Because if they go as far as even maintaining the number of flights and routes from Stansted these days it would be a miracle. In other words, it's another cut (rather expected) but could be worse. I agree it shouldn't really be something to celebrate or be grateful about in this growing business but that's EZY for you.

I flew STN - BRQ today with FR. I've been flying predominantly thru STN for 16 years and today was the worst experience I've had there. Huge queues thru security (half the lanes seemed to be closed off for no good reason. It was off peak but still very busy), virtually no seats in the departure lounge after the tortuous new twist thru duty free and loud music everywhere. When MAG first took over I thought it was starting to show signs of improvement but it's as repellent as EMA now. Shame. EMA used to be my home airport before STN. MAG seem to be progressively ruining both places.
Conversely, now being able to take two bags onto FR was great. :hmm:

I flew STN - BRQ today with FR. I've been flying predominantly thru STN for 16 years and today was the worst experience I've had there. Huge queues thru security (half the lanes seemed to be closed off for no good reason. It was off peak but still very busy), virtually no seats in the departure lounge after the tortuous new twist thru duty free and loud music everywhere. When MAG first took over I thought it was starting to show signs of improvement but it's as repellent as EMA now. Shame. EMA used to be my home airport before STN. MAG seem to be progressively ruining both places.
Conversely, now being able to take two bags onto FR was great. :hmm:

Also, saw a Swiss Avro RJ was taking off when we were boarding our plane. Why would it have been there? And saw two FR planes with orange winglets and tailfins. Are these leased in from somewhere?

Sorry - don't know how I managed to duplicate posts here? :$
Mods - please delete the first one and this one. :-/

The Swiss Avro RJ was probably there for maintenance at Inflite. The Ryanairs you saw with orange winglets are the aircraft on lease to Ryanair from FlyDubai.

I agree with you about STN. I flew STN-CGN recently and it was awful in all aspects until you got out of the main departure lounge to the satellite. Hopefully its just a transition period.

STN passengers numbers hit 2.03 million for August 2014, an 11.6% rise on August 2013.


For those of you who have been having poor experiences at STN, it's a shame to say the least. However I'm sure it has to be forgiven the fact that the place is being essentially ripped apart and rebuilt in large areas.


I am able to comment on this as I am very familiar with both STN and EMA airports. Personally I find EMA a great little airport. It's not the most glamorous airport I agree and is further room for improvement but it's efficient and it's quick, which for me is all the more important for a regional airport.


As for STN... You may want to have a look at this, which hopefully is going to vastly improve the passenger experience over the next year or two:


Phase 2 of Stansted?s transformation enhances retail

What's the noise abatement issue, it's green fields both ways surely....?

At some airports the gradient of the runway has to be factored into the calculation as well. It can be an influencing factor (uphill / downhill!), though I don't know the specifics for STN.

As far as I can tell, the new layout, and the article referenced by FRatSTN seem to confirm this, the whole purpose of the new layout of the departures area of the terminal is to enforce that all passengers take a lengthy and extensive walk through the shops past all the different shelves with particular emphasis on the duty free shop in the hope that passengers might spot an item they can be persuaded to buy. The route is circuitous to slow down those who walk and increase the time passengers spend looking at retail shelves. Those who have been shopping at IKEA will be familiar with this technique.

Fantastic for the person who flies once per year, arrives at a terminal 2 hours before flying and regards airport shopping as a great adventure.
For the person who uses the airport regularly, this is lousy.

Another reason to avoid Stansted. This really is the worst idea. So parents will have to drag their kids through their new 'retail experience' - I can see thats going to be popular -not!
Makes you wonder what planet some of these Airport Terminal designers are on!
Stansted is rapidly becoming the airport not to fly from.

smallpilot - airport designers and planners are living on a planet where airlines including the legacies aren't keen on paying much for the facilities they use off the back of consumers wanting something for nothing, therefore the airport operators are chasing alternative revenue streams which includes maximising retail spend. STN is not the only place in which you will find such layouts.

AirportPlanner1

You're right, and I detest it! I dislike shopping for shopping's sake when I'm not using an airport, but when I am using an airport (to fly from or to) what I want is an efficient check in and security experience on the way out - and most important, somewhere to sit should my flight be delayed, or I'm early. I don't need to be dragged round countless shops!

Coming back I want to be through immigration, and out of the place as quickly as possible.

Sadly, for the reasons stated, I'm unlikely to get that wish any time in the near future.

Skipness

Possibly less airspace constraints on 22 than 04

Just wondering if someone could tell me what the largest scheduled passenger aircraft is and who flies it in terms of seats on board?

Largest scheduled would be the TCX A321 I think with 214 seats

But who pays for all this? Us on our flight tickets? Didnt think so...additional revenue needs to be generated somehow or else the airports will be deserted due to the extortionate ticket costs

Currently the largest is TCX A321 however they will base an A330 at STN next Summer for 6 weeks or so.


Plus TOM to Tunisia on Sundays will be operated by a LTN based aircraft next summer on a W pattern, which I believe will be a 757 but not 100% sure on that. You never know there may even be some kind of long-haul airline in the mix by then so could get a little more in the way of larger aircraft.

They are (according to rumour) about to start putting lounge(s) into Sat 1 so one assumes they must be anticipating someone wanting to use them

Easy seem to have made a slight adjustment to the STN-CPH route. Whilst it was due to end at the start of the winter schedule when the route moved to LTN, easy are now offering two flights a week on a Thursday and Sunday from STN. This looks to be tapping into the leisure market for the run up to Christmas and the Christmas Markets etc. Flights now seem to end on the 11 January.

I shall be going through STN today on my way to RHO. Haven't been to Stansted in over 10 years so will be interesting to see the difference. Sadly, there are far more flying harps, making the traffic far less interesting.

Are you able to get good views of the runway anywhere else other than the lounge?