UK airports are unfamiliar to many students who are about to fly to the UK, and you need to do your homework before you land, or you may be caught off guard by something unexpected. Every year, the UK consumer website Which? asks 4,000 travellers for their experiences at 24 UK airports and terminals over the past year. This includes assessments of the check-in experience, security queue experience, airport staff service, airport WiFi, toilets and more. Which airports performed the best? Take a look at the best and worst UK airports.
Shortest Security Check Time
Many travellers often complain about security queue times at some UK airports. Which?” this time is also unforgiving, directly listing the significant airports in the UK and the average length of time to go through the security check.
The longest and shortest airports have a 20-minute difference in the length of security checks! Birmingham Airport had the longest security queues, with an average wait time of 29 minutes. A passenger once advised other travellers from Birmingham Airport to arrive 5 hours early as the queue was already almost a kilometre long and everyone was struggling to get through the airport.
The airports with the shortest waiting time for security checks are Southampton and Aberdeen airports, with an average wait of only 9 minutes. Among the several airports in London, Luton Airport has the longest time for security checks, 22 minutes, and London City Airport has the shortest waiting time, only 10 minutes!
Worst Performing Airports Overall
Manchester Airport
- T3 – 38 points
- T1 – 41 points
- T2 – 47 points
Manchester Airport’s three terminals were ranked in the bottom one to third picture in the awards, with T3 receiving just 38 per cent of the customer ratings. T3 received just one star in the judging for security, seating, shop prices and the range of shops on offer. At the same time, each of Manchester Airport’s terminals scored low in terms of their security queues. One passenger claimed, “The security queues are horrendous, the waiting areas are so packed you can never find a seat!”
Heathrow Airport
- T4 – 48 points
- T2 – 52 points
- T5 – 60 points
Heathrow’s three terminals are ranked fourth, sixth and eighth among the worst airports in the UK. T4 scored low on security queues due to long queues’ caused by strikes and other issues. Many passengers found the queues at Heathrow to be unacceptable, with one passenger saying, “We were stuck in a long queue waiting to go through customs, and when we managed to get out, we found all our bags lying haphazardly on the floor of the baggage claim area”.
Also, starting in 2021, to make up for the £2bn loss due to the new crown outbreak, all passengers flying from Heathrow will be charged an additional £8.90 “airport cost recovery fee”. This “mandatory” charge added to the ticket for departing flights has led to many respondents giving it a low rating.
London Gatwick Airport
- North Terminal – 56 points
- South Terminal – 55 points
Both terminals at Gatwick Airport received three stars in most categories, including baggage claim, seating, staffing, and toilet facilities. Although the airport is relatively crowded, queues are still relatively fast. In particular, both terminals received four stars for their security queue ratings and for passport control in the South Terminal. However, the price increases at cafes and shops give many passengers a headache.
Best Performing Airports Overall
Doncaster Sheffield Airport
Top 1 – 85 points
Doncaster Sheffield Airport has been voted the best airport in the UK for the fourth year running, although it closed at the end of October this year. Travellers rated the airport’s staff with five out of five stars, with many saying that the staff here are accommodating and have a great attitude to service. Similarly, the airport was praised for its seating, toilet facilities, security, and baggage claim.
Exeter Airport
Top 2 – 83 points
Exeter Airport, a “small and friendly” airport, came in second place in this ranking. Although it only received two stars for shops, it scored highly for staff service, queuing and airport seating. One respondent was enthused that it was a lovely, friendly local airport with no long queues.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Tied for second: – 83 points.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport may seem much smaller than neighbouring Manchester Airport, but it has several routes to popular holiday destinations such as Barcelona, Rome, and Majorca. Passengers can park easily, walk a short distance to the terminal, and check in immediately for security and passport control, a series of conveniences that have earned it a score of five out of five stars in several categories.
FAQ
What is the best airport to fly out of in the UK?
The destination and flights need to be considered for the airport you travel from. If you are in Liverpool, it is recommended that you depart from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Passengers gave the check-in and security queuing experience here five stars, with airport staff performance, baggage claim, queuing at baggage check-in and passport control also receiving high marks. In addition, Liverpool John Lennon Airport has the shortest security waiting times in the survey, with an estimated average queue time of just 10 minutes!
What factors contribute to an airport being ranked highly in the UK?
Seats, staff, toilets, check-in queues, baggage check, passport control and security are factors that have an impact on airport rankings.
What is the best small airport in the UK?
Exeter airport. It is a ‘small and friendly’ airport with reasonable staff service, queuing and airport seating. It’s a lovely, friendly local airport with no long queues.
