Newcastle Airport named UK's third best in passenger poll

The airport scored 74% in a passenger poll, which went through 10 categories including security, food, seating, toilets and staff.

More than 11,000 passengers took part in the survey, which crowned Doncaster Sheffield as the overall winner with 87%.

London Luton was named the UK's worst airport for the third year in a row, with toilets, staff and bag drop queues among the main passenger concerns.

It received a customer score of just 35%, but the airport said its own research found that 70% of passengers were "happy with their experience".

The best score out of Scotland's airports was earned by Inverness (68%), while Aberdeen received the lowest (49%).

Cardiff was given a score of 64%, while Belfast International and Belfast City were given 50% and 62% respectively.

How has your experience of flying out of Newcastle Airport been? Picture: PA.

The research was carried out in April and May.

Scores were based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely respondents were to recommend the airport to a friend.

Rory Boland, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said: "Travellers want to start their trips in the smoothest way, but long queues through airports and a lack of facilities can cast a rain cloud over any getaway.

"With new routes launching all the time, passengers have an increasing choice over not just who they fly with but where they fly from."

Here is the full ranking compiled by Which?, which customer scores in brackets:

1. Doncaster Sheffield (87%)

2. London Southend (84%)

3. Newcastle (74%)

4. Southampton (73%)

5. Exeter (72%)

6. Bournemouth (71%)

7=. Liverpool (70%)

7=. London City (70%)

9=. Inverness (68%)

9=. Norwich (68%)

11. Bristol (66%)

12. Cardiff (64%)

13=. Glasgow International (63%)

13=. London Heathrow Terminal 5 (63%)

15. Belfast City (62%)

16. Birmingham (61%)

17=. East Midlands (60%)

17=. London Heathrow Terminal 2 (60%)

19. Edinburgh (59%)

20. London Gatwick North Terminal (57%)

21. London Heathrow Terminal 4 (56%)

22=. London Gatwick South Terminal (55%)

22=. London Heathrow Terminal 3 (55%)

24. Leeds Bradford (54%)

25. Manchester Terminal 2 (51%)

26. Belfast International (50%)

27. Aberdeen (49%)

28. Manchester Terminal 1 (46%)

29=. London Stansted (44%)

29=. Manchester Terminal 3 (44%)

31. London Luton (35%)