I wonder how close STN is to taking over MAN as third busiest in terms of annual passenger traffic?

Must be getting very close?

MAN is still just over 2m ahead as it surpassed the 27m pax mark in June.

Overall, the MAN growth rate has been higher than STN so is expected to be at 28.9m by the time STN reaches 26.5m.

Where STN may eventually take the lead is when the MANtp works really take hold. It means a constrained site at MAN and thus limits growth. But then for a single terminal airport with no plans for major expansion yet (new arrivals hall aside), that probably limits STN somewhat too.

I agree it won't be for a while yet. It got very close a year or two ago but MAN picked up pace when STN's initial MAG take-over FR growth started to level off. STN will pick up pace again though with LS and further increases from other carriers... I've no doubt it will inevitably happen at some point but certainly not imminently.

The one to watch in terms of rankings at the moment seems to be BHX threatening EDI's sixth place... some absolutely phenomenal growth there!

STN will in the natural course eventually overtake MAN again to regain UK#3..MANtp or no...STN has facility expansion plans such as new stands/taxiways & SAT4 (the new arrivals hall was a surprise) already to hand & as importantly approved for within the national planning agreement with & toward 35M it`s present cap (so I imagine we will not see any formal applications as they will be nodded thru by the local authorities as & when required) & then more stands & taxiways again for the looked for drive to 44.5M & the requisite permission this time.....I have already posted because of accelerated growth @ present there appear to be plans with work beginning this Sept to put in place a mezzanine level in parts of the terminal to provide quickly extra seating & space...as I said then as a pun onward & UPWARD...)))

But the issue with that is you say STN has a cap of 35m and eventually up to 44.5m, you do realise that the MAN TP is aimed at smoothing out the process to enable the 55m passenger cap there (it's technically capable of 55m now, but would not be a pleasant experience, the MAN TP is to give the terminals that breathing space).

As said, MAN is growing at a faster rate than STN, and MAN can still draw on a far greater airline diversity, whereas STN is very heavily loco dependant.

All I'm saying is that yes, it's entirely possible for STN to regain its 3rd largest spot, but, it's not the dead cert you seem to think it will be. Don't forget, MAN and STN is owned by the same company now, and they have grand plans for both airports.

Is Satellite number 4 going ahead? I'd imagine there is an imminent need for it.

LAX LHR...V true but if you "read between all the lines" (some feature on the MAN thread) that self same company running both STN & MAN are being (it appears) politically expedient concerning issues say with Government & relevant departments & ministers...& are playing the long game,silent mainly in public concerning criticism, as they still believe/realize that STN could still be the huge prize.....V true MAN capable of 55M perhaps even now & that is with 2 full length R/W`s..( but with inadequate compatability)...STN is as we have stated 44.5M with max use of a single R/W...With 2 & operating entirely independently STN would be out there...MAG`s intention is to seek that 2nd RW & I know yes = a v long game..I take the point concerning diversity but does no one consider MAG are v aware of it too & always have been...A clue MAG are prepared to be bold is Jet2 arriving...now a lot of commentators would have declared you cannot do that/should not do that because of "upsetting" the incumbents...but that masterstroke appears to be coming off v well..The beauty of having a MAN owner is they have as you say the diversity on the doorstep...so forming further working partnerships outside of MAN too would be perfectly reasonable to expect... .LoCo as you state but STN is also a London area airport,obviously the largest market certainly in Europe...Time will tell but yes I remain confident.....Both have v busy futures tho))

Pamann...I viewed from afar the foundations being prepared...I think even then to mothball..but that was a long long time ago..Some of the apron was constructed for it & is used as remote parking obviously...BAA had permission to bring it to fruition but obviously never did.I remember a dispute tho about eventual pax access to it as Ryanair were earmarked to use it at that time & local planning & BAA wished to install moving walkways as it is quite some distance from the terminal itself but needless to say Ryanair were happier for the customers to walk.. SAT 2 within my progress around the SAT`s always appeared woefully underused certainly in my time but is/was a split level operation too with Domestics below & the top level International...International in SAT2 was eventually mothballed in the traffic low point before BAA relinquished ownership...So no the only claim I can make is it`s part of the agreed planning permission to 35M...but a lot of thinking (even worldwide) concerning movement thru terminals has changed I guess in the meantime...The latest announcement of the new Arrivals Terminal was a complete surprise & perhaps all thought concerning flow is in the mix...Tho still got to get the pax across the tarmac to the a/c I guess...remote boarding was never in use...it was only remote parking....

Ryanair have been remote boarding on the 80s for some time now, the pax are bussed over.

Is international in Sat 2 back in use again?

4Screwaircrew......Okey Dokey...I knew I was in the past tense & that confirms it...thanks for the info........Skip.....hopefully someone better placed as above to answer....It was the upper level that was International & mothballed toward the end of the BAA tenure...Seem to recall overspill RYR international departing from the lower level occasionally @ least....

The half of Sat 2 top level furthest from the terminal has been in use for years, well before the end of BAA's tenure. Go used it pre-9/11, I recall arriving first thing in the morning from Keflavik with Continental and some Lufthansas lined up along Sat 1 behind. I vividly remember parking up alongside a Transjet MD80. I think at that time it was pretty much an overspill and received a small and random selection of flights and airlines. Air Berlin used it towards the mid-late part of the decade, around seven or eight in at one time with some boarding from domestic downstairs. Ryanair have always had the odd flight from there, but in recent years they seem to have exclusive use. Bizarrely the bar which was always open in the lean years is now closed. You can see where it's boarded off to the other half, I believe it would be incredibly easy to open the whole thing up.

The lower half nearest the terminal, domestic, does indeed handle international flights. Mostly I've seen this happen off-peak, but when I flew up to GLA a few weeks back despite a couple of FR, a couple of EZY, BE and BMI filling up the ramp there was also an FR heading off to Warsaw.

If they did make Sat 2 entirely international, a potential disadvantage is that domestic pax would lose the straightforward exit out of the terminal unless a new one was designed into Sat 3 or a future Sat 4 into the new arrivals area. If they did that though, the convenience and speed for departing pax might be impacted.

Current Terminal Development
 

Is their any more information to the mezzanine/ changes apparently happening to the landside check-in area, all seems to be hearsay. Wondering if any definitive plans have been made yet.

Interestingly in an interview Primera say they are considering putting short & medium haul operations into transatlantic bases.....Time will tell I guess....

As the first of it`s kind at a major UK airport according to MAG an on site £11M technical college has received planning permission today..will train 500 people per year benefiting the whole region with STN also regarding it as a critical project to provide skilled on site workers as the growth toward 44M pax per year is planned...As a two storey building it is expected to open Autumn 18.....It can only go to add even more vibrancy to the whole Airport site too I feel....

CEO`s of STN & MAN to swap roles in a statement by MAG....

Which is the promotion and which is the demotion ?

davidjohnson6......TBH as long as there is a benefit to STN somehows,then not too much head scratching on this thread perhaps...:)))

Looks like the Academies at Newcastle and Norwich - presumably that means they aren't major airports... :O

SWBKCB....Sadly then you are correct,the airports you mention are not major airports by any industry definition or yardstick alas........I`m very sure MAG used the word carefully with all clarity & perception of their industry in all the press releases.......(By the way not decrying Academies elsewhere of course)...:)))