Thanks for the insight which together with earlier input regarding the R/W ops issues does help to explain the manifold factors that were in play.

How many threads come back to this same point - the low fare revolution has meant that all the slack in the system has been cut back to reduce costs, so anything outside the norm and the system can't cope.

Would’ve been the same at Heathrow in steady snow showers, a contaminated runway and a strong crosswind.

Plenty of examples of BA being a shambles when snow hits LHR.

Please don’t try and turn it into a ‘lo-cost’ thing.

Have you ever passed through Dubai when the fog arrives in the UAE once or twice a year? A dreadful experience and not one to be repeated.

Changeable weather conditions are what they are.

A large number of passengers take air travel for granted and are unaware of it’s complexities. Safety comes first in this part of the world.

An airline’s reaction to all this is heavily affected by EU261 legislation - the passenger can’t have it both ways.

I think it is very much a ‘low cost thing’. Not that the runway was SNOCLO - I think even the armchair experts have hopefully now deduced that the runway was closed for good reason. Rather the omnishambles that develops inside the airport when things aren’t going to plan and that’s by no means limited to STN. The point I think SWBKCB is making, and that I agree with fully, is that staffing levels in airports are cut so much to the bone due to the ‘low fares revolution’ that when things go even slightly off plan (eg. Snow, wind, slot delays) there isn’t sufficient operational resilience built in to cope. So then you have no ground staff to meet and disembark the aircraft, not enough baggage handlers to offload, not enough staff to adequately manage the expectations/provide information to delayed passengers etc etc. All because just the absolute bare minimum of staff are provided to get through a normal day, in the pursuit of low fares.

A big part of the issue of staffing levels is automation. Examples here of FR and BA in LHR. More automation at check-in/bag drop means less staff required and bigger cost savings. It's unlikely many of those check-in staff would be ticketing trained for FR and even BA, but they are still people that can offer assistance and advice, and be a face for the Airline. I can't imagine FR would be paying handling agents for an abundance of ticketing agents that would only really be needed in situations like this. Usually 1 or 2 people manage these desks on a daily basis.
Labour savings are great, until it goes wrong in these situations.
Secondly many Airlines are outsourcing their ticketing (this is reference to full service Airlines, not EZY and FR that tend to still have ticket desk presence at most Airports)
With a more "remote" style of ticketing, Airlines don't have the people on the ground with the expertise. I've seen this in action and a lot of the time it works and is more efficient. A person at the end of a phone or behind a computer screen not even near passengers can rebook a whole flight in a fraction of the time, mainly because they haven't got someone stood in front of them wanting all the options, arguing, chatting and basically distracting.

Insightful post from Cuillin Hills.

Re a post & prediction a few months ago on (as I recall) the Doncaster thread, B733 G-TGPG arrived STN a couple of days ago to be based for 2Excel Aviation.

A subsidiary of Ryanair,Ryanair UK lodged an application with the CAA on 21.12.17 for an AOC to continue flying UK domestics to Belfast,Edinburgh & Glasgow from STN in the event of a "hard" Brexit.

They did this when PIK-STN was launched in late 1995, not sure how far they got as it launched with EI- B737-200s. Perhaps they wound it up as they had no need of it. See also Ryanair Europe, the former London European.

Surprised you didn't mention Buzz..

Primera have extended both the AGP & ALC season for 2018 from STN.

Both now commence 9.4.18 daily,were originally due to commence 23.4.18.

AGP now bookable through to 9.12.18.

ALC now bookable through to 2.12.18.

Both were originally available to 27.10.18.

Boeing 737 or A320 family operated?

Using their current 737's, with their current Danish crews.

Another route from Primera for STN.

Crete/Chania CHQ.

Weekly on a Friday between 27.7.18 & 7.9.18.

I guess more to follow, I can’t see just a Friday route, maybe going to see a Greek operation for the remaining days, who knows but it’s getting rather interesting.

I would say this is going to be on a ‘W Pattern’ from Copenhagen from these flight times on their website.

CPH 07:00-11:30 CHQ
CHQ 12:30-14:30 STN
STN 16:00-21:40 CHQ
CHQ 22:40-01:15 CPH

Do they have crew bases in at current destination or will we be seeing a Airbus and Boeing crew base at STN?

