Over the last few years, Stansted has grown to become the UK's third largest airport for international scheduled passengers. In fact, with growth in passenger numbers of 17.5% during 2002, it is one of the fastest growing major airports in the world. Situated 30 miles to the north-east of the centre of London, it has immediate access to the M11 motorway and is just 10 minutes from the M25 arterial motorway which circles London. It is ideally located for direct motorway access to both the Midlands and the North of England, the Cambridge Technology corridor, and East Anglia; as well as all areas within Greater London and South-East England.
During April, 2002, a new award-winning £60 million extension to the terminal building was opened, specifically designed to keep pace with continued projected growth. With a solid glass frontage, the building is light and airy, with a pleasant open concourse to allow plenty of space for passengers, excellent shopping facilities, and highly regarded refreshment centres and restaurants.
Most airport terminals are poorly laid out and uncomfortably congested at all but off-peak times - with an atmosphere and environment which discourages good customer service, and frequently sours the experience for the traveller, whether on a business trip or a family holiday. Every effort is being made by Stansted's designers and management to minimise these problems, and the frustration they cause, as they meet the challenge to serve an additional 40% passengers, to 25 million per year, by 2010. Further investment of £250 million has been approved to support this impressive growth.
| Stansted Airport telephone switchboard | +44 (0)870 000 0303 |
| Minicom | +44 (0)1279 663725 |
| Customs | +44 (0)1279 680670 |
| Immigration | +44 (0)1279 680118 |
| Police | +44 (0)1279 680298 |
The runway is one of the longest in the UK, and was originally built for the American Air Force to handle the huge American bombers, such as the giant "Flying Fortress", during the second world war. Many thousands of sorties were flown from Stansted, and local pubs still proudly display photographs of the planes and their crews !