Luton named UK's worst airport for third year running

Passengers complained about long queues for passport control and security

Luton Airport passengers complained about long queues at security and passport control (iStock)

Luton has been named the worst airport in the UK for the third year running.

“Disastrous” customer service, long queues at passport control and security as well as poor airport facilities meant Luton trailed the pack in the latest Which? airport survey, with a “dismal” 35 per cent satisfaction rating.

London Stansted and Manchester T3 also performed poorly, coming in joint second from bottom with a customer service score of 44 per cent. The main complaint was long queues at security.

At the other end of the spectrum was Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which topped the chart with a customer satisfaction score of 87 per cent. Passengers praised short queues, facilities and fast baggage reclaim.

In London, Southend was voted the UK’s second-best airport (and the capital's best) with an 84 per cent satisfaction score. Efficient bag drop, security and passport control were praised.

Heathrow’s customer satisfaction score depended on the terminal. T5 scored 63 per cent, while T3 was the worst rated with 55 per cent. A limited range of shops and restaurants and queues at passport control were behind the low score.

“With new routes launching all the time, passengers have an increasing choice over not just who they fly with but where they fly from,” says Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel. “If you can pick a smaller airport, choose Southend over Luton, and Doncaster Sheffield or Liverpool instead of Manchester to get your holiday off to a better start.”

The survey was based on 11,265 passenger visits to UK airports during April and May 2018, looking at everything from queues at bag drop to the cleanliness of the toilets.