that gets me

As much as I’d like to jump on the train, I’m in return-to-flying therapy, so need to take my opportunities.

In that case I really wouldn’t use Luton unless you want to be permanently put off the idea!

My favourite is Los Roques.

Tiny, wait on the beach for your plane, chatting to the blimey key who fires the shotgun to scare the pelicans off.

And the buildings (or is that just singular?) are painted in pastel colours. On the downside your plane’s tyres wouldn’t pass an MOT. I speak from experience, flying from Margarita.

Manchester Airport is a abomination of a place, designed to fleece you of every single penny possible.
despite being 15quid in a taxi away from Manchester airport I will use Liverpool every single time.

In that case I really wouldn’t use Luton unless you want to be permanently put off the idea!

Jeez,. my alternative is Stansted via Ryanair!!!

Update!

Very glad i was a bit late and only had 10 mins to sit down, after realising I’d fallen foul of the road works and parked in short stay multi story which is going to cost the company £110…

yeah, lack of toilets and those that are there had queues, and the main waiting area really was a sweaty noisy  pit.   I’d hate to be thier with a couple of kids. Seems to be a small airport turned into a medium airport that cannot handle the Customer volume.    On the plus side, only 55 mins to Edinburgh.

Note to self; always ensure socks don’t have holes in…