“Pitiful transport links, forcing you to arrive by car. Currently undergoing construction, with a poorly thought out road layout and signage. Drop & Go is extortion at £10 for 10 mins. Best avoided, use Heathrow.”
“Although this incident occurred on 27 May 2022, I am posting this review now to share my experience and raise awareness.
After returning to Bristol Airport from Germany, I passed through passport control and began walking toward the exit. Suddenly, I was abruptly stopped by police officers. Their approach felt staged — appearing concerned while in reality detaining me without any clear reason.
The officers asked questions that were inconsistent, illogical, and unrelated to travel or security. Their explanations changed multiple times, and none had any connection to my journey. I had only travelled within Europe — there was no lawful or logical reason for the stop. The experience strongly suggested I was singled out based on assumptions about my background rather than any real evidence.
This encounter was distressing, humiliating, and caused me to almost miss my onward transport. It left me anxious and deeply concerned about how people are treated at airports.
I filed a formal complaint with Avon and Somerset Police, but the follow-up was disappointing. Despite an initial call from a senior officer, my messages were never returned, and the eventual explanation months later referenced “training” for questioning passengers who have travelled near conflict regions — which did not apply to me. This suggests that such training may encourage officers to make assumptions about passengers based on appearance or background rather than behaviour.
While I understand the importance of airport security, this approach creates harm, undermines trust, and appears to institutionalise bias. People should never be made to feel suspicious or treated differently because of where they were born or how they look.
I urge Bristol Airport and Avon and Somerset Police to review their procedures and training to ensure all passengers are treated fairly, respectfully, and based on actual evidence. Experiences like this should not happen to anyone else.”
“Paid nearly £300 for meet and greet. On my return the car's wheels, tyres, both sides of the car and the footwell were covered in mud. Complained to the lady at the booth, not interested at all, another lady who was picking her car up had the same problem.
Complained when I got home, they wanted evidence, after I cleaned the car.”
“We had a early morning flight to Geneva so as we live in West Wales stayed at the Hampton Hilton Hotel no probs our Parking in the Multi-story.
Didn’t know the access the Multi-story had changed from my previous visit.
Which meant asking for directions from a the driver of van which had an
Onboard camera on the roof this cost me a £60. As he told me I should have stopped. He told me to exit the Airport and come back in a following the signs to the car park not the most obvious think to do.Guest at the Hamilton need to exit the airport then re -enter.
I will not be travelling through again”
“I pre booked fast track assuming that there would be a separate lane at the security point. I realise now that fast track is just a queue jumping option ( which actually wasn’t really needed at the time) and that on reaching the security checking area I was just thrown into the chaotic melee of passengers . Security checking was horrendous, no organised queue and unhelpful staff.”
“Overcrowding ,huge queues to check in baggage. , so called fast track security was slow track. Change in bus from silver zone drop off meant long walk with luggage to departures. Chaos. Bristol airport is getting too big for its boots. Huge charge for pick up and drop off . What’s the point of going abroad when you have to go through that”
“Nothing wrong in particular. Just like to say how disgusting the car parking prices are for this airport.
Short stay (7 nights) Multi storey - official meet and greet all well over two hundred pounds for 7 nights!!! (July 25)
Almost more expensive than the flights
It is blatant profiteering.
We have been flying regularly for many years from Bristol and we are trying alternative parking options.
Millions spent on building another multi storey I bet the parking will be even more expensive. Hope customers reject these crazy prices and do not park at the airport car parks”
“So unnecessarily rude and abrupt! Maybe a good idea to employ polite pleasant personal that have respect for the general public. The mass majority of people travelling through an airport are law abiding yet we are all treated as criminals. No need to be condescending and unpleasant.”
“Sunday 8/6/25 me and my partner arrived at tui checking at 3.45am for a flight going out at 6.00am we queued for some time as the belts on which you put your baggage kept stopping eventually we got upto security my good bedlam as we approached an official is shouting come on and waving her arms like a windmill any way I was going through the body scanner another lady said something but it's so loud in there I did not hear her she pointed to my head where I had my reading glasses so took them of put them into my pocket and then she shouted "Did i tell you to put them in your pocket". Finally we got into the lounge and there wasn't one seat available went to get a coffee from Starbucks must have been 40 to 50 people waiting went across to the shop to get some water queueing through the shop and into the lounge so gave up. A vast amount of money is being spent to accommodate for car parking but there's no space inside not a good experience.”
“Firstly At 80 yrs of age i didnt appreciate have to stand on Silver zone bus to the airport! Apart from exhorbitant prices and a walk to the plain the flight to Reus was ok. However not so on return, 4 hour delay then long walk to plane. On arrival back at Bristol we had a tremondously long walk to baggage claim, up and down stairs, no seats, lift out of order. Then back to Silver Zone had difficulty finding our car. Not impressed!!!”
“Firstly does anyone in management read these reviews? Bristol Airport is one of the worst UK airport I have ever used. It appears that it 's only exists to make money NOT serve it's customers. Miles to walk. £100 fine if you stop extortionate cost to drop of a passenger (£6). Once upon a time Bristol airport was a lovely local airport now it is unfriendly cash cow for investors and if I can I would recommend never flying from Bristol if you can avoid it. Go to an airport that cares for it's customers.”
