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Gatwick airport overbridge
Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge
that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It opened in 2005, and was designed to be high enough for the then-largest aircraft using Gatwick, the 747-400, to pass underneath. The only other such airbridge over a taxiway (in Denver) is much smaller, only being high enough for 737s to pass underneath. Of course, Gatwick North Terminal now sees regular A380s, which are slightly too high to pass under the bridge, while no 747s currently serve the North Terminal (which will soon change, as Virgin is moving to it). I happened to pass over and under it last month, possibly for the last time in a while, as BA is moving back to the South Terminal, so I took some pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/reclin...57675681821364 There's more about its construction he http://www.ingenia.org.uk/Content/in...21/samaras.pdf |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message , at 14:41:32 on
Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 14:41:32 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 15:57:27 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Roland Perry wrote: In message , at 14:41:32 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 15:57:27 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Roland Perry wrote: In message , at 14:41:32 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. That's the end of the long pier (it's a long hike from there to the terminal). It's nowhere near the South terminal main building. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. No, it's less walking than most Gatwick North gates, and much shorter than the end of the long Gatwick South pier that you wanted to connect to. Your idea would make it an incredibly long hike to Immigration. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. Which is completely painless, and you end up right by the station. In fact, it's so painless that I usually park in the cheaper South Terminal long stay car park even when using the North Terminal. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 16:25:49 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. That's the end of the long pier (it's a long hike from there to the terminal). It's nowhere near the South terminal main building. I expect they have traveltors. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. No, it's less walking than most Gatwick North gates, Nonsense! You walk straight pasta number of gates on the north side of the bridge. and much shorter than the end of the long Gatwick South pier that you wanted to connect to. Your idea would make it an incredibly long hike to Immigration. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. Which is completely painless, It's time-consuming. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 16:25:49 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. That's the end of the long pier (it's a long hike from there to the terminal). It's nowhere near the South terminal main building. I expect they have traveltors. Yes, and it's still a long hike, unless you just stand still on them. You've obviously never used the gates at the far end of that long, long pier. I have, and too often. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. No, it's less walking than most Gatwick North gates, Nonsense! You walk straight pasta number of gates on the north side of the bridge. Far fewer than from most of the North Terminal gates. I get the impression you've hardly ever used Gatwick? and much shorter than the end of the long Gatwick South pier that you wanted to connect to. Your idea would make it an incredibly long hike to Immigration. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. Which is completely painless, It's time-consuming. Indeed, all of two minutes. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-21 14:41:32 +0000, Recliner said:
It opened in 2005, and was designed to be high enough for the then-largest aircraft using Gatwick, the 747-400, to pass underneath. The only other such airbridge over a taxiway (in Denver) is much smaller, only being high enough for 737s to pass underneath. Of course, Gatwick North Terminal now sees regular A380s, which are slightly too high to pass under the bridge, while no 747s currently serve the North Terminal (which will soon change, as Virgin is moving to it). It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-21 15:57:27 +0000, Recliner said:
Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It's certainly preferable to any stupid shuttle train arrangement - the problem with shuttle trains is that you have a waiting time involved in your journey which, as they do not operate to a timetable, is unpredictable. But then so's a walk through a tunnel, with travelators if appropriate. If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. If a shuttle train runs every 5 minutes, I have to allow 5 minutes plus the transit time. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 17:14:06 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Roland Perry wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 16:25:49 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. That's the end of the long pier (it's a long hike from there to the terminal). It's nowhere near the South terminal main building. I expect they have traveltors. Yes, and it's still a long hike, unless you just stand still on them. You've obviously never used the gates at the far end of that long, long pier. I have, and too often. Actually, I have. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. No, it's less walking than most Gatwick North gates, Nonsense! You walk straight pasta number of gates on the north side of the bridge. Far fewer than from most of the North Terminal gates. I get the impression you've hardly ever used Gatwick? Dozens of times. Including quite a bit of Easyjet from that new(ish) pier. and much shorter than the end of the long Gatwick South pier that you wanted to connect to. Your idea would make it an incredibly long hike to Immigration. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. Which is completely painless, It's time-consuming. Indeed, all of two minutes. If you've just missed a train, and only one is running, it's quite a long time. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message , at 18:12:21 on Sat, 21
Jan 2017, Neil Williams remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-21 18:18:33 +0000, Roland Perry said:
In message , at 18:12:21 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Neil Williams remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. That's irrelevant to my point. My point was that however long it takes, it is a predictable amount of time that will always be the same, unlike a transit train. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-21 18:17:32 +0000, Roland Perry said:
