UK airport passengers have to walk 1km to departure gates

Passengers at airports in the UK travel up to a kilometre to from check-in desks to departure gates, new research has found – causing real problems for those who have difficulty walking.

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The travel organisation Abta conducted the study and collated the furthest distances people needed to travel at different airports. Here's the furthest distances they found:

Stansted airport – 1,165m (3,822ft)
Luton airport – 900m (2,952ft)
Manchester airport – 822m (2,697ft)
Glasgow airport – 750m (2,461ft)
Birmingham airport – 530m (1,739ft)

Abta warned many travellers with walking difficulties request assistance after they have arrived at the airport, which could even cause them to miss their flight.

"For most, travelling through airports is a fairly straightforward process, but for those who may find walking longer distances harder to manage, larger airports can present a challenge" said Abta's Nikki White.

"We would encourage anyone who may need assistance to inform their tour operator or airline no later than 48 hours before they travel so that their journey through the airport will be as comfortable as possible, and they will be able to board their flight with plenty of time to spare."