“It is the most uncomfortable and over priced airport. My flight was once delayed for 9 hours, I was unable to leave, and my only relief was being able to lie down on the one and only couch in the airport. Now that has been removed, and all chairs have arm rests on them. Your only option is the dirty cold floor which I never see cleaners on.”
“Awful, rude security staff…whole place is badly run, badly managed. An awful experience from start to finish. No surprise that you can’t review them on trip advisor. The only reason I’m giving one star is because you can’t give zero.”
“Appalling experience as I queued in my car to enter the silverzone carpark, having paid close on £100 for the stay. My car was directly behind an airport transfer bus which began reversing at speed towards my car without warning or even looking. I was unable to reverse at first due to another car behind me, but too late, the bus had crashed into my car - an impact which we all saw, felt and heard. Zero concern from staff, in fact a rude bus driver told me I should calm down. Zero understanding that I was trying to catch a plane and didn't have time to go into an office and speak to a manager at that exact point. When I emailed later requesting insurance details in case of damage, as I'd had to just park and leave the car, the company denied the seriousness of the incident and are insisting the bus didn't touch the car. Unbelievable. No apology, no taking any responsibility for a dreadful piece of driving and a particulary unpleasant and stressful start to our holiday. I'll be avoiding silverzone parking in future.”
“Date and Time: 9th November 2024, between 11:10 AM and 11:40 AM
Location: In front of the Fast Track and Normal Track security gates, Bristol Airport
Staff Involved:
• Male staff stationed at the Fast Track security gate.
• Female staff (older lady) stationed at the Normal Track security gate.
I accompanied my mother (about 60 yrs), grandmother (90 yrs) , and infant son to Bristol Airport. Upon reaching the security gates, we were met with unprofessional behavior, surprising ignorance, and outright rudeness from the staff. This experience not only reflected poorly on the airport but also on Bristol city’s reputation as a welcoming and efficient travel hub.
Incident Breakdown:
1. Fast Track Access Denied Arbitrarily:
o We approached the male staff at the Fast Track gate, confident that our Business Class tickets and Sky Priority status entitled us to use it.
o Without even glancing at our tickets or asking any questions, he dismissively said, "No, no, go to the other gate," in a tone that was both condescending and unhelpful.
o We were not given any explanation or opportunity to clarify why we couldn’t use Fast Track.
2. Rude Interaction at the Normal Gate:
o Hoping to clarify the situation, we approached the older female staff at the Normal Track gate to ask if there was a Business Class lane within the Normal Track.
o Her response was shockingly arrogant: "There is no business lane in the whole Bristol airport."
o Despite our surprise at this claim, we proceeded to follow her instructions.
3. Unnecessarily Snarky Remarks:
o We had a stroller for the baby and asked if it should go through the lane designated for wheelchairs or disabled passengers. Her curt and inappropriate reply: "The baby is not disabled."
4. Harsh Treatment of a 90-Year-Old Passenger:
o My 90-year-old grandmother, unfamiliar with the process, mistakenly tried to follow my mother through the gate without scanning her ticket.
o Instead of patiently or politely correcting her, the female staff shouted at her: "WAIT!" Such behavior towards an elderly person is completely unacceptable and disrespectful.
5. Failure to Apologize After Being Proven Wrong:
o After seeing off my family, I returned to the male staff at the Fast Track gate to clarify why we were denied access. He reluctantly admitted that Fast Track is reserved for Sky Priority passengers.
o When I pointed out that our tickets clearly displayed "Sky Priority" in bold letters (providing photographic proof), he remained silent and offered no apology. The female staff added dismissively, "They are already in anyway," without acknowledging their error.”
“NOT A CUSTOMER FRIENDLY AIRPORT
It’s a shame I couldn’t give no stars or minus stars. The airport is a joke you have to walk miles and miles I clocked up 1.5 miles today. I was dropped off the bus from the plane, you have to walk upstairs. There is no lift then you have to walk for an eternity to get to the baggage carousel. I felt really sorry for anybody that was elderly Or has a little bit of problem walking, why didn’t they put in travelators? Like they have other airports.
Car parked in the silver zone costs a fortune. I wasn’t aware they move your car after you parked it! Dropping the keys off before your holidays is easy, it’s not so easy getting them back, yet again another queue with those stupid up-and-down tapes. Only two people and a very long queue. Only one person per party allowed to pick the keys up the rest have to stay outside! What happens if it’s raining? Do they just get wet? And when you have to walk miles to get your car from where they have parked it there are no covered walkways! In the UK, it rains a lot. Do they just expect everybody to get soaking wet?”
“Who wants to be yelled at and pushed around when going on holiday. I was shocked at the staff, constantly yelling at people. Very unprofessional. The system is a shambles.”
“THIRD WORLD AIRPORT
Grey, grubby, slow and unpleasant airport.
Departures is worse than average.
Arrivals is the worst experience I have had at any airport.
No wonder it's regularly voted as one of the worst airports in the UK.”
