STNspotter From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2012, 7 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 months 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 1282 times:
Hey everyone!
I'm a first time poster, long time forum lurker on A.net so please go easy on me!
My passion for aviation stems back a long way into my childhood, having grown up around Stansted Airport right under the flightpath and i've spent many hours laying in the back garden spotting various airline tails and equipment. For myself, just seeing the iconic terminal building rouses exciting memories of going on holiday and the thrill of air travel. It therefore, came naturally to me to want to study the airport as part of my final year project at university. I'm researching the airport, and in particular the terminal building, to see how space is being used (for good or for worse!) to impact upon the passenger experience.
As part of this, i'm trying to get as many aviation/travel nuts just like myself to take part in a questionnaire to gather as many opinions as possible about how good an airport Stansted is, and how the airport can be improved to cater for the needs of the passenger. Please click on the link to follow onto the survey, I promise it does not take long to complete (around 10 minutes) and I would be massively grateful for any responses!
Birdwatching From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 3573 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (6 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1276 times:
During my university years, STN was one thing more than anything else: A huge indoor campground. Oh the great memories of coming in on a late night Ryanair flight, connecting to an early morning Ryanair flight, and spending the hours in between with all the fellow young travelers in sleeping bags in the corners of the terminal. Is it still like that or were those only the wild early 2000s with the crazy 0.01 Ryanair fares? I always quite enjoyed those nights at STN, it was warm in winter and you weren't ever kicked out or anything like that. Most nights there were CROWDS.
Soren
All the things you probably hate about travelling are warm reminders that I'm home
STNspotter From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2012, 7 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1270 times:
It can still get pretty busy in the evenings, especially as most of the incoming Ryanair arrivals for the STN based aircraft all come in between 23:00-00:00ish. I have heard some horror stories, particularly of 2 hour queues just to get to an immigration desk, although fortunately enough this has never happened to me. As for the terminal sleepover parties, I think the airport officials (BAA) have made a conscious effort to crack down on it, a lot of the seating areas landside have been removed and i'm sure they would move you on if you were hanging around for a snooze.
roberts87 From Netherlands, joined Dec 2011, 660 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1171 times:
I just completed the survey, good luck with your study.
Just a tiny bit of feedback regarding the survey: I only departed from STN, but there were also a number of questions where I had to rate a few aspects of the arrivals experience (luggage reclaim, immigration). There was not a not applicable option, so I had to rate this even though I had no experience with those aspects.
Vasu From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 3761 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1165 times:
I wrote a dissertation a few years ago about how space is used in the airport and airline cabin - I'll send it to you in case there's anything useful in there (when I'm next on my other computer)
reifel From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 1135 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1165 times:
STN used to be a little hub for Air Berlin some years ago. They had this strange idea to have some domestic flights from STN to BHD, MAN, GLA and so iirc.
Arriving from Germany, you had to go to the main building and reclear security. However it was quite a mess as you were somehow in big lanes with arriving passengers. They had no staff to fasttrack connecting flights (these were probably the only "official" connecting flights), but after a few times I figured out they had special immigration counters for AB on the right side which let you through.... Always were back late at the gate for the connecting flight. This is my souvenir of STN.
Thanks very much for the feedback! A very good point but unfortunately I am unable to change the format of the questionnaire now it has been submitted and approved but it gives me something interesting to discuss about the limitations of my survey in my work.
I have very fond memories myself of flying AB out of STN. Always had the friendliest check-in staff and cabin crew. I flew on them non-stop to PMI several times, a much better service than on EZY (and obviously FR) even though the prices were always similar if not lower on AB.
YVRLTN From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 2087 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (6 months 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1165 times:
Done
Same boat as Roberts87, my last 3 uses of STN were outbound only, so I had to go back to 2005 to the last time I arrived at STN.
I first flew from STN in 1991, on a ZB 757 to BGI via BGR! The place was an absolute ghost town then.
Since then and the demise of Air UK, I feel FR have really turned the place into a bit of a zoo. No disrespect meant to anyone, but a high percentage of the pax seem to be infrequent flyers and run around, shout and yell, push and shove or are just drunk - even at 7am! Too many seem unaware of baggage restrictions and other FR items in the smallprint which generally leads to witnessing some sort of altercation at check in.
My flights since then have been FR to TSF return in 2005, and outbound departures only to DUS in 2009 with AB on a almost empty Q400, TLL with U2 in 2011 and FR to MLA this year.
I emigrated from London at the end of 2005, but even though it was the easiest airport to get to from my home in North London (A406/M11) I pretty much always used LHR as I flew mostly long haul, or used LTN as it is equally easy to get to and the EDI flights I used a lot seemed to be a bit cheaper than STN and better timed.
The last two times I used STN, the flights were a pretty early departure, so had family drop us at the Radisson Blu hotel the night before. That is a very convenient hotel, its great to walk literally next door through a covered walkway to the terminal.
Dont know if any of those ramblings help your study
STNspotter From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2012, 7 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 months 2 weeks ago) and read 1164 times:
Quoting YVRLTN (Reply 10): I first flew from STN in 1991, on a ZB 757 to BGI via BGR! The place was an absolute ghost town then.
Since then and the demise of Air UK, I feel FR have really turned the place into a bit of a zoo. No disrespect meant to anyone, but a high percentage of the pax seem to be infrequent flyers and run around, shout and yell, push and shove or are just drunk - even at 7am! Too many seem unaware of baggage restrictions and other FR items in the smallprint which generally leads to witnessing some sort of altercation at check in.
Thanks for your reply! Its always good to hear about what was going on pre-FR days. One the earliest flights I can remember was on a BAE 146 from STN to DUS and I can just remember how empty the place felt, quite a white elephant! It's also interesting to compare the functions the airport was there to serve in its initial form, as a chic modern international hub to the bargain basement low-cost airport nowadays.
Quoting Vasu (Reply 11): Not sure if this'll work... but here you go!
If not the dissertation itself, there might be a few useful references in there... got me a high 2:1 in the end.
Good luck!
Thanks very much! This should help loads as i've been struggling for variety in the stuff i'm reading. Its all a bit samey and usually the same article written and re-written by the same few academics.
cedarjet From United Kingdom, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 7707 posts, RR: 55 Reply 14, posted (6 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1164 times:
Done the survey - hope it's useful info - and good luck with your dissertation.
fly Saha Air 707s daily from Tehran's downtown Mehrabad to Mashhad, Kish Island and Ahwaz
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