Stansted-4

[VickersVicount]

id suggest not doing a search for pics of a ‘soft opening’ or you may get more than you bargained for

[FRatSTN]

Originally Posted by JW95

re. the capacity constraints at STN, is this more to do with the fact with the current terminal being at peak capacity? I could also see a full A380 load of passengers being an issue to transport to/from satellite 1 with the current TTS, which was never designed for the volume of passengers that use it today. There would also be a lot of overcrowding at gate 12 (which EK use) I feel if the A380 did come to Stansted.

There's various issues. The TTS is certainly one and Gate 12 set-up. Baggage reclaim also. The current aircraft stands would need some reconfiguration to optimise for A380 wing-tip clearance and another is that STN doesn't have Code-F runway shoulders, meaning a full runway inspection after every A380 movement. The latter is generally okay for the likes of BHX and GLA to deal with due to fewer movements, but at STN is more of a constraint due to high runway occupancy.

Some of these are addressed in the STN-TP proposals, but overall you have to ask the question is it worth MAG investing specifically in A380 capability when it's an aircraft that's no longer in production and isn't generally a future business case. Equally they have the demand from an incumbent carrier for it, so that's a harder question to answer than many initially may think.

[Musket90]

[QUOTE=FRatSTN;11721895] The current aircraft stands would need some reconfiguration to optimise for A380 wing-tip clearance and another is that STN doesn't have Code-F runway shoulders, meaning a full runway inspection after every A380 movement. The latter is generally okay for the likes of BHX and GLA to deal with due to fewer movements, but at STN is more of a constraint due to high runway occupancy.

I have to disagree with your runway shoulders comment. Stansted does have Code F shoulders. It has 7.6m paved on each side plus 7.5m of stabilised ground beyond. The regulation does not specify runway shoulders need to be paved. In the case of the A380 landing the reverse thrust is on the inner engines only so no issue there. Other UK airports which have A380 operations and a runway width of 45/46m plus 7.5m paved shoulders either side have not experienced any blast issues therefore no additional runway inspections are needed. The present Stansted design was to accept aircraft larger than Code F hence the parallel taxiway increased separations and design of the Alpha apron. Parking it on Satellite 1 shouldn't be too much of an issue with a few tweaks. It is, as you say, TTS, baggage and Terminal capacity issues that need to be addressed.

[Keanaga]

Ek

Hi A new belt has been put in service already which is capable of taking a full A380 worth of baggage.

Regards.

[commit aviation]

Ref the A380, as noted by others it could park in the Alpha CDS today but it fills the space of three narrow bodied aircraft which is probably why the airport isn't so keen.

To JW95's earlier question about STN-TP, work has recently begun on the new domestic arrivals facility which should be in use in 2025.

[JW95]

Originally Posted by commit aviation

Ref the A380, as noted by others it could park in the Alpha CDS today but it fills the space of three narrow bodied aircraft which is probably why the airport isn't so keen.

To JW95's earlier question about STN-TP, work has recently begun on the new domestic arrivals facility which should be in use in 2025.

Thanks for the update, commit aviation Where will the new domestic arrivals be going, and whats happening to the corridor/space currently used for domestic arrivals that lies just behind security?

I'm also surprised that no further work has been done on check in reconfiguration. It feels like this has stalled for some time, and apart from the new Zone 500 (shoreline), the remaining islands (zones A-F) have remained untouched for some time now.

Also, do you know if MAG plan on doing any work at all in satellites 2 and 3?

[FRatSTN]

Originally Posted by commit aviation

Ref the A380, as noted by others it could park in the Alpha CDS today but it fills the space of three narrow bodied aircraft which is probably why the airport isn't so keen.

To JW95's earlier question about STN-TP, work has recently begun on the new domestic arrivals facility which should be in use in 2025.

That's correct regarding A380 parking. It essentially takes out another gate that could be used for another narrow-body. Sat1 in the afternoon is already a stretch with the Jet2 peak. A couple of their flights this season have had to go on Sat2. AJet are commonly going on there now too, which makes sense as they're handled with EasyJet and Play.

Regarding the Domestic facility, this logically needs addressing first as you can't serve Sat2 upstairs at Gates 20-39 once the TTS is decommissioned with the domestic gates as they are now. I suppose they'd have to fit out the plant room above the current domestic gates (80-88) for a fully split level Sat2, but I don't know how that may look eventually.

[Paulesx]

EK lounge

So EK STN lounge now looks to be up and running officially as per the info in the EK website

[pamann]

EK Lounge

Now the airport needs some alternative lounge options for the great unwashed. The Escape Lounge is impossible to get into as a walk up guest these days. Plus it’s pretty dire in comparison to other similar lounges at the other London airports IMHO.

[Paulesx]

Lounge

Yea still seems strange why they closed the no1 lounge they used to have , I guess MAG want overall control over lounges but still Manchester have more options and doesn’t sent to be an issue there , STN escape lounge is for sure, not the best but should be a lil less crowded with the space that had been freed up from
EK pax moving, be interesting to see what the EK lounge looks like @ STN

[commit aviation]

Originally Posted by JW95

Thanks for the update, commit aviation Where will the new domestic arrivals be going, and whats happening to the corridor/space currently used for domestic arrivals that lies just behind security?

I'm also surprised that no further work has been done on check in reconfiguration. It feels like this has stalled for some time, and apart from the new Zone 500 (shoreline), the remaining islands (zones A-F) have remained untouched for some time now.

Also, do you know if MAG plan on doing any work at all in satellites 2 and 3?

New domestic arrivals will be at the opposite end of the building near the CTA arrivals. The route to current domestics will be severed by the new Skylinks so has to move first.
I think the space will be used for additional security lanes.

Nothing much else to report just now but plenty of preparatory work going on behind the scenes.

