An estimated 1.3 million passengers will travel through London Stansted over the Easter holidays, making it the busiest period for travel since before the pandemic began.
With many people not having travelled in the last two years, the airport is encouraging passengers to arrive in good time for their flights and to familiarise themselves with all the usual security requirements.
During the four-day Easter weekend, 240,000 passengers are expected to use the airport, compared to just over 8,000 last year when COVID restrictions were in place.
Steve Griffiths, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:
“The lifting of international travel restrictions has been extremely good news for passengers and the whole of the aviation industry following the most challenging two years in our history.
“We know people are excited to be flying again after such a long time, so we want to provide them with the best possible experience.
“I want to reassure people that we are working hard to get back to where we need to be.
“While queues may be longer than people are used to at times, customers can definitely help us by arriving in good time.
“We are also keen to remind people how they can minimise any unnecessary delays at the airport.
“The usual restrictions on liquids, sharp items, and electronics carried in hand luggage continue to apply, and although hand sanitiser is also allowed through security if it’s under 100ml it too needs to be included in a clear, resealable bag with all other liquids, so we urge passengers to prepare properly before they leave home.
“We also recommend that passengers check for any road or rail disruptions that could affect their journey to the airport, and arrive at the terminal at the earliest time their airline allows them to check-in.
“To prepare for the summer, we began a major recruitment drive in January to fill hundreds of roles in our security operation, and partner organisations like airlines, ground handlers and Border Force have also been recruiting.
“We’ve held a number of recruitment events and on Tuesday (April 5) we will join forces with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation to host a jobs fair at the club’s iconic new stadium.
“A major refurbishment of our departure lounge is also included in our summer preparations.
“We are investing more than £12million in improving the customer experience with a range of new bars, restaurants, and retail outlets.
“Over the next few weeks, passengers may experience some disruption in the departure lounge, so please be patient with us as we carry out this work.
“We are all really excited to welcome more and more passengers back to London Stansted and will be working hard to ensure they have the best possible experience while at the airport.”
