Shorter queues, VIP treatment and friendly security staff… why you should ALWAYS fly from smaller airports
Customer satisfaction levels are usually higher for those that travel through the smaller airports
WHEN it comes to airports, size matters... and if you want shorter queues, friendlier staff and less stress - the smaller, the better.
Smaller airports now offer a wider range of destinations, so while millions of Brits head to Heathrow and Gatwick, you should avoid unnecessary stress by heading to a regional airport.
In August, a Which? survey rated Doncaster Sheffield, London Southend, Norwich and Southampton as some of the best airports in the UK.
Each received high scores for small queues at bag drop, passport control, security and baggage reclaim, seating and toilets, as well as a range of shops and food outlets.
Southend Airport was rated London's best airport, beating the capital's mega airports Heathrow and Gatwick hands down.
The revealed that the small airport had a customer rating of 84 per cent - 16 more per cent more than any other airport in London.
Without the crowds of stressed out travellers, smaller airports can make even economy-class customers feel like a VIP.
Franki Napolitano of , a network of independent Airport Guides, says that customer satisfaction levels are usually higher for those that travel through the smaller airports, mainly because there are fewer people travelling, fewer delays and seemingly less problems.
He told Sun Online Travel: "We researched and wrote a piece on 'Airports and Autism' in 2015 and you could see from the comments alone that travelling from smaller airports like Leeds Bradford, Dublin and Doncaster Sheffield were favourable as they were smaller, meaning less people to contend with.
"Although some of the larger airports now run assistance schemes for those with hidden disabilities, the smaller airports do still appeal to those who find larger crowds difficult.
Another of the biggest benefits of opting for the smaller airports is that they are easier and cheaper to drive to.
Franki added: "Parking during the week of October 16-23 at Heathrow is from £49, while at Bristol airport it's from £35.
"Smaller airports are also so much easier to navigate, plus it's much easier to park - there is less parking space, and you can park within walking distance of the check in desk.
"The signs are also clearer and easier to read, making it easier to get around.
You may have to look around a bit, but they can also be cheaper to fly to.
Franki said: "Customers may be little more restricted on the amount of different flights, but you you'll get more for your money flying from regional airports."
A spokesperson from London City Airport told Sun Online that one of their biggest selling points to customers was the speed of checking and security queues,
They said: "One of the advantages London City Airport offers over other, bigger airports is quick check-in and arrival times. Passengers can arrive at the airport just 20 minutes before they are due to board, so you can spend more time at home, in the office or picking up last minute items before you fly.
"On arrival it takes just 15 minutes from plane to train too, so you can get on your way quickly after landing.
"As well as being popular with business travellers, this is one of the reasons London City is popular with people going on short breaks."
WHEN IT COMES TO AIRPORTS... SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
By LISA MINOT The Sun Travel Editor
"I can't wait to get to the airport to spend three hours queueing," said nobody, EVER.
We all know that airports are no more than a means to an end - a way of jetting off to sunnier climes, family or friends.
We endure them because we have to and in recent years, the experience has gone from moderately dull to bloody awful.
Our big airports are now an endurance test. From long-stay car parks that are so far from the airport you may as well leave your car at home to the labyrinthine Duty Free megashops we are forced to wander endless through before we even get to the departure lounge.
Then it's the choice of a £10 pint or a soggy sarnie and the constant worry that your gate is at least a 25-minute walk when the flight is finally called.
That's why the UK's smaller airports are such a joy.
Small is beautiful if it means you are not going to have to walk the equivalent of a half-marathon before you finally settle in your seat.
Without the necessity to squeeze every penny out of you, the Duty Free is a perk not a pain.
OK you may wait a little longer at passport or security checks but with fewer passengers, it is never that big a deal.
Smaller airports are like flying was back in the Golden Age of air travel.
And as they rise in popularity it would do the big boys no harm at all to ask why ever-growing numbers of travellers prefer to use them. 
