London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport is situated in Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex, England. It is at a distance of 68 kilometres or 42 miles northeast from Central London. It is an international airport that serves more than 160 destinations all over Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Stansted Airport is a public airport that is owned by Manchester Airport Holdings. The airport is the hub for one of the low-cost airplanes, Ryanair, and serves as a base for many well-known low-cost carriers of Europe.
In 2015, the airport was in fourth place in being one of the busiest airports in the United Kingdom. The other competitors were Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. Private companies such as XJet, Titan Airways, and Harrods Aviation use the airport’s runway. Charter airlines used the airport when it was changed from RAF Stansted Mountfitchet to be made available for civil use.
In 1966, the British Airports Authority gained control of the airport who sold it to Manchester Airports Group in February 2013. The airport is a hub for major airlines such as TUI Airways, Ryanair, and Jet2. In 2019, the airport saw as many as 28.12 million terminal passengers combined for both arrival and departure.
Table of contents
➡️ History of London Stansted Airport
➡️ Travelling from London Stansted
➡️ Shopping, Restaurants and Bars
➡️ Other Services & Facilities at London Stansted
➡️ Transfers from London Stansted to central London
Basic Information
Before we move into the details, let’s get our basics ready.
Airport Code: STN
Airport Location: 68 kilometres (24 miles) northeast of Central London
Airport Address: Bassingbourn Road, Standsted CM24 1QW, United Kingdom
Contact Number: +44 (0)844 335 1803
Terminals: One terminal
Time Zone: GMT +0000, Greenwich Mean Time
History of London Stansted
London Stansted opened in the year 1943 and during the Second World War was used by the Royal Air Force. The airport was used as a bomber base and later on provided support to different airplanes by acting as a storage and supply area. After the end of the Second World War, the base was turned to a maintenance unit and housed the German war prisoners.
During 1966, the airport was a base for civilian flights. Airlines used the airport to avoid high operating cost while travelling between Gatwick and Heathrow. However, the government wanted to relive the high traffic in other UK London airports by making Stansted the third airport in London.
From Stansted Airport, airlines could access several destinations between 1980 and 1990. New parking facilities were established at the newly established London Stansted Airport. In the year 1984, up to 25 million passengers were limited in the Stansted Airport as a part of safety guidelines.
London Stansted Airport has expanded over the years and caters to about 15 airlines currently out of which three are major airlines. New facilities have been introduced at the airport, making it easy for passengers to park their cars safely and travel to and from Stansted. Stansted is currently the third busiest airport in the United Kingdom.
Airlines at London Stansted
The following airlines operate at London Stansted Airport:
RyanAir
Easyjet
TUI Airways
Air Corsica
Air India
Air Moldova
Albawings
AnadoluJet
Azores Airlines
British Airways
Emirates
Jet2.com
Loganair
Pegasus Airlines
Scandinavian Airlines
Terminal
London Stansted Airport has only one passenger terminal (T1), which is located near the Stansted Mountfitchet village. There are departure gates in three of the passenger satellites. One of these gates is connected with the help of an air bridge to the main terminal. The two other departure gates are located near the people mover of the Stansted Airport Terminal System.
Foster Associates, along with Peter Rice, a structural engineer, is the mastermind behind the terminal building designs. The airport was designed to provide no obstruction in the passenger flow. The passage would be a short stay in the car park, then move on to the check-in area, security checks and finally go through departure gates located on the same level.
Travelling from London Stansted
London Stansted is one of the six major airports of Greater London. When travelling from the airport, there are some things you need to know.
Check-In
As a general rule, every airport says that it is best to arrive two hours before the departure time. When you arrive at Stansted Airport, you can find check-in desks for the dedicated airlines. Once your check-in is done, you can move to security control. There are restaurants and shops at the departure lounge that you can enjoy after you are done with your check-in.
In case you do not want to waste time checking-in at the airport, you can choose online check-in. With this done, you can arrive at the airport, drop your baggage at the bag drop and proceed to the security control directly.
Security
The airport has strict security checks to enable passengers departing and arriving at the facility is not endangering the lives of the others or is not in danger themselves. There are rules that every passenger will have to follow regarding the security proceedings. You can check the official site of the airport to know more about the rules in detail.
The airport uses the latest and advanced technology as a part of its security measures. If you visit the airport for the first time, you may have to go through many new and advanced security checks that you have not faced before.
Body scanners are one such technology that is used by the airport to check passengers without a high wait time. You can choose not to go through the security scanner. However, in such cases, you will have to go through any other security measure advised by the security personnel.
Without a proper security check, passengers would not be allowed to enter further into the security area. This alternative method can be an extensive hand search in a private area, leading to the removal of certain clothing items. There are no uses of x-rays as a part of the security screening.
Luggage
You will be allowed to carry hold luggage and hand luggage. There are different items, such as flammable solids and liquids, magnetrons, sharp objects, etc., for safety reasons. You will find a complete list of the restricted items that should not be present in your hold and hand luggage at the official airport website.
For the hold luggage, there is a certain weight limit that you would have to follow. The weight limit may vary for each airline, and you would have to check with your particular airline for the same. If there is additional luggage, then there may be an extra fee that you would have to pay.
FastTrack Services
London Stansted Airport provides FastTrack services where you can save a lot of time at security check-in and passport control. There are dedicated lanes for both of these products, which make the process faster. However, there is limited availability for both these services.
