Great to get to, great for passengers! (London Gatwick Airport (LGW))

Member Name: cpf1993

Product:	London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Date:	27/11/00 (187 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to get to and from, very clean, great facilities for passengers.

Disadvantages: Not the same frequency of flights as Heathrow. Some directions could be better.

Last weekend I took a trip with my fiancée to see a friend of ours in Sussex. At his request we got flights from Glasgow to Gatwick, which would make it far easier for him to pick us up. Not only was it good for him, but it was very good for us in arriving and departing from as well.

One of Gatwick's best features is just how easy it is to get to. It provides convenience for people looking to get to Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and South London. This is something you do not get from Heathrow (where the M25's traffic always seems to be at its worst), Luton or Stansted (both of which are too far away). From Gatwick to our friend's flat in Haywards Heath was a mere thirty-five minute journey without any traffic problems whatsoever. This appeared to be the case both going to and leaving the airport.

Gatwick also has its own railway station. This is quite big and also provides useful services like lifts going up to the terminal buildings. There are a number of services which run to the airport from across the South, while from London there is the Gatwick Express which runs from Victoria Station. Throw in a few extra bus services and Gatwick becomes easily the most accessible airport in the South of England (in my experience anyway).

Once at the airport itself you notice how sparkling clean it is. Granted we were only using the newer North Terminal, but it was very impressive (my memory tells me the South Terminal is not quite so nice). The one point I would make is that when you are making your way from the car park to your check-in desk choosing the correct floor is not that easy! From the car park lift we chose Level 3, which was marked as the entrance to the terminal. Once inside the terminal we found we needed to get another lift to get to our check-in desk. There may well be a direct lift from the car park to your check-in desk, but if there it is not very well indicated as we could not find it!

After checking-in fo
r our return flight we passed security (where they take your photo, which I actually think is a really good idea) and entered the departure lounge shopping area. Restaurants, bars, facilities (including internet access for the really dedicated Dooyoo-ers!) and shops a plenty! Again it was wonderfully clean, and we were a bit sad that we had so little time in there. At all the other domestic airports I have flown from there has been only one shop and a newsagent at most (and that includes Heathrow, on domestic routes anyway), so this was a very pleasant surprise.

They also have a very good idea with the actual departure gates. You have your initial gate, but then you are assigned a door as well. Therefore you have a better idea of where you need to go to board your flight. An excellent idea, especially if you are around an especially large gate. This area of the North Terminal was very clearly signposted indeed. Our flight was ready to go bang on time as well, so this system may help people to find where they need to go and board easily (or we may have been on a flight with some very diligent passengers!).

I have heard friends say that British Airways may stop domestic flights from Gatwick. For me that would be a huge shame. It is a wonderful airport with great facilities for passengers. Getting a flight to and from there is difficult enough already, to be unable to fly there altogether would be a great shame.


NB - All these views are in regard for a domestic traveller who flew in and out of Gatwick's North Terminal.

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