Originally Posted by
easyflyer83
I think you’d notice very little difference with the movement of AF/KL in the grand scheme of things.
Flown through T3 many times, including very recently, and never really thought it was that bad. By the same token I would never say it is that great either but I wouldn’t really let it sway my airline choice.
I used to fly out of T3 every week until about 4 years ago, it was pleasant, not stellar, but busy while not being slammed. I hadn't returned until this past year and all of my trips have seen the departures lounge a complete mess as it is overflowing in the central hub. Not even standing room around Costa/Boots/WH Smith, or upstairs by the restaurants. You have to go down the international departures wings to find a place to breath let alone sit. Some of this is because of the increased traffic, and some because of the change in traveller type, from business travellers who didn't dwell in the terminal, to leisure which spend a couple hours there. At the same time the number of international passengers arriving has increased, which puts strain on the immigration processing component, domestic arrivals are about the same as they were 4 years ago. If AF & KL moved back to T2 it would surely show for their passengers on arrival, but would lead to significant increase in ground taxi times for the aircraft. Also, there is an issue with premium lounge capacity in T2, at certain times it is oversubscribed, or was prior to the Monarch collapse. Given the T3 seems slightly better provisioned relative to the demand, this might decrease premium traveler experience.