Airport trauma, I may never fly again.

That sounds like an absolute nightmare. Sago. I might just have gone home!

Oh Sago I am so sorry to read about your traumatic experience at the airport. I'm not surprised you don't want to fly again. Thank you for bringing to light the inadequate staffing, non existent support at a time when support is very necessary.
It's a sad reflection on society when it's 'every man/woman for themselves'. The people whom you helped will remember your kindness forever.

What a nightmare for you Sago!

Stansted was a fortnightly airport for me a few years back. I hated it then, especially the snake queues of people pushing and shoving. Tempers do get frayed when no one is in proper control. London City is a slick operation in comparison, but most of the travellers are business types and quietly know what they are doing.

We now use our small regional airport and fly to either Amsterdam or Jersey, and transfer on from there. Seems to work well. Le Shuttle is sadly the other side of the country, but we have a great ferry service across to Brittany.

Your experience is enough to put anyone off flying. I hope you enjoy Nimes.

Hubby and I flew through Stansted last year (flying from London to Glasgow to visit my SIL). We HATED that airport. We live in Canada, and I don't know if you have this store in the UK, but Stansted reminded me of Costco. Costco is a store that sells primarily groceries, but a lot of other things, too, and specializes in larger and bulk sizes of things. (Not bins full and you decide how much you want, rather, think tins of ketchup the size of a coffee can, two gallon or so size buckets of peanut butter, etc. Hubby and I don't shop there, but my parents did when I was young - I'm the oldest of six. It made sense to buy in bulk then.) Very warehouse-type structure, high ceilings with an industrial feel, etc.

We flew from Glasgow to London and landed at Gatwick. MUCH better. We have decided to do our best to avoid Stansted at all costs in the future.

What a horrible experience Sago it sounds like an airport to always avoid.Luton used to hold top position for being a nightmare.Now go enjoy your holiday😃 and recover.Think about complaining to Stanstead when you get back, it’s the only way it will improve.

A dreadful experience I admit……….but when I was at work, if we even suspected a terrorist attack we were told to “run, hide, and tell”! Perhaps that’s what the staff all did?

An awful start to your holiday .
If you are booked on a return ticket with Ryanair you may have to check that it’s still valid as you didn’t use the outbound part. Sorry to add to your woes.
Enjoy your trip.

I stopped flying a while ago. Pandemonium in airports for the slightest glitch. Life is too short. Full marks for not just throwing in the towel and going home. I hope your holiday goes well. The least you deserve.

Thinking about it Sago also email your MP.

Commiserations sounds awful, we've always been fairly lucky with our flights, I still hate the whole airport rigmarole. I agree, an experience like yours, I could also see myself knocking it all on the head

A relative once helped out at her local airport in a fire drill.
She played an airoplane passenger.

I asked her afterwards how it all went,

She said "good luck".

The airport had an emergency evacuation, unfortunately these things happen.

There was a build up of passengers in a small area (the departure/arrivals hall is smaller than Gatwick or Heathrow)

I am sorry you had a bad experience Sago I think the moral of your story is more don’t fly with Ryanair as opposed to not flying again.

GrannyGravy13

The airport had an emergency evacuation, unfortunately these things happen.

There was a build up of passengers in a small area (the departure/arrivals hall is smaller than Gatwick or Heathrow)

I am sorry you had a bad experience Sago I think the moral of your story is more don’t fly with Ryanair as opposed to not flying again.

I don’t think you realise the gravity of the situation.
It was so dangerous to funnel everyone in at once.
No procedures were put in place.
The situation was handled badly and no doubt illegally.

Sago I use Stansted airport a couple of times every year, I know it like the back off my hand.

I also know several people who work there.

There main priority is safety, sorry you had a horrid time.

Have you used Southend Airport, it is really easy to navigate and never busy.

Ryanair’s statement was that anyone who missed their flight would be put on the next available flight free of charge

I never fly. I hate every single thing about it, including the airport experience.

And as long as we all assume we can fly where we want when we want the planet will go down the pan. No amount of recycling, electric cars, ground source heat pumps can offset the carnage caused by flying.

I avoid Stansted like the plague. I flew from there three times and each one was traumatic.

This is the price you may though, for flying Ryan air and cheap flights. No customer service.

This year I went to Europe by train- much more civilised and much less stressful- also much more expensive but it was worth every penny.

I did fly back though- with Lufthansa from Munich to Brimingham.

I was ill at the airport and it took ages for the person who met me to get out of the carpark.

On balance if possible in future I will always go for the rail option.

Luckygirl3 those of us who family members and close friends in far flung corners of the globe have little choice, fly or not feel their hugs and touches ever again …

Luckygirl3

I never fly. I hate every single thing about it, including the airport experience.

And as long as we all assume we can fly where we want when we want the planet will go down the pan. No amount of recycling, electric cars, ground source heat pumps can offset the carnage caused by flying.

Agree. I think prices should be much higher with fewer planes and more attention to safety.

I hate airports,too but the ones here are not as you describe. I can’t stand Manchester and Heathrow is not much better. I will never, ever go to either of them again. I believe Glasgow is better ? Not risking it,though. Most people here are pretty well mannered thank goodness. The worst I have come across in Australia is Darwin, mainly because the staff are aloof and curt,though, not because of the passengers.

How dreadful and frightening sago. I hate airports. We had an awful experience a few years ago at Birmingham airport. I was travelling with my two sisters and my brother to our uncle's funeral in Ireland.

A tannoy announcement came over for my sister to take a phone call. Her husband was at home with their two little boys. We stopped the nearest airport worker and asked where we should take the call. He said 'I don't know'. Meanwhile my sister's name was being repeatedly called. We went to the nearest desk. Same answer. It must have been 20 minutes before we got help. You can imagine the state my sister was in. It turned out that her mother-in-law had died suddenly.

I wrote to the airport and they replied with 'No one has any recollection of this '

GrannyGravy13

Ryanair’s statement was that anyone who missed their flight would be put on the next available flight ^free of charge^

The next available flight was Sunday, we are guests at a wedding on Saturday.
Flights to Bezieres were booked solid.

That sounds dreadful, Sago
Stansted needs to learn some lessons from this and Ryanair needs to smarten up its procedures too.

I've only encountered Stansted Airport once, years ago, and that was not a pleasant experience.

nanna8

I hate airports,too but the ones here are not as you describe. I can’t stand Manchester and Heathrow is not much better. I will never, ever go to either of them again. I believe Glasgow is better ? Not risking it,though. Most people here are pretty well mannered thank goodness. The worst I have come across in Australia is Darwin, mainly because the staff are aloof and curt,though, not because of the passengers.

I always get pulled to one side in Australian airports and searched.
I must look suspicious 😀