we wait with baited breath..................................

Came through Stansted last night, walked down from the Ryanair satellite. When we came to the escalator that makes the quite considerable rise from the low level passageway up to the customs area there was a notice stating blandly "This escalator may be out of service due to operational reasons". Which indeed it was. And a number of elderly passengers were having quite a struggle getting up the several flights of stairs.

I am wondering just what are the "operational reasons" behind the fact that this escalator "may" be out of service.

The "Operational Reasons" are that there is not enough staff or booths in immigration for last wave arrivals and the escalator has to be turned off to prevent a continuous stream of people spilling into the queing area. Rather than fix the problem BAA have been turning off the escalator for the last 18 months.

If thats the reason, then it is a disgrace that elderley people are being made to take the slow route just to thin out and trickle feed the immigration desks. Any reporters reading ?

escalator troubles
 

Even when the escalator is switched off there is a 12 person lift right next to the escalator for those who cannot or do not want to use stairs, and for passengers with child transport. As for the reason for the delays at Immigration and Border control surely you can't hold BAA responsible for the lack of staff at a Goverment controlled agency the recruitment of staff is out of BAA's hands.

Absolutely Carousel....
 

and the "Operational Reasons" are actually safety reasons. If the queue is at the top of the escalator and people are still being taken up the escalator then where do those people go? Can you imagine being at the top, no where to go and more people coming up behind you? :eek: Very messy :ouch:

Then what idiot designed a building where an escalator carrying high passenger volumes leads directly into a congestion point ? This is architecture class 1.01 stuff. The "queueing area" seemed very small and liable to be overwhelmed by just one aircraft load.

My recollection is that the orginal building design by Norman Foster envisaged the satellites being connected by the transit and the walkways are subsequent variations to the design.

But until the Government decided to make the UK border about the most difficult to cross in the whole of the EU it wasn't going to be a congestion point.

Join Schengen and the problem's solved - fat chance of that happening though!!

XL at STN
 

The STN web-site has deleated all XL flights for summer 2008.

the first of the jet bridges have arrived i heard sitting over north side

they are probably awaiting the removal of "welcome to Heathrow" logos from them :ugh:

Just in case anyone would like to know, we have just flown with AA on STN - JFK - STN, we left on Thurs and came back yesterday. The flights were great, on time and landed an hour early coming home. The only downside was that there were no individual seat back TV's, but we did know about that before we booked. The STN - JFK flight was completely full, hopefully a sign of good things to come. The AA check in agent in JFK said that the Stansted flights are very frequently overbooked.

TOM
 

Although pulling out of STN, today TOM used two aircraft, TOM4924 to LPA & TOM8352 to Ovda.

Thomson are pulling out of Stansted???

Yes TOM will stop operating from Stansted with based aircraft from 1st May when the summer season finally kicks in again... however there will be a weekly 737-800 flight to and from Palma with TOM operating on a W-pattern from Luton. All Thomson booked holidays flying from Stansted will be operated by First Choice Airways A321s from the summer season.

I see there keeping SSH for next winter season though, will that be done with the 321?

Also the airbridges are well underway now, and Sat 1 shouldn't take too long to finish. Will Sat 2 be having new bridges aswell?

STN Airbridges
 

Sat 1 airbridges should be finished by the end of June. And Sat 2 may well be all replaced too next year, but far from confirmed just yet.

does anyone know what new shops will be in the new extension , some people have said mcdonalds others say no, also is it marksand spencers or sainsbury local. another thing whats the hanger go up by fls or what ever its called now , doeas anyone know where the spotting area is going to be built or is that hanger it. thanks

New Extension.....
 

...only definite I've heard is Marks & Spencers, though I don't think that will be in the extension - there's a lot to be moved around in the W.H.Smith and Costa Coffee area. I think most of the new bit will be the likes of Taxi, Car Hire, Train & Coach desks etc. Though I guess BAA's need to make money from retail too might see something new introduced.

I think I am right in saying that the new hangar being erected next to the diamond hangar is for Ryanair.
As for the spotting area, that will be located close to the roundabout just before the hilton hotel.

Eastern Airways
 

Yes, Eastern starting new low cost outta STN. Mmmmmmm! You must book 8 weeks in advance for that £49 one way though and its only available on the 3rd rotation. Nothing against the company though! :rolleyes:

TCX
 

TCX are operating two aircraft from STN tomorrow LPA (again) and the normal Dalaman.

The new hangar next FLS is going to house some of FR's new simulators (means we don't have to drive all the way to EMA to have our sim checks:)). And I think it's also going to be for maintenance aswell, but don't quote me on that!

One things for sure, it's going up at an alarming rate!

Yes its also going to be used for engineering, the hangar will be 5 berth being able to acommadate 3 whole aircraft and 2 nose sections.

normally ryanair annonuce when they are building hangers i didnt hear anything , is there anything else being built there as theres lots of land

At the moment as your aware theres the Ryanair hangar, Terminal expansion which is not too far from completion and i believe cargo area expansion.

There is lots of potential for many things with the amount of land available. Now that the old tower has been demolished I know next on the list is the old FLS Hangar 4.........Is this all in preparation for the new/extension of the Long Stay Car park? (G2)

i thought the old tower was a listed building.when was that knocked down

Lots of room for EOS to go northside self handling?????

I thought silverjet tried to use north side and were refused before going to Luton.

The only list that building was on was BAA's to knock down list. It was knocked down about two weeks ago.

I thought silverjet tried to use north side and were refused before going to Luton.
 

I thought silverjet tried to use north side and were refused before going to Luton.

money talks................

I think had Maxjet not ceased operation EOS would have looked Northside for sure, although the BAA would no doubt have put a stop on anything like that happening, hence why SilverJet went to Luton.

North side
 

I think BAA have bigger plans for the old terminal, (North side), there is so much room over there, to let one Airline make it its home would be madness, if anything they could move the cargo area from where it is now
to the north side and build a new departure building on the (now) cargo area, this would provide extra stands for the terminal and give the cargo operation room for expansion at the old terminal.

Haven't you seen the G2 plans on the Stansted website? Try watching the video - it's all happening Southside. http://www.stanstedairport.com/porta...0357e120a____/

There's no expansion plans Northside other than development of Long Stay Car Park. Cargo will not be going anywhere and if anything will develop further Southwards from the Zulu apron and/or West towards the SRT Diamond Hangar.

The option of cargo stands on the Northside was looked at back when Fedex expanded their operation but obviously the Zulu stands was the result. Fedex will no doubt want to expand even further and I can the Zulu cul-de-sac becoming the same size as the Alphas one day. Looking at that G2 clip it cleary shows the Northside as a carpark.
I wonder what will happen to Titan airways Hangar?

Same fate as the old Control Tower I would think - another victim of progress