Now 6 destinations in STN`s destination window on the Primera website,comprising 3 short haul & 3 transatlantic.

The Alicante & Malaga have recently had their seasons extended too making the B738 based now at least until late 2018.

The newly added Chania is with B738 & with timings 1430/1600 indicate this then is to be flown by a non based a/c.

Omitting ATH,Primera fly to 3 other Greek destinations from Scandinavia namely Kos with 2 Scandi connections,Zakynthos with 1 & Rhodes with 3 so hopefully potential from these for services to STN.

On present planning on Fridays STN during the height of Summer will see 4 different Primera a/c.

Good news,also another cargo extra. Asiana are addind a Tues rotation to their schedule making it now three a week.

Excellent...

Flying today...inbound flight number appears to be AAR7931...ie original flight number with a 1 on the end.

List of new and resumes routes from STN 2018. Frequency based on last week of August.

Air Corsica
Ajaccio (3 weekly, eff May)
Bastia (3 weekly, eff May)
Figari (2 Weekly, eff May)

Emirates
Dubai (1 daily, eff June)

Jet2
Almeria (2 weekly, eff May)
Bodrum (2 weekly, eff May)
Kefalonia (2 weekly, eff May)
Malta (2 weekly, eff March)
Naples (3 weekly, eff May)
Nice (6 weekly, eff May)
Thessaloniki (2 weekly, eff May)
Verona (2 weekly, eff May)

Primera
Boston (4 weekly, eff May)
Alicante (daily, eff April)
Chania (1 weekly, eff July)
Malaga (daily, eff April)
New York/Newark (daily, eff Apr)
Toronto (3 weekly, eff May)

Ryanair
Belfast Intl (3 daily, eff March)
Glasgow Intl (resumes 3 daily, eff March)
Edinburgh (resumes 5 daily, eff March)
Rimini (2 weekly, eff March)

Thomas Cook
Enfidha (1 weekly, eff May)

TUI
Burgas (1 weekly, eff May)

Widerøe
Kristiansand (4 weekly, eff August)

WOW
Reykjavík KEF (daily, eff April)

Most new routes outside FR in years I believe.

I wonder if EZY will defend its domestic routes ex-STN, or whether RYR's attack on these services will push EZY further out of STN.

Only Belfast is new, the Scottish routes ran before the crewing issues.

Excellent compilation & listing...

MAG`s original aim of diversity is becoming more apparent...

Shame that perhaps BACF have not been able to expand their w/end programme,tho it appears they now have their hands full supporting BAW at LGW in operating over the MON slots.

Quick back of the envelope calculations reveals how well MAG have done so far for the upcoming summer....

Approx 320 extra ATM`s per week...

Approx 62,000 extra seats combined per week...

Regarding Asiana Cargo they are said to be considering a fourth weekly service...

Accurate comment regarding RYR/GLA/EDI not being new...

.....However when RYR ceased these services with the crewing issues it was quite heavily trailered by detractors that they would not return as it indicated they were probably lossmaking or certainly with no yield.

Great they are back & with an application for Ryanair UK to continue these services in the event of a disorderly brexit reflects their worth.

Regarding EZY it continues to escape recognition that their domestics are very valuable to their own network from STN in also providing feed.

Many of the rotations particularly Scotland are now operated in any case by away based A320`s.

Belfast was operated before, to BHD, so more of a relaunch.

Not doubting you, but given they don't promote connections as they're a loco point to point operation, how many people are we talking about? Does STN even allow Flight Connections? If I show an onward boarding card to the security person at the end of the corridor to Domestic Arrivals, can I access the departure lounge without going out and joining the back of the queue for security as I am DfT cleared already?

Also you can edit your original post to add to it rather than adding two more minutes later :)

It is well known more SELF connect happens generally than is officially recognised & recorded.

Right pedantically with Belfast but claiming it thank you as it is a London terminus switch again & also as you rightly state a switch of Belfast airport..(without getting again into that debate).

Belfast.....Air Belfast & Jersey European anyone?..

In business, unless you can attach a number to it, it doesn't count I'm afraid. It might be "well known" but anecdotal evidence isn't reliable. Am not trying to take STN-BFS away from anyone, just reminding you Ryanair flew the route STN-BHD before, and indeed this is the third go on STN-Glasgow as PIK was axed then GLA was launched then dropped (!) Very good to see them back again.
But genuinely, can I self connect without having to go through security again if I land on a domestic easyJet flight?

