So, in addition to the difference of a single letter in their airport codes, what are the major differences between flying from Stansted and flying from Luton? From the top
- Stansted isn't in the middle of an industrial site (Vauxhall) with the only way in being through the suburbs of the town. It really must be hell in the summer.
- Stansted hasn't (yet decided to impose) a "drop off" charge. The net effect of this in Luton is that the approach road gets jammed up, as people use the roundabout nearest the terminal as the dropping off point.
- Luton hosts plane spotters! The layout is such that the dedicated get an excellent view of the runway from just outside the terminal. I presume there are vantage points in the countryside around Stansted, but always imagined that anyone whipping out a large pair of binoculars close to security fence would find themselves bundled into the back of Transit by men in balaclavas.
- Stansted has an architect designed terminal. Luton has a large cast iron shed hosting shopping opportunities with the need to process air travellers an inconvenient distraction. The lack of air conditioning in the "security area" suggests they must be on a percentage fromm Boots for sales of bottled refreshments, as the last time I was that uncomfortable in a queue for security was in BGI one summer when they were refurbishing the terminal. Oh, and the vending machines that I thought were dispensing gobstoppers were actually charging £1 for four plastic bags into which to place your toiletries.
- At Stansted I've yet to hear a check in agent having to ask a passenger "Are you sure you're flying today? Are you sure you're flying from Luton?", but that's probably just chance.
Having made my way into the central shopping...sorry...lounge area I am in an unusual position; I have no idea of what gate I'll be going from. Normally it's a very safe bet that it'll be Gate 81 in the domestic terminal at Stansted, so I can wander down to the relative peace of that area. Here I have to sit (luckily with the opportunity to cradle a beer as it's a Sunday afternoon and do not have to drive at the other end) and indulge in people watching. Very little evidence of the shell suit / trackie stereotype, but very many groups of young women running through the terminal pulling wheelie bags. I conclude that they are the same group, going round and round, paid for by some scheme to give the place a "buzz",
When called to the gate, there's the slightly bizarre arrangement where instead of being segregated into Speedy Boarding / Everybody Else queues before going through the gate, here you pass through the gate as one mass and then wander into either the Speedy Boarding area or the Eveybody Else area just as you wish. If they tried that at Stansted on a Monday morning, to a man or woman they'd all be heading for the Speedy Boarding section.
Then to the flight itself. And, apart from flying at 23000 rather than 37000 feet, I could have been on my normal flight headed north of the border. Exactly the same announcements, exactly the same experience. And that's it. All I can say about the flight. Does what it says on the orange tin.
I have to admit that CDG is a bit different to EDI. Taxiing to the terminal takes almost as long as the flight (at one point seemingly we're about to take the motorway into Paris) and I spot (I think) an Air France A380, which doesn't often appear in Edinburgh.
All in all, rather like getting the 7.18 to Kings Cross (albeit that on that service removal of belts is frowned upon)
We can get better, because we're not dead yet
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