Originally Posted by
JW95
re. the capacity constraints at STN, is this more to do with the fact with the current terminal being at peak capacity? I could also see a full A380 load of passengers being an issue to transport to/from satellite 1 with the current TTS, which was never designed for the volume of passengers that use it today. There would also be a lot of overcrowding at gate 12 (which EK use) I feel if the A380 did come to Stansted.
There's various issues. The TTS is certainly one and Gate 12 set-up. Baggage reclaim also. The current aircraft stands would need some reconfiguration to optimise for A380 wing-tip clearance and another is that STN doesn't have Code-F runway shoulders, meaning a full runway inspection after every A380 movement. The latter is generally okay for the likes of BHX and GLA to deal with due to fewer movements, but at STN is more of a constraint due to high runway occupancy.
Some of these are addressed in the STN-TP proposals, but overall you have to ask the question is it worth MAG investing specifically in A380 capability when it's an aircraft that's no longer in production and isn't generally a future business case. Equally they have the demand from an incumbent carrier for it, so that's a harder question to answer than many initially may think.