I used BRS in the morning rush yesterday for the first time since the extended security area and extended airside areas had been put in place.
I left on the 0710 easyJet to GLA, right in the middle of the most concentrated departure period of the day – 29 departures between 6 and 8.50, including 13 easyJet 319s/737s, 3 Ryanair 738s, 2 FCA 757s, 2 TCX 320s, an XL 738, an F 70 and two 146/RJ 85 aircraft, plus five turbo-props – in other words, over 4,000 seats.
I feared the worst and arrived just after 5.30 (I had checked in online) but have to say I was impressed with the ways things went.
About six or seven of the security stations seemed to be operating, and it took me just over fifteen minutes to progress from joining the queue to entering airside beyond security. It could have been a shorter period because a situation seems to exist at one point along the queue path where a staff member intercepts queuing passengers and directs them into a particular line to a particular station, and the queues to the nearer stations are shorter than those for the more distant ones. I was unlucky and drew the short straw to the furthermost station.
Some people queuing around me were luckier and got through security three or four more minutes quicker than me. Nevertheless, if around fifteen minutes is going to be the absolute maximum at such a time of day I will have no complaints.
Once into departures I went to the mezzanine floor and sat at a table overlooking the main apron. I was aware of a sense of increased space airside, even though work is still in progress on a new restaurant, and there seemed to be plenty of empty chairs around me. I also looked down into the departure lounge area proper and, although very busy, there were a good number of available seats.
Perhaps I was lucky and yesterday was not typical. If it is the norm though the airport may be able to handle a few more passengers in reasonable comfort at the busiest times after all, whilst waiting for its expansion to go ahead – always assuming it is allowed to go head of course.
However, there is still something I find somewhat claustraphobic about EWR on a 757.....
eJGalleyKing
We're all getting too soft.
There was a time when a single-aisle 707 or DC8 to the US was regarded as the height of aviation travel. I actually prefer narrow-bodied aircraft but perhaps that's just me.
Incidentally, excellent easyJet flights to/from GLA yesterday, which I've become accustomed to expect, and we had ladies in the right hand seat both on the morning northbound and on the last southbound of the day.
Out of interest, no hidden or sexist agenda I assure you, do you know how many of the flight crew at BRS are female? I remember flying with an easyJet woman captain in command two or three years ago, again from GLA to BRS if my memory is good.