If I recall they have approval to go to 35m pax but not the facilities in place to go beyond 25m, I guess this is them putting in that missing capacity (which they will need before too long).

If so then there is an interesting contrast in approach here - Stansted will spend £600m to get roughly 10m additional capacity while Luton is spending £100m to get about the same (excluding the more recently announcd £200m people mover).

I think maybe Stansted will be looking to attract more full fare airlines while Luton focuses on the riffraf.

That still means for every £1 per passenger than Luton earns Stansted will have to earn £6. That's a huge 6:1 differential between two airports allegedly in competition, and when you consider the differential in airport charges between Heathrow and Luton is only about 3:1.

... and before the local fanboys round on me I am not suggesting that Stansted is over investing, it could equally be an indication of the degree of underfunding going in at Luton.

Luton has a name for it, I kid you not. They called the proposed development "value engineered", I call it skimping.

The cost will include a runway extension and extra entry points and a holding area, taxiway extensions and more stands. Gonna get busy!

Lets see the detail.....
 

Don't these words sum it up "Stansted Airport’s operator is set to lift the wraps on plans for a £600m long term upgrade of its terminal infrastructure."

This could be a 30 year plan and if includes a new runway extension (why) and infrastructure is not going to be a great investment in customer experience. MAG are investing £1bn without a new runway at MAN.

Can anyone explain why domestic arrivals dumps u outside? You then have to push thru the smokers to get back into the terminal....

Waldo1
 

You are not "dumped" anywhere, the domestic arrival area has its own exit, most people who fly want to land and exit the terminal as quick as possible why would you be complaining about not have to fight your way through arriving international passengers all trying to exit the terminal it's the same terminal building its not like your dropped off at a remote building I don't understand what the problem is ?

Waldo1
 

Transit passenger maybe?

There is NO need whatsoever for a runway extension at STN, Where did this idea spring from?

@wings folded

Next time I suggest you book PRM assistance in advance. It's free and they are there to help those less able like yourself. You would have been taken straight through security and to your gate in plenty of time.

The domestic exit is the closest point to security so connecting couldn't be easier ������

You clearly have no concept of how to increase runway capacity

It's ridiculous.

I do get where Waldo1 is coming from.

You are pretty much dumped outside the main terminal. It's not exactly the greatest 'Welcome to London' now is it?! With the £600m infrastructure investment I'd like to think they might do some work with and invest in domestic arrivals, perhaps connect the exit better with the train station/bus station/car parks. It does almost feel like you're being dumped out of the ar$e end of the terminal. International arrivals you're greeted with M&S, Burger King, coffee shops, desks offering options for onward travel by bus, rail etc... Domestic offers you a couple of seats and a vending machine. To me it seems like it was a poor after thought when they re-jigged the terminal perhaps someone forgot to consider the domestic arrivals experience?

Just look at what Gatwick has achieved in terms of customer experience and terminal aesthetics since it's take over from BAA. Stansted does in areas seem like a botch job done on the cheap with very little thought or consideration put into improving the customer experience.

Yes you are. The international arrivals comes out inside the terminal. Domestic arrivals go outside.

I don't think they care about domestic flights, even domestic departures are away in the other side of the airport with no food options or anything.

Last time I flew from Stansted on a domestic flight was pre the re-development of the terminal. You still went via the same security and into departures same as International, flights departed via a walkway to Satellite 2? Has this changed then?

No, domestic still tends to be Satellite 2 gates 80-88 via the walkway though EZY do occasionally have some of their domestics from Satellite 1.

I assume this was because Ryanair had pulled domestic flying and easyJet was on draw down when this was designed? Whoops. MOL said domestic flying was incompatible with APD, this was (partly) why STN-PIK,BLK,NQY and BHD went.

Then of course back comes STN-EDI,GLA and BFS!