London Stansted Airport (STN)

Introduction

Stansted Airport is a large passenger airport with a single runway and hub for a number of major European low-cost airlines. Over 23 million passengers are handled by London Stansted Airport every year. Located in the Uttlesford District of the county of Essex about 30 miles (48 km) north-east of London, London Stansted Airport is the UK’s and London’s 3rd busiest airport.

Facilities and Services

London Stansted Airport can offer its passengers flights to 160 scheduled destinations including domestic; European and transatlantic services.
London Stansted Airport has one terminal that offers passengers a departure lounge containing a good range of retail and catering outlets. London Stansted Airport also has currency exchange facilities, car hire representatives and information desks to meet arriving passengers needs.
London Stansted Airport has an executive Business lounge. Passengers can enjoy business facilities such as fax; e-mail; and Internet access as well as complimentary drinks and snacks in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Getting To The Airport

London Stansted Airport is easily accessible because of its close location to the M11. From the M11: take the dedicated exit 8a. This will take you onto the A120, which will take you directly into the airport if you follow the signs. From Colchester: take the A120 towards Bishop’s Stortford and follow signs for the airport.
The airport railway station is situated below the terminal building. The Stansted Express is a fast and convenient way to London Stansted Airport from London Liverpool Street Station, with trains departing every 15 minutes with an average journey time of 45 minutes. There is also the One Rail service to London Stratford and Lea Valley stations that connects London Stansted Airport to all principal stations along the Lea Valley to London Stratford.
For those travelling by bus or coach, London Stansted Airport has excellent connections with key towns and cities across the country. There are many services that call at the airport. The coach station is located between the Red and Blue short stay car parks and can be accessed from the terminal building.

Parking at the Airport

If you are looking for parking for a short time such as when meeting family and friends from a flight or seeing someone off, you will find the Stansted short car parks located adjacent to the terminal. Stansted mid stay parking is an alternative option to the long and short stay car parks – located closer to the terminal than the long stay car park and therefore able to offer a faster transfer service. Stansted mid stay parking is suitable for travellers going on short breaks and business trips. The mid stay car park is located on the approach to the airport. The transfer service to the terminal runs every 10 minutes and takes approximately five minutes. During peak times the transfer can take longer. Stansted long stay parking is suitable for travellers going on longer trips or holidays. There is one main Stansted long stay car park situated on the outskirts of the airport and is open all year round. To reach the airport terminal from the Stansted long stay car park a transfer service operates between the car park and the terminal. This service runs every 20 minutes with the transfer to the terminal taking 10 – 15 minutes. During peak times the transfer may take longer.
In order to make a booking to secure a space at any of these pre-bookable car parks at London Stansted Airport via carparkinguk.co.uk.

History of London Stansted Airport

Stansted was built by the United States Army in 1942 as a bomber base that played a large part in the Battle of Normandy but after the war, it was not needed. The airport came under BAA control in 1966.

Initially Stansted Airport was used by holiday charter operators who wanted to escape to the higher costs incurred when operating from Heathrow and Gatwick. It was always BAA and the British government’s intention to develop Stansted into London’s third airport, to relieve some of the burden on the other two as the demand for air travel grew. Stansted’s first terminal building opened in 1969 and was developed the following year in order to cope with increased demand.

In 1984 the government approved a plan to develop both Stansted’s airfield and terminal. A new terminal building was designed by internationally acclaimed Sir Norman Foster and was completed in 1991, five years after work first commenced.

Today London Stansted Airport is a large passenger airport. Despite strong opposition from the local campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion, the Government has given its backing for a massive development of air travel that will include the construction of a second runway at Stansted by 2012. This would allow Stansted to cope with more passengers than are handled by Heathrow at the moment.