Gearing up for a busy Bank Holiday

London Stansted is gearing up for a busy August Bank Holiday weekend, with an estimated 400,000 passengers expected to travel through the airport over the four days.

Friday (August 23) alone is expected to see 53,000 passengers depart, making it one of the busiest days of the year.

Popular destinations include the Spanish Costas, Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Dubai, Algarve in Portugal, Turkey, and Greek Islands, as well as thousands of overseas visitors choosing Stansted as their gateway to holidaying in the London and the East of England.

The airport is also encouraging passengers heading away this weekend to follow a few simple steps to make sure they have a smooth start to their trip.

Nick Millar, Operations Director at the airport, said:

“London Stansted has recorded breaking passenger numbers every month this year, and we are now set to experience one of our busiest weekends of the year as thousands prepare to jet off over the Bank Holiday. Our teams are looking forward to helping passengers get their trips off to the best possible start, but we do suggest a few simple steps that will ensure their journey is as seamless as possible. We recommend that you check with your airline on when you need to arrive at the airport, which is normally two to three hours before departure, and to familiarise yourselves with hand luggage rules. This includes the limits in place on liquids, gels and pastes, which must be placed in a clear plastic bag in containers under 100ml. We also advise to plan your journey to the airport and check for travel disruption before setting off.”

The airport recorded its busiest ever July last month as 2.9 million passengers passed through the terminal.

The monthly passenger total was an increase of 3.4% on the same month last year, and the third busiest month in Stansted’s history.

The 12-month total to the end of July stood at 29.12 million passengers, an increase of 8.5% on the previous year.

Operational performance in July remained good with 99% of departing passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less, with an average queue time of less than four minutes 30 seconds during the main departure peaks.

July also saw the airport awarded a ‘very good’ rating by the Civil Aviation Authority for the services it provides to passengers with reduced mobility, the highest award possible, for the second consecutive year.

Full details of what passengers can carry through security as hand baggage are available on the website. http://www.stanstedairport.com/at-the-airport/security/