I thought you chaps (& chapesses?) might like a real-world report of our annual family trek through LTN. The family has been using the airport since 1961 when some of us took the Derby Airways DC3 to Guernsey!
Arrived by taxi at 0500 for the Monday MON flight to Mahon. Amazing to be stuck in a slow-moving traffic jam at this time, but I guess it must be like this most mornings now.
Checked in right away, first in the queue. Took about 4 minutes to check in four of us. Well done Monarch.
Despite hundreds of pax passing through security for dozens of departures, the whole process only took about 10 minutes in total. No hassle at all.
Plenty of choice for a caffeine shot before going to the gate. Friendly quick service, very acceptable coffee and food.
Only a short wait at the gate, boarded and departed on time.
The return MON flight 2 weeks later was equally pleasant. MON really do have a superior prodect, I rate them much better than BA in all departments including the food (not forgetting the good looking gals who actually smile!)
Arrived on time at LTN despite a very convoluted arrival procedure (I think we went all the way to Barkway and back, plus a lot of radar vectoring on to the ILS), taxied right to stand and deplaned promptly.
The only problem on arrival was the very long queue for immigration control, slowly shuffling along. Several other flights had arrived around the same time (about 1300), and pax were pushing in to the queue from the opposite direction, which caused a few angry remarks from people whom had already been queuing for some time. I relaise that 1200 to 1330 is a peak arrival period, but this rather shambolic arrangement needs looking in to.
Baggage arrived promptly, and we were in our taxi on the way home about 30 minutes after arrival. Pity about the grotty pavement area immediately outside the terminal. Can't the airport owners (after all they're Spanish) copy some of the beautiful airports in Spain and put down some decent paving?
Not a bad experience by any means, 8/10 for the overall experience I would say.