Originally Posted by
FRatSTN
I wouldn't know the exact details but I'd suspect there would be some reconfiguration of the arrivals level in Sat 1 and 2 and pre-boarding passengers would be held there. So my guess would be you'd scan your boarding pass as now in the main departures area then go down the stairs/escalators to a newly designed pre-boarding space segregated from arrival flows. Staff operated doors would then allow departures to enter the links/airbridge once arriving pax have cleared, which is pretty much what happens now except for the lack of pre-boarding space. There's already some unused/poorly used space round those areas which could maybe be remodeled.
Sat 3 is different in that there is complete separation of departure and arrival flows. Departures come from the links upstairs whereas arrivals go straight into the building across the road at apron level, unlike Sat 1 and 2.
As for Gates 81-88, these would have to be redesigned to accommodate intl arrivals. These serve Stands B30-32R and C40-C42L. If you look at the GCI images of the Skylinks on the MAG video you can see a new split level access to Sat 2 from the new bussing gates. Currently at Gates 81-88, this split level doesn't exist.
This makes sense. I believe something similar exists at some of the gates at LGW North Terminal pier 6, where a passenger scans their boarding pass before taking an escalator down to the main holding area/gate room. So this kind of solution makes sense as far as STN satellite 2 is concerned. I wonder if MAG are planning on any reconfigurations to sat 3? My guess is that with only FR using it, gates there will likely be remodelled to resemble the bus shelter-style 'perched' seating as currently seen at gates 43, 48 and 50. As for gates 81-88, this will be complicated, as these are one floor down from gates 20-39, as well as well as being shared (e.g. gates 30/88, 32/87).