A new multi-storey car park, new buses, additional security staff, more phone charging points and extra water filling stations are being unveiled at an Essex airport ahead of the busy summer season.
Stansted Airport is also recruiting hundreds of new staff to give passengers a ‘great airport experience’. However, the cost of using the express set down lane from £3.50 for 10 minutes to £4.
The 2,700 space multi-storey car park is a first for Stansted, which experienced its busiest summer ever in 2018 when 8.4 million passengers passed through its doors between June and August.
Stansted’s chief operating officer, Steve Griffiths said: “We are fast approaching our busiest time of year and another very exciting summer season with over 200 destinations on offer from London Stansted and up to 100,000 passengers regularly using the airport on a daily basis.
“A priority for us is to ensure that all of our passengers have a great airport experience as they head off on their holidays. We’ve been working very closely with our operational teams and airport partners to develop our plans for the summer, carry out essential maintenance work and ensure our teams are where they need to be to keep the airport operating smoothly.
“To help us manage the increase in passenger numbers we are recruiting more security staff and adding more customer service ambassadors to ensure we have the right people in the right place at the right time at every point of the passenger journey.
“Terminal operations will also benefit from the development of a new control centre at the airport, The Hub, that uses state-of-the-art, real-time technology to coordinate airport resources and respond to changes to passenger flows and demand, and to any form of disruption and knock-on impacts.
“In addition, we are ensuring many of the basic facilities are of a high standard and always available by upgrading and adding more toilet facilities, installing more water fountains, charging points, seats and passenger help points and a dedicated ‘quiet area’ near the departure lounge.
“These are just some of the steps we are taking now to deliver the best airport experience at Stansted this summer but, as part of our longer-term vision for transforming the airport.”
These steps taken by Stansted Airport complement work already underway by the airport’s partner organisations, including investment by Ryanair in new ground handling operations.
What is the airport doing to improve passenger experience?
• Recruiting up to 200 new security officers and customer service ambassadors
• Recent opening of a new technology-led terminal control centre, ‘The Hub’, which will help ensure a smooth flow of passengers through the airport and enhance the airport’s ability to respond swiftly to any operational issues
• The introduction of more seating into the departure lounge, including a dedicated family seating area offering colourful child-friendly bench seating
• Construction of a new ‘quiet area’ space for passengers who wish to relax
• Addition of new water fountains across the terminal and satellite buildings to help encourage wider use of re-useable bottles
• The introduction of additional in-terminal charging points for electronic devices
• Doubling the number of terminal cleaning staff to 100 and in-sourcing the service
• Upgrades to passenger wayfinding and help points, including new information desk airside
• Opening of a new 2,700 space multi-storey car park with additional blue badge spaces, and an increase in the price of the Express Set Down area to ensure its continued smooth running
• A new fleet of more than 30 buses serving airport carparks and airside, reducing journey times and introducing real-time information for passengers
• Increased seating capacity in restaurants including 200 new seats in The Windmill and 100 added to Burger King
• Opening of new and upgraded toilet facilities
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here