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Original poster

How bad is Stansted going to be?

17 replies

AmbushedByCake · 08/07/2022 05:39

I am flying from Stansted this morning and can't physically get there until just under 2 hours before my flight time. Am I going to be in security for 2 full hours and miss departure?! Hand luggage only.

OP posts:
Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 08/07/2022 05:40

My friend works there and says it is too bad a at all. Sure you will be fine x

Original poster
AmbushedByCake · 08/07/2022 05:40

I hope so. I'd kill to have time for a coffee.

OP posts:
Augend23 · 08/07/2022 05:46

It wasn't bad last time I went (25 mins to get through security) but it was really crazy busy after security because so many people had got there 3 hours early.

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Alainlechat · 08/07/2022 06:05

I got there at 4.20 am on Monday and it took 50 mins to get through bag drop and security. The queues for coffee were so long I couldn't wait and there was nowhere to sit. My flight was at 6.20 and the gate came up at 5.20 so I went straight there. Flight was on time though.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 08/07/2022 06:10

It’s bag drop that’s a problem, rather than security so you should be fine with hand luggage.

TartanCurtains · 08/07/2022 06:25

Probably too late for the OP, but for anyone else reading, they have invented a new rule at security (possibly just Stansted?) that hair straighteners must be removed from bags before scanning. This doesn't appear on the information posters in the queue, and staff hold up boards to tell you this as you reach the conveyer (all too late to be convenient).

knackersToIt · 08/07/2022 06:34

TartanCurtains · 08/07/2022 06:25

Probably too late for the OP, but for anyone else reading, they have invented a new rule at security (possibly just Stansted?) that hair straighteners must be removed from bags before scanning. This doesn't appear on the information posters in the queue, and staff hold up boards to tell you this as you reach the conveyer (all too late to be convenient).

Yes! I fly quite a bit and Stansted is the only airport I have to remove hairdryer etc from hand luggage.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 08/07/2022 07:12

I flew from gatwick recently and was surprised that I didn’t have to take anything out of my hand luggage except liquids … could keep electronics etc in there.

squashyhat · 08/07/2022 07:26

I'm currently in Italy having flown from Stanstead on Tuesday. Bag drop takes a while but there are staff who, if it's getting worrying near your flight time, will extract you from the queue and get you to the front. Too late for the OP but you can also pay extra for fast track through security, which helped with the queue but there was a trainee on our scanner who was a bit slow. Once through security it is very very busy with queues for all food outlets. But a shout out to all the staff who were without fail positive, friendly and helpful even at 6.30 in the morning! Our flight left on time too which is always a bonus 🙂

Chersfrozenface · 08/07/2022 09:29

I'm flying from Stansted tomorrow lunchtime and have just had an email asking me to be at the airport 3 hours before my departure time, citing security delays.

ifonly4 · 08/07/2022 09:31

From our experience, not much point getting there before. We did in April as Heathrow and airport advised three hours before - we had to wait around for an hour as quick in wasn't open until two hours before!

Augend23 · 08/07/2022 09:32

Chersfrozenface · 08/07/2022 09:29

I'm flying from Stansted tomorrow lunchtime and have just had an email asking me to be at the airport 3 hours before my departure time, citing security delays.

We had the same email (as had seemingly everyone else) and got through in 25 minutes. I wouldn't have risked not getting there 3 hours before but it was quite annoying once we were through.

It was then hideously crowded and I'm 99% sure I caught COVID there or in the plane as my travelling companion and I came down within hours of each other having not been in the same place for a week before that.

perimenofertility · 08/07/2022 09:44

I was there a couple of weeks ago. Took me 1 hour to get through security. A reason mine took longer was because others were arriving later and asking to queue jump so that they could make their flight - I was there early enough not to need to queue jump. So yes, you can ask that if you are late, but try to get there earlier if any way possible.

Original poster
AmbushedByCake · 08/07/2022 19:52

Augend23 · 08/07/2022 05:46

It wasn't bad last time I went (25 mins to get through security) but it was really crazy busy after security because so many people had got there 3 hours early.

Thanks everyone :) this is exactly what happened this morning, 20 minutes through security despite the enormous queue, but then 50+ people in the queue for Pret, same for Caffè Nero, Giraffe and Wetherspoons. I refilled my water bottle and ate a bag of Mini Cheddars from the vending machine instead.

OP posts:
lospolloshermanosass · 08/07/2022 20:22

Can you book priority line/fast track for security?

We did this at Gatwick a couple weeks ago. Took us about 10 minutes to get through.

TwinkleToesStrikesAgain · 08/07/2022 20:28

When I went through Stansted two weeks ago they had paused the fast track process because they needed all the lanes open. It was a bloody scrum and a super spreader event. But you do get your steps in - 7000 steps from the plane to the passport egates.

Original poster
AmbushedByCake · 09/07/2022 08:05

I tried to book fast track but it wasn't available. Security wasn't too bad anyway, just everything after it. Even the lounge had a massive queue!

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