The Security FastTrack is available for passengers who are flying out. The fee for this service starts from £5 for one person. There is a dedicated lane using which the passengers can reach the security checkpoint without any hassle. The service starts at 04:00 and ends at 20:00.
On the other hand, the Passport Control FastTrack starts from £5 for one person. This service is available for passengers who are flying in. The service is open between 07:00 and 02:00 for limited passengers.
The FastTrack services can be booked one hour before your flight departs or arrives, both depending on the availability. You can book the services in advance for a maximum of 12 months. However, you cannot get a refund even if you cancel or cannot avail of the FastTrack services.
The passport Control service can be booked by passengers who are over 18 years old. However, passengers who are arriving from the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, Ireland, and the Isle of Man will not avail of the services. In one booking, up to 9 passes can be bought.
Lounge at London Stansted
Located in the lounge for the main departure, the Escape Lounge is where passengers can rest after they have gone through the security checks. The booking fee for the escape lounge starts at £19.99 for one person. For infants who fall between the age of 0 and 23 months, there are no entry charges.
You can enjoy food, drinks, and free Wi-Fi in the escape lounge while waiting for your flight. All passengers are welcomed in the Escape Lounge who holds any ticket class from any airline. Passengers from Holiday Extras, Lounge Club, Priority Pass, Diners Club, Lounge Pass, Lounge Key, and Diners Club are also allowed.
Shopping, Restaurants and Bars
The airport has a lot to offer for passengers who are waiting for their flight. You can eat of drink something at one of the restaurants and bars or shop at one of the shops located in the terminal.
Shopping Services
Airport shopping is made convenient with some excellent and high-end shops present at London Stansted Airport. Here you can reserve what you want to buy while you fly to another destination and collect it when you return.
Restaurants and Bars
Food outlets and bars are found at the airport both for takeaway and dine-in services. Alcohol is not served to the passengers from 22:00 to 05:00. Several well-known restaurants, cafes and bars such as Burger King, Coast to Coast, Halo and others operate at the London Stansted Airport.
Other Services & Facilities at London Stansted
London Stansted has more to offer to make your time at the terminal more more enjoyable.
Worship
The airport has a special worship space where people can offer their prayers and contemplate silently.
Information Desk
Assistance is provided at the airport from the Information Desk occupied by helpful staff.
Gender-neutral Washroom
The departure lounge has a gender-neutral washroom that is found next to the Dune in the toilet space.
Currency Exchange
Travel money can be ordered with ICE and picked up from London Stansted. There is a 0% commission on the money, and you will find online rates for the same. You can get vouchers for the click and collect ICE for availing the discounted rates.
Miscellaneous
A free internet and Wi-Fi service is provided at the airport for all passengers. In the meeting room, passengers can hold conferences and business meetings from the airport itself. The airport also has a smoking room about which you can get more information from the terminal.
Parking at London Stansted
Parking is a very important requirement for passengers who need to travel to and from the airport. Stansted Airport provides different parking facilities for both long and short stay passengers.
Picking Up
These zones are used for a short stay when you are picking someone from the airport. There are two zones here – orange zone and blue zone.
Dropping Off
In case you are dropping anyone off, you would have to go to the express set down area.
Meet and Greet
Meet and greet provides passengers with a premium parking option. Your work is only to drive up to the meet and greet counter in the airport, after which the staff will take care of your car.
Short Stay
The short-stay facility is located just beside the terminal, which is a convenient option for people who want to part near the check-in. Five different zones are available for booking, and the time from each of these zones would range from one to ten minutes.
Mid Stay
For mid-stay, the Operating Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is used for the entry and exit of your car. This parking can be availed for a 7-day trip.
Long Stay
The long-stay parking facility is perfect for people on a long trip, probably for more than 2 weeks. The price of this parking starts at £49.99 for 8 days and is available only through pre-booking.
Transfers from London Stansted to central London
London Stansted is located 68 kilometres northeast of central London. There are several ways to go from the airport to the city of London.
Bus/Coach
The terminal of London Stansted Airport is just a two-minute walking distance away from the bus station. There are amenities in the bus station such as onsite newsagents, toilets, waiting facilities, onsite payphones, and an onsite coffee shop. Airport Bus Express and National Express are two of the bus services that can be currently availed.
The Airport Bus Express operates on two routes that are the Services A21 (Stansted – Liverpool Street; calling Stratford) and Service A20 (Stansted – Victoria Coach/Bus Station; calling Baker Street).
The National Express operates on four routes that are Services A6 (Stansted – Portman Square), Service A7 (Stansted – Victoria Coach Station), Service A8 (Stansted – Kings Cross), and Service A9 (Stansted – London Stratford).
If you belong to any other UK destinations, you can book different bus services directly to the airport.
Train
Stansted Express is a special train that is one of the fastest ways to travel between the airport and London. This train is available every 15 minutes and takes only 47 minutes to reach the airport from London Liverpool Street using the train. The train services can be availed from 03:40 am every Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
Taxi
The airport provides online taxi services to and from the airport. They have collaborated with minicabit that provides budget-friendly travel quotes. Fill in your journey details and add your preferred timing, for which you will be given a price and free cancellation options.
Car
Cars coming from the London side would use Junction 8a, and the ones from the Cambridge end would use the Junction 8. CM24 1RW is London Stansted Airport’s postcode. There are clear directions to the airport from the Junction.