The growth of Stansted Airport over the last 25 years has been staggering and is a direct result of the decision made in 1984 to develop Stansted to relieve the load needed to meet demand from the South East of England from Gatwick and Heathrow.
From a starting point of less than one million passengers using the airport in the late 1980s, more than 22 million passengers passed through this airport in 2008, making it the third busiest airport in the UK, overtaking Manchester airport. Heathrow and Gatwick remain No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, but if Stansted gets approval for a second runway instead of Gatwick or if the Tories override planning consent granted for a third runway at Heathrow, Stansted will quickly overtake Gatwick.
The airport has become a hub for low-cost passengers, including Ryanair and Easyjet, who were attracted by the lower handling costs that helped them pass these savings on to their customers, fueling this incredible growth.
The only thing that isn’t cheap in Stansted is the cost of parking, which is only a few pounds less than parking at Gatwick.
Parking Options at Stansted Airport
long stay
Mainly for the use of holidaymakers who are going to be away for more than a few days, although anyone can use this car park regardless of the length of their stay. This is the cheapest way to park in Stansted and much less than mid-stay parking. Long-stay car parks are about a 10-minute drive from the terminal, although I’ve been told this takes longer depending on the number of times the bus stops to pick up passengers.
To be picked up for your journey to the terminal, you must go to the various bus shelters scattered around the car parks. The spaces next to these shelters always fill up first, so it’s a good idea if you’re not alone to drop your family or friends off at the bus stop, saving yourself from lugging luggage through the parking lot. These buses run every 5-7 minutes, but at peak times they fill up quickly and wait times can be longer and the same for the return trip from the terminal.
in the middle of the stay
Designed for the businessman who doesn’t want to get stuck with all the tourists and their luggage. In addition, this service is more frequent with a shorter transfer to and from the terminal.
short stay
It is used to drop off or pick up customers. Occasionally, passengers traveling on an internal flight and returning the same day make use of this car park. Its use is not recommended if your stay is more than 24 hours because the costs are very expensive.
Valet Parking – Meet & Greet Service
The easiest way to park at Stansted Airport, where they wait for you near the departures and on your return your car can be collected from the nearby short stay car park and ready to go. Valet parking is about double the price of long-term parking.
Whichever facility you decide to use, you should reserve your parking at Stansted Airport in advance because if you just turn up, you’ll be in danger of cardiac arrest when you see the parking fee. To give you an idea of these costs, if you leave your car in the short stay for 8 days, the cost per day is almost 30 per day.