We beg to differ in the business analysis then...

It does count I`m afraid because although it does not fit your particular modelling the really real businesses for whom it works....(tho of course it could be official & with dedicated facilities again)....are really really £££££ aware!!..

As you say good the domestics will have extra weight behind them in the form of RYR
& yes fully aware of the history of most routes.

You are well aware that domestics have to re clear & more importantly the customers who are doing it know.I imagined that was covered in the wording self connect.

Isn't GLA temporarily dropped due to the pilot debacle?

Re starts with the end of the Winter scheds late March 18.

I know that I have said this before, but I do worry where all the 'new' passengers are going to come from not just at Stansted but Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, etc. The sad demise of Monarch has left some slack to be taken up by I just cannot see the amount of seats available to be filled resulting in the demise of some airlines and job losses unfortunately.

Recognize the theoretical concern but one feature at least of STN`s new airlines is diversity & a measured approach by the airlines themselves.

Really does not deserve just to be on the STN thread as it was well known from Day One MAG were in expansive mode & the reasoning for acquiring STN.

BHX suffered/suffers the largest shake out perhaps with the demise of MON as it was never going to increase it`s traffic to accommodate an arriving/expansionist EXS up against & alongside the established incumbents.

For accuracy, the five daily flights to EDI are only on Fridays. One on Saturday, three on Sunday, four Mon to Thurs.

Sadly so.
Er no. That's not how it works. At MAN, GLA, EDI, LHR etc one can arrive domestically and proceed directly to the gate for their connecting flight. I am asking if STN allows this. Bascially they have someone at the end of the domestic corridor from Sat 2 who is there (I guess) to prevent people wandering left instead of right. Now given all UK arrivals are already security cleared to DfT standards, I was wondering if self connections (on hand baggage only with EZY) would be allowed to just turn left on presentation of onward boarding pass? That's how it works well elsewhere.
What?

You can self-connect without going back through security if you happen to arrive and depart on services using the domestic pier, and it is used for some international departures. The fact you can do this makes the presence of the guy to turn you back a farce.

No one is going to risk that though are they? The overwhelming majority of international EZY flights go from Sat 1 so you'd be screwed if your connection is even moderately tight. If I have a valid boarding pass on the EZY app, could I turn left? In fairness, is there anything to stop a departing passenger returning to the lounge once on the 80 gates on Sat 2? It doesn't say no return....given that, what IS that security guy even doing there?
There used to be a similar thing at Glasgow where they had a security check preventing any arriving domestic passengers accessing the then new common departure lounge, no idea why and long since removed (!)

Never was anything to stop a departing passenger theoretically returning to the main lounge once on the 80 gates on Sat 2...we advised that if asked but with the added proviso "it is a bit of a walk" ie over the walk bridge & back.

Same with Sat 3 once in the main lounge freedom to move between the two...except for the distances to walk of course.

Although in the same satellite domestic & international are on different levels & totally segregated obviously.

Due to the satellite transit train layout there is no way back from Sat 2 international departures to the main lounge & we emphasized that to departing pax if asked.Also for international pax there is no route/transfer between Sat`s 1 & 2 once in either.

To exit Sat 2 international departures with airside passes we would go down one level to Sat 2 arrivals & access thu a security side door the domestic lounge & walk the bridge to the main lounge.

In terms of domestic arrivals. All flights should park on Satellite 2 parking on stands B30-B32L and C40-C43L and passenger exit via the bridge/walkway to the domestic arrivals area.
If a flight for some reason has to park on any other stand they would be bused to any of gates 81-88 to exit.

In terms of connecting officially you can not go from one flight to another without exiting through arrivals and being re-screened at security.
Though I know some passengers do proceed into the departure lounge by showing their boarding pass to the security officer at the end of the bridge/walkway and saying they went to the wrong gate.

But this shouldn’t be allowed and with the talk of new security processes coming in soon, passengers hoping to seek through should be stopped in the future.

Sorry but why “shouldn’t this be allowed”? It’s accepted practice at LHR, GLA and EDI for example. What’s the rationale for reclearing someone already cleared to DfT standards? They don’t need to rescreen at these airports for the reason given. Is this just MAG doing their own thing (again)?