The thing with new routes, is that you need an airport that can accommodate the pax and provide the facilities they need to travel.
Simple things like seating, toilets and access to information...
Building new stands to accommodate a/c, then worrying about pax after, isn't the way to go!!! Get it right from the start and you've got a nice experience at the airport from which you travel. Otherwise, you may not use it again....
This new walkway, I'm told, has no seating at gates and no toilets!!!! WHY OH WHY??? Word is that it's to encourage pax to spend at departures BEFORE they are to board... So how are pax to know what is beyond the departure lounge??? Are they told?? Yeah right!!!
CWL should have gone straight into the build of a walkway shadowing the old domestic pier with air bridges.. As is in the 2015 paper I think??? Simple things like an air bridge can reduce turnaround times and staffing levels.. No need for steps, or at least one set.... No pax waiting when boarding till steps are clear so as not to get too wet in bad weather... Quicker offload and loading... Nicer for pax not to get wet!!! Less staff required to 'watch' pax on the apron as they board... and them get wet too, causing some sickness I'm sure!!etc...
More stands and a/c, yet little thought put into equipment parking.... So it's now further away and takes longer to fetch!! If not left in the way of a stand.. like the First Choice incident!!!
So many reasons yet so little thought!!
I'm all for expansion, but PLEASE PLEASE give it some thought.....
It's difficult to determine staffing levels when you need three people to turn an a/c on one stand and five or six on another!!
Abertis, take note, and good luck!!!! I look forward to a better CARDIFF!!!!!!
Rant over... Back to the way it is!!!