Travel stress, aggressive airport security staff.

Went through Newcastle airport a couple of weeks ago. It has a large security area and there were lots of people in the entrance sorting out things. Long queue but it was always moving. All the staff were pleasant and helpful, although it must drive you mad when the regulations are posted everywhere and people still have to be told to take off jackets etc.
Passport people were fine as well

If people are first time flyers they might not be au fey with liquids.
If you don’t speak English it doesn’t matter how many times security say something, it’s not going to be understood

I always used to find Stansted quite a pressurised environment.

It once took so long to get through everywhere that they were calling my flight and I was still in the security queue!

Just flown back from Croatia today.

No stress, but the number of people who are not properly prepared for checks is so annoying as it wastes everyone's time. Liquids not sealed in zip lock bags, and not bothering to take large jewellery off, belts, cameras and laptops, etc, ready for separate box, not taken jackets off, etc, etc. The security staff have to say the same things again and again, despite clear instructions, photos, signs, etc- no wonder they lose their cool.

One lady was shouted at, because she was carrying nail varnish and ............ acetone, in her handbag. No excuse for shouting, I know, but really? Everyone knows it is highly flammable and could cause serious trouble.

Which is why we've stopped going abroad.

We used London City recently. Very efficient, but you do need to be on the ball with everything as it goes so fast.
I'm sorry you had that experience.

I flew from Gatwick to Malaga recently with my sister, and found the staff to be very helpful, suggesting we join the ‘assistance’ queue to save time. However, as much as I enjoy walking, I did find the extremely long walks to and from the plane rather exhausting and we’re so tightly packed in!
My OH and I are going to Dieppe on Tuesday for a few days, via the ferry from Newhaven. Looking forward to it, haven’t been to France for a number of years.

It had been a long day!

We returned from holiday via Stansted a couple of days ago and it took well over an hour endlessly queuing for passport control. It was absolutely manic.
Our coach transport to the car park should have been 15 minutes but took an hour because it suddenly deviated to drop people off at a different car park with us all onboard. We were eventually dropped off and got home much later than expected, tired and fed up.

And this is why I use Eurostar…….

Super chilled, quick and easy at London City airport last Sunday.

sago I flew in and out of Stanstead Airport last week with only hand luggage. My experience was nothing like yours, all very smooth. Perhaps the staff member was having a bad day. sorry you had such a bad experience.

It does sound worse than usual, but I hate all that security faff anyway. Actually I hate all airport/flying faff nowadays. A far cry from the days when I found it all so exciting!
Having to put your various bits and pieces in different trays is I think pretty standard now.

I fear it might be the norm now.

Your experience sounds rather like my own at Birmingham Airport three years ago. We hadn't flown for over ten years, and the change at security was huge, very stressful.

Coming back was equally stressful, but this time at passport control. We'd never had to use a machine for that before, and a
prison warder security person was angrily yelling orders at me from a few meters away. The instructions included to remove my glasses then follow the instructions on the screen in front of me, but I could barely see the screen without my glasses on, let alone read the words on it! There was no offer of constructive help, just angry, repeated shouting.

I was shaking by the time I got out of there.

Fifteen years ago, I regularly flew in and out of the country alone, and generally enjoyed the whole airport experience (apart from watching the expected departure time gradually get longer). How times have changed.

Not the screaming, but you do have to put items in separate trays nowadays, but there should be enough trays to go around.

That sounds horrible Sago I haven't experienced problems like that with staff at other airports. I'm flying to UK with Ryanair this afternoon so hope its not as bad as that.