Record low satisfaction score for 'London' Luton Airport

It’s 29 miles north of the capital, served almost exclusively by low-cost airlines, features a one-mile bus ride over a hill from its rail station to its terminal and a runway that’s disappeared under landfill - and now London Luton Airport (actually in Bedfordshire) has been voted the UK’s worst for the fifth year in a row.

The facility was given a score of just 29% in the Which? annual airports survey - the lowest ever received by a UK terminal.

Customers complained about the consistent overcrowding and the money-grubbing attitude of the airport operator, with respondents giving it just one star in five of the ten categories surveyed - security queues, range of retailers, seating availability, toilet facilities, and the helpfulness of staff.

In the other five categories, it received just two stars - bag drop queues, check-in, security screening, retailer prices, and baggage claim.

Consumer group Which?, who commissioned the survey, did concede the airport was in the middle of a major expansion - but maintained it wasn’t an excuse for the airport’s horrifically low score.

Among the penny-pinching prices complained about were the £2.10 cost for the one-mile bus shuttle from the airport’s train station to the terminal, charged on top of the base rail fare, and the £3 charged to motorists to use the drop-off area, even if they are stopping for just a few seconds.

Luton Airport was quick to defend itself, however, claiming the Which? results did “not accurately reflect” the experience of most of its passengers.

“Which? polled just 435 of its subscribers who had travelled through London Luton airport between May 2016 and May 2017 – the most intensive phase of the airport’s redevelopment.

“Some 75% [of respondents to the airport’s own survey] told us they were happy with their experience, a 5% improvement on the same period last year.

“Since then we have made significant improvements to the airport’s infrastructure, added new shops and restaurants and passenger services, such as free wifi.”

Looking beyond Bedfordshire, just two UK airports actually improved their ratings, with both Doncaster Sheffield and London Southend - actually in Essex - gaining five stars for customer service.

Doncaster Sheffield was also the top scorer at 87%, although both it and Southend were small airports with limited flights and transport connections.

The country’s best large airports were Birmingham and Terminal 5 at Heathrow, which both scored 61%, while Heathrow Terminal 2 scored 57%.

Terminals 3 and 4 at Heathrow and the South Terminal at London Gatwick - actually in West Sussex - managed 52%, and the North Terminal at Gatwick managed 51%.

Manchester Airport received a middling score, with a 43% satisfaction rating at Terminal 3 and 53% at Terminal 2.