The British Airports Authority’s (BAA) faces critism by the biggest airport and airline CEOs as their monopoly over UK aviation faces further deconstruction. It follows a High Court judge ruled that there was no “apparent bias” in the sale of Gatwick Airport to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in 2009.
Stansted has teamed up with Ryanair to offer the first ever route from London Stansted to Ciudad Real, a city in the Castile-La Mancha region of central Spain. The route will open on the 24th May, in time for the summer holiday season, and will operate three times a week.
Stansted Airport bosses have just unveiled a plan to increase the airport’s contingent of female security guards by 50 positions from air marshalls to airport staff. Staff fear a hectic summer schedule unless more women can be coaxed to the terminals.
Thomas Cook Airlines have just released a new service whereby travellers can now use an online check-in service rather than checking-in at the airport before their flight. It claims to be the first charter airline in the country to launch the online check-in service from Stansted Airport.
Ryanair has been responsible for a few rather strange ideas in relation to getting prices down on its flights.
These have recently included charging passengers each time they want to use the toilet on board the flight. But now The Sun has reported that it has come up with a new idea that it claims to be seriously considering, and that is getting people to stand up for the duration of the flight.
If you have travelled through Stansted Airport recently, you may have been tempted to try out the new facial recognition machines that have been installed in a landmark trial.
The new technology has arrived at the airport in a bid to improve waiting times for passengers and to add an extra level of security at passport control.
We have all become familiar with having to pay for extras on budget airlines; it started with being charged for food and drinks and has gradually extended to having to pay to check in luggage or for “speedy boarding”.
Ryanair, however, has taken the art of charging for “extras” to another level!
Stansted Airport has once again been rewarded for maintaining a focus upon environmental management despite aiming to increase its passenger numbers. In 2005, the airport was awarded the IS014001 certificate which honours the successful management of environmental issues. It is currently the biggest airport in the United Kingdom to have been given this award.
The global financial crisis is certainly having an effect on passenger numbers at airports. Figures recently released for the month of June show a decrease for London’s Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
Whilst London City airport has just predicted that, they will not experience an overall drop this year, they expect growth to slow down.
BAA has launched an extensive information and consultation programme before it continues with expansion at Stansted Airport.
