im assuming the valet parking would be a meet and greet service. under the booking you have you drive to the car park , park your car then get on a shuttle bus that will take you to the terminal., on the way back you will do the same . i should imagine if you pay for the valet service you would leave your car at the short stay car park where they will collect your car , same on the way back . this would avoid the shuttle bus .

we have always just used the shuttle bus but with 4 children you may think its worth paying the extra.

thanks for the ryanair update cynical is my name,havent looked at the ryanair website in the last couple of weeks and this new penny pinching exercise makes me less likely to consider flying with them.
especially on top of them charging for luggage.

Steve and Claire,

just for your information, they don't really do announcements at Stansted - just the ones when the flight is ready to close and people are late. So keep an eye on the departures TV's (they are everywhere in the terminal - including the pub which does very decent and reasonanly priced food by the way) - deatils should be on the screens about an hour before your flight if not earlier.

Thankyou everyone for your help, so have i got the chain of events correct, Check in for us when it opens 2 hrs before flight take off so at 8am flight time is 10.00 am, once checked in go through security,have a bite to eat etc whilst checking the message boards for boarding,i was told we would have a boarding letter or something so i look out for my letter on the boarding info? then proceed to the gate specified, collapse pushchairs, board... done???
thanks

That sounds good claire .I think easyjet normally give you a gate no on your boarding pass but I dont think you can necessarily rely on that . Personally i would wait for one on the screeen , shouldnt think they would announce it over speaker until last call.probably between half hour and an hour before your plane is scheduled to go. the gates are quite a long treck at stansted you dont get that long with easyjet like i say their very prompt . probably enough time for a mcdonalds and a quick run around duty free. come to think of it there isnt a mcdonalds or burger king now at stansted im afraid so maybe coffee and muffin or coissant

lyn

Once through the gate, is there anything to do with the little ones or is it a case of going through the gate,boarding the plane and waiting for take off??

not really claire . there are an odd couple of shops, the odd toilet but basically the kiddies will probably just watch the planes from the window while you can sit down

The boarding letter is the order in which you board the plane and is allocated according to how early you check in for your flight. For example A is the first 30 people or so followed by B, C and D. All irrelevant for you in any case as you are travelling with young children you get called forward for priority boarding.

To be honest you won't have much free time to keep the children amused as sometimes it can take an hour just to check in and go through security - in which case there is just time to grab a coffee, drink and a sandwhich/ muffin from pre a manger or starbucks before you have to head to your gate. Remember Easyjet flight depart from a separate terminal so you will have to get the monorail from the main terminal - first stop gates 1-19, second stop gates 20 - 39 so make sure you get off at right stop.

There is a small childrens play area in the departure lounge. There is also Hamleys the toy shop - I love it!!

Security can be a little slow and busy (depending on the time of day) so go straight through after checking in - there are several places to eat and drink.

Once through security you wait in the departure lounge for your flight to show up on the screens. Then you head for the boarding gate. You will most probably go on the monorail to the gate. Some gates can take a fair while to get to so keep checking the screens and go the the gate as soon as it is showing 'Go to gate'.

We used the official NCP airport meet and greet in February - we were met outside the terminal where after a little bit of paperwork they took the car from us. On return the car was waiting in the short stay car park. There were only two of us but I certainly think with small children it is the easiest (if more expensive) way of doing things!

Check the Stansted airport web site for your hand liggage restrictions as Stansted does tend to have a smaller size than other airports.

Pippa

Hi,
thankyou for your help so when we see are flight is being called we head for the monorail, this is easy to find?
i take it it stops at different gates on the way and to get off it at the gate shown on the departure screens for our flight??
then we have made it?
sorry for being so thick just want to get everything clear in my mind before arriving
thanks

You will see signs for gate numbers in the departure lounge. Most use the monorail - which is well signed. The departure lounge is one large space on one level so you won't have a problem finding it.

The monorail has 2 stops - both of which cover a large number of gates. Get off at the one which covers your gate number. You may well have a longish walk (and possible stairs although there is usually a lift) to your actual gate once you get off the monorail.

Stansted is very easy to negotiate - my 92 year old mother has no problems so I am sure you won't either. Relax and don't worry!

Pippa

Pippa, thanks for your advice, what a fantastic mother you must have, bet there not many people who would negiotiate an airport at her age,good on her
thanks again i think everythings been covered but im such a worry guts i may be on here again before we leave
claire

Claire .please please dont worry about the monorail. as you may not even go on it . just wait for your gate number then head for it . if you go on a little railway thing to get to your gate ( i think its called the satelight) thats it. it will just be part of your trip to the gate. there is an annountment on it that tells you when to get off.

lyn

Claire,

Please feel free to ask any more questions -we have flown from Stansted loads of times as we live in deepest rural Suffolk!! We will be away ourselves from 8th May - flying from Gatwick though.

By the way - my Mum is going to Australia for 3 weeks in August - on her own although she will be staying with her grandson. I don't think I would travel that distance on my own.

Pippa

Hi Claire, not sure if you are still looking in. Arrived back last night from using the valet parking at Stansted, as recommended by Pippa.

It was excellent & invaluable for an early check in. You pull your car up in the designated valet parking spot at the airport. A chap is already there & checks your car for dents etc you sign it over & give him the keys, paperwork takes 3 mins and then you walk through the doors to the check-in desks.

At 4.45 am (we had a 8.15am flight, not easyjet, & check in was 3 hours prior ) it was worth every penny. Think it was 76 pounds for 7 nights, but I did book late.

It's a bit longer when you collect. You ring them whilst waiting for your luggage & you go to a portakabin to sign & a man walks you to your car which has been moved to the short-stay car park immediately outside the terminal building.

Have a great holiday, Doe

Hi, thanks for the valet parking information, sounds very good, we are tied down to our choice now, but will certainly bear it in mind for future trips.

Go mum go on her to travel all that way to Australia on her own, dont even think i would like to attempt that one,fantastic

thanks claire