[JW95]

Good news re. the new Emirates lounge, which I'm sure will be much appreciated by EK passengers over the Escape lounge. I've had a look on the EK and STN webpages and can't see any photos of the new lounge anywhere at the moment :/

I also agree that besides the Emirates lounge, MAG could do a much better job in terms of lounge provision. STN has actually had a fair number of lounges in the past, including the Number 1, Servisair, EOS, MaxJet and KLM UK airline lounges throughout satellites 1-2. American Airlines I believe also had built their own lounge in sat 2 during 2008 when they were flying STN-JFK with the 767.

[JW95]

Originally Posted by commit aviation

New domestic arrivals will be at the opposite end of the building near the CTA arrivals. The route to current domestics will be severed by the new Skylinks so has to move first.
I think the space will be used for additional security lanes.

Nothing much else to report just now but plenty of preparatory work going on behind the scenes.

Many thanks for the updates my friend, much appreciated One thing that is unclear at the moment is that the new terminal extension was originally put forward as a replacement of the previous arrivals building project. In this way, everything (departure and arrival) facilities will remain consolidated under one roof (i.e. the existing terminal). CGI videos on Pascall and Watson's STN-TP webpage also confirm this. However, I did read somewhere recently that MAG have actually not scrapped the arrivals building as originally thought. This has (apparently) now been pushed back until after the terminal extension has been completed and existing TTS decommissioned. My question though is, if the arrivals building is still on the table, why is this, if immigration and arrivals is going to be housed within the forthcoming terminal extension? Surely then that defeats the point of a dedicated arrivals building?

Edit: This document seemingly confirms that the arrivals building will form part of a second phase of the TP at STN, but again, I have no idea why they would still go ahead with this if new arrival and immigration facilities will be constructed and housed in the new terminal extension??

[FRatSTN]

Originally Posted by JW95

Many thanks for the updates my friend, much appreciated One thing that is unclear at the moment is that the new terminal extension was originally put forward as a replacement of the previous arrivals building project. In this way, everything (departure and arrival) facilities will remain consolidated under one roof (i.e. the existing terminal). CGI videos on Pascall and Watson's STN-TP webpage also confirm this. However, I did read somewhere recently that MAG have actually not scrapped the arrivals building as originally thought. This has (apparently) now been pushed back until after the terminal extension has been completed and existing TTS decommissioned. My question though is, if the arrivals building is still on the table, why is this, if immigration and arrivals is going to be housed within the forthcoming terminal extension? Surely then that defeats the point of a dedicated arrivals building?

Edit: This document seemingly confirms that the arrivals building will form part of a second phase of the TP at STN, but again, I have no idea why they would still go ahead with this if new arrival and immigration facilities will be constructed and housed in the new terminal extension??

Any future phasing would likely be to the arrivals area and most likely would not be the exact specs of the original arrivals terminal concept.

The new domestic facility is most likely somewhat temporary until something bigger is developed there. The current STN-TP proposals don't really address landside arrivals and forecourt capacity, so that's what will be principally provided by a future arrivals development, as that's not within the current STN-TP scope.

[JW95]

Emirates Lounge

Folks, I think this is it. There's a few pictures via this link. Have to say, it looks very nice. Does anyone know if there are any shower facilities in the new EK lounge?

https://fado.co.uk/projects/emirates-lounge-fit-out/

[JW95]

Originally Posted by FRatSTN

Any future phasing would likely be to the arrivals area and most likely would not be the exact specs of the original arrivals terminal concept.

The new domestic facility is most likely somewhat temporary until something bigger is developed there. The current STN-TP proposals don't really address landside arrivals and forecourt capacity, so that's what will be principally provided by a future arrivals development, as that's not within the current STN-TP scope.

FRatSTN, I agree. I can't see MAG proceeding with the original specs of the original arrivals building when it was announced in 2017, but even so, I still dont understand why MAG would build a (modified) standalone arrivals facility/building (as the document alludes to in a second phase of STN expansion) when arrivals/immigration is due to be relocated away from its current location to a new area within the terminal extension. The notes in that document I included in my previous post aren't very clear; I was always under the impression that the arrivals building had been scrapped some time ago in favour of the now approved plans for the terminal extension.

[Keanaga]

Ek lounge

Hi
Yes there is shower facilities in the lounge.

Regards.

[JW95]

Originally Posted by Keanaga

Hi
Yes there is shower facilities in the lounge.

Regards.

Thanks as always Keanaga Do you have any more photos of the new lounge?

[FRatSTN]

Originally Posted by FRatSTN

FlyOne appear to be increasing their RMO-STN route slightly from mid-September from 3 to 4x weekly with a change of dates/times. Their RMO-LTN route appears to come down from daily to 3x weekly. Overall a capacity cut but an interesting shift towards STN where they compete with HiSky.

For W24/5 it remains daily to LTN and just 2x weekly STN in their booking engine. I wonder if that may change, or if this is just a temporary switch for some reason.

W24/5 schedule has now been updated in the booking engine and shows a continuation of 4x weekly RMO-STN alongside 3x weekly LTN-RMO taking effect over the next couple of weeks throughout winter.

They will also fly 2x weekly RMO-MAN starting 17 Dec, originally planned just 1x weekly. Perhaps MAG have offered them some kind of deal.

[FRatSTN]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tran...-b1179829.html

Stansted Express to finally be included in contactless and oyster payments from next year.

Have heard also that CrossCountry are also expected to resume the Pre-Covid, all-day hourly services northbound towards Birmingham New Street via Cambridge from the May 2025 timetable. This would increase the number of services from 13 to 19 per day.

The Greater Anglia Norwich services are also expected to include Cambridge South station calls when it opens next year. Not sure about CrossCountry.