The Wife and I flew to Barcelona from Luton airport
Building site at Luton airport, this is a pretty picture
When I am going on holiday I start at point A, have my holiday at point B then return to point A at the end of the holiday. In this case it was a five day city break in Barcelona. The Wife and I flew to Barcelona from Luton airport. What can I say about Barcelona? It is in Spain, a beautiful city, so much to see and it is blessed with so many great restaurants.
Some places we visited
The Sagrada Famila, it has to be seen to be believed. The exhibition of Picasso pictures in the Museu Picasso is outstanding. Casa Ballto is an extraordinary building in the city centre designed by Gaudi. We explored numerous other places but those stick out in my memory.
Casa Battlo, Barcelona designed by Gaudi
Such a wonderful holiday
It had to have an anti-climax in it somewhere. In our case it was Luton airport. I have been there frequently both as an abled bodied person on business trips and as a disabled person with limited mobility. On every occasion the visit has been marginally less enjoyable than the previous one.
I have now made my final visit
How can people design a place that is now so truly awful? What must tourists think who are coming to this country for the first time? It takes a person with a unique and rare intelligence to make a place so inhospitable.
I am quite sure Kim Jong-un was involved as a consultant in the design. The basic idea is to remove as much money from the traveller as possible while offering nothing comfortable in exchange. The place is a complete shambles.
The Wife and I flew to Barcelona from Luton airport
We live close to Luton so the obvious way there is by car. When the vehicle leaves the drop off area there is a £3 charge for the first ten minutes and this increases by £1 for each extra minute. I spotted a sign saying that unattended cars will be removed, this must be a joke. I could not see a drop off point for the disabled but the map on the internet does indicate one.
Incidentally the pick-up point is the same as the drop-off point.
They even have the cheek to charge you £1 for a trolley which is not refundable. My daughter, who drove us there, inserted 3 one pound coins and still did not get a trolley. Naturally there was no one to complain to.
It is a big building site
There is no signs, you just follow the person in front and hope they know where they are going. The assembly points for people with limited mobility are in cold draughty corners of the airport where it is impossible to buy fodder.
The ultimate insult
The plane landed on time but it took over 55 minutes from when the plane landed to the luggage arriving on the carousel. By this time I know the aeroplane would have left; I had seen the passengers getting onto the plane for its next flight as I left for passport control.
Such a shame
Five lovely days at Barcelona were ruined by Luton airport. It shows complete contempt for its passengers which it treats like cattle. What happened to customer service? I will go to Barcelona again but never through Luton airport.
May 2017
Hi Patrick – I’ve only just read this post which was ‘collecting dust’ in my inbox – note to self: I must take the time to tidy my inbox.
I found it interesting what you said re Luton airport. I feel that airports should be named and shamed for their treatment of disabled folk. I recently flew to Dublin from Birmingham Airport and then Milan from Manchester Airport. I travel alone on my Mobility scooter, meeting a friend at the destination airport – I much prefer this. I see it as an adventure and am much more likely to speak to the correct person in charge if there is a problem.
I have always found Birmingham Airport to be stress-free and very organised – it’s one of my favourite airports to fly from. Sadly, the same can’t be said about Manchester Airport – very tricky from the Longstay parking to the departure gate. Never again!
Barcelona next year – can’t wait!
(Berlin is my favourite European destination so far).
Laura B
Hello Laura,
Surely its time airports got their act together and made the experience a better one. Yes they do need naming and shaming but do not confuse the airport terminal building facilities with the people who get you off and on the plane. Heathrow assistance is good but whole process of getting passengers off the plane is a nightmare. Luton is the opposite. Barcelona airport is fantastic.
Enjoy your travels
I agree, Patrick. I can’t praise highly enough the special assistance given in each of the British airports (and most European airports!) but the airport facilities are awful in some airports (for eg Manchester).
Hello Laura,
It took me a while to twig that special assistance and getting on/off the airplane are organised by different people.
Hi Patrick,
Nothing to do with your Post – but are you still driving your car? I was, up until this evening, I t-boned a van pulling out of the road where I live! Saw the van but couldn’t make my feet work quick enough to make the stop! So that’s it, another step down in the MS journey!!!! John
Hello John,
Double vision and poor peripheral vision put an end to my driving exploits in 2005. In truth I was not upset. Much more important, I hope you are OK, just shaken and nothing worse. My MS progress seems to be going a bit quicker all of a sudden. Its a constant learning curve.