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The good and the bad of Britain's busiest airports
The Independent
|August 31, 2025
Crikey, what a summer it has been at the UK's seven biggest airports. Many of them have set records for passenger numbers. As none has expanded, that spells bigger crowds than ever.
You might be thinking everyone is home by now - but Stansted has left it to the last day of August for its busiest day of the year. Given an all-other-things-being-equal between Stansted and its Essex rival, Southend airport, I would pick the latter for fast and friendly service - plus a 90-second journey from international arrivals to rail station platform.
Passengers prefer small airports, but Britain's busiest hubs have their advantages too - from surface links to shopping. The largest seven in terms of passenger numbers comprise the key London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton), Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, with a total of 13 terminals between them.
After a high-pressure summer for the excellent frontline and backroom staff who keep them running, time to hand out some awards.
Parking
Money no object? At Gatwick North you can park within a single trolley shove of check-in.
Rail access
Birmingham and Gatwick North would be in with a shout, except both require an extra journey on a shuttle (or a long and confusing hike) from the rail station.
This story is from the August 31, 2025 edition of The Independent.
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