Luton:
Where the post-waiting area gangways are concerned, I will second Paxboy. That was just a shocking let-down after LTN made such a fuss about its redevelopment. But let's start at the beginning:
Getting there: Luton and the Highways Agency are redeveloping the access to the airport, mostly because of the A1081-A505 screwup around the airport.
The M1 spur that then becomes a dual-carriage A1081 past Capability Green, but then just before the roundabout to Luton Parkway merges into a normal single-lane road. The redevelopment appears to widen the stretch between Capability Green and the Airport Way/Vauxhall Way roundabout by the airport, in addition to the airport getting a flyover which should alleviate traffic. Currently you have to go round the roundabout and take the third exit.
Parking around Luton is not bad, but it is not cheap. The long term parking places run regular bus services, but they are miles away from the airport (I do mean miles... beyond the proper M1). Rail service is from Luton Parkway, with regular bus services. It's further away than BHX's station is from the BHX terminals.
Terminal layout: Generally not too bad, land-side anyway. Check-in hall is big and spacious. You have a selection of food joints, WiFi is available too. To get to departure gates, you use the escalators to the security check, which in itself is not too bad either. Obviously, if plenty of charters are leaving at the same time, you do get a traffic jam there, but it's nowhere near as bad as Bristol would be.
Past security, you go through a corridor into the redeveloped waiting area. It is airy and littered liberally with shops. The gates are all to one end, which leads you to wondering what the architects were on when they designed it. That's where Paxboy is quite correct - the gangways are narrow, cold, poorly designed. The gates are usually on ground-level, so you have to take narrow stairs down to the area there, which none of them are designed for more than 50-60 people. Everyone crams in anyway, and it looks like a holding pen for animals.
On arrival, there are separate streams for those from Ireland/Channel Islands/Domestic and those from overseas, but you end up in the same Baggage Hall. Baggage Hall is not too badly designed, it's an improvement on what used to be the baggage hall. Arrivals is below the security checks for departures, so it is reasonably spacious, and you can either mix and mingle with the departing people, or exit to the buses.
S.