The new CBC at EK
I did a tour of the new CBC today. I am interested in thoughts from others, here are mine.
Good points:
Efficient for sure.
Much roomier, yet from briefing room to bus is quite the walk with 3 escalators involved.
Impressive technology in some respects
Check in Kiosks are great (if they work properly). Simply verify your 'lined up' bag when getting onto the bus.
Shorter trip time to new location. (5 minutes on average).
Shorter bus ride to aircraft. (guessing on another 5 minutes)
Probably better access to the office types........ after a pairing.
Bad points:
Sterile... in the bad way.
Horrible environment for the cabin crew in my opinion.
Basically no contact with other crew members.
From briefing until embarking bus, the idea is to have crew stay together. Pilot self-brief in room next to crew briefing room.
Clock on the wall counts down 'things to do' prior to leaving for bus. We get the last 3 minutes of their crew brief for our chat.
No area for pilots to congregate. Pursers have been given a separate room for whatever purpose they see fit.
During check-in, if allocated a random drug test, supposed to proceed immediately to the little office and get it done, after FDM advised......... likely an hour or so before actual report time for duty...... NOT going to happen....... as a matter of principle.
In order to access mail boxes, must enter 1st check-in area (prior to airside area) then take elevator to lower floor and back, then move through to airside.
Parking, parking, parking. P2 was almost full today, took me 10 climbing circles in the smallest parking lane on the planet, to get to an open spot. I don't know about P1. Just imagine when the place fully opens.