If you've just missed a train, and only one is running, it's quite a long time. Indeed. I have a great dislike of these transit shuttle things. I vastly prefer a tunnel with travelators *even if it takes longer*, as you are not at the mercy of something else. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 17:14:06 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Roland Perry wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 16:25:49 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It's also a complete pain in the arse. Why didn't they connect to the South Terminal instead? It's nowhere near the South terminal, so your question makes no sense. It's 200m from the nearest bit of the south terminal. That's the end of the long pier (it's a long hike from there to the terminal). It's nowhere near the South terminal main building. I expect they have traveltors. Yes, and it's still a long hike, unless you just stand still on them. You've obviously never used the gates at the far end of that long, long pier. I have, and too often. Actually, I have. Why don't you like it? It's more convenient than getting to the T2 satellite at Heathrow, and much more scenic. It makes the route-march to immigration even longer. No, it's less walking than most Gatwick North gates, Nonsense! You walk straight pasta number of gates on the north side of the bridge. Far fewer than from most of the North Terminal gates. I get the impression you've hardly ever used Gatwick? Dozens of times. Including quite a bit of Easyjet from that new(ish) pier. and much shorter than the end of the long Gatwick South pier that you wanted to connect to. Your idea would make it an incredibly long hike to Immigration. And then you have to take the shuttle all the way back to the South terminal to catch a train. Which is completely painless, It's time-consuming. Indeed, all of two minutes. If you've just missed a train, and only one is running, it's quite a long time. About five minutes wait. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 18:12:21 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Neil Williams remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2017-01-21 14:41:32 +0000, Recliner said: It opened in 2005, and was designed to be high enough for the then-largest aircraft using Gatwick, the 747-400, to pass underneath. The only other such airbridge over a taxiway (in Denver) is much smaller, only being high enough for 737s to pass underneath. Of course, Gatwick North Terminal now sees regular A380s, which are slightly too high to pass under the bridge, while no 747s currently serve the North Terminal (which will soon change, as Virgin is moving to it). It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. The longer delay in Gatwick North is at Immigration at busy times, as there aren't nearly enough ePassport readers. You can easily queue for 20 minutes, by which time your bags will have arrived on the belt. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 20:49:18 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If you've just missed a train, and only one is running, it's quite a long time. About five minutes wait. That's long enough to miss a train at the railway station, and if the next one is 15 minutes later, you might then miss your connection to a 1tph train out of London. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-sept ember.org, at 20:49:18 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-sept ember.org, at 20:49:19 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. The longer delay in Gatwick North is at Immigration at busy times I was enroled in the Iris scheme, so no delays (apart from having to fail to get the Iris machine to recognise me, which then put you at the head of the manual queue). -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Thanks for the photos, they are very good. They made me think of that episode of Thunderbirds that involves landing a Concorde-like plane.
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Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -sept ember.org, at 20:49:18 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. It's still much quicker, and more interesting, than getting to many other Gatwick gates, particularly if you're coming from one of the business lounges. Anyway, with BA moving south, and all easyJet operations now being based in the North terminal, I don't expect to be using it much in the future. It used to be a nice terminal before easyJet moved in, but is now too crowded, and will only get worse. I just hope that BA hasn't degraded Virgin's excellent Flying Club lounge in the South terminal too much during the conversion. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -sept ember.org, at 20:49:19 on Sat, 21 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. The longer delay in Gatwick North is at Immigration at busy times I was enroled in the Iris scheme, so no delays (apart from having to fail to get the Iris machine to recognise me, which then put you at the head of the manual queue). I thought that IRIS was discontinued years ago (have you not flown in the last few years)? So you'll now be in the same long queue as everyone else. That can easily delay you by 20 minutes. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-22 09:27:36 +0000, Recliner said:
I thought that IRIS was discontinued years ago (have you not flown in the last few years)? So you'll now be in the same long queue as everyone else. That can easily delay you by 20 minutes. Correct, it was replaced by the e-gates. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 09:27:36 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-sept ember.org, at 09:27:36 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. The longer delay in Gatwick North is at Immigration at busy times I was enroled in the Iris scheme, so no delays (apart from having to fail to get the Iris machine to recognise me, which then put you at the head of the manual queue). I thought that IRIS was discontinued years ago (have you not flown in the last few years)? Not much, and not from Gatwick North. But I felt significantly inconvenienced when I did. So you'll now be in the same long queue as everyone else. That can easily delay you by 20 minutes. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -sept ember.org, at 09:27:36 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: It is certainly an impressive piece of engineering - and because Gatwick haven't got anywhere with the practicalities of you getting your luggage within a reasonable time of landing, you usually have plenty of time to stroll over it slowly and admire it, too. The longer delay in Gatwick North is at Immigration at busy times I was enroled in the Iris scheme, so no delays (apart from having to fail to get the Iris machine to recognise me, which then put you at the head of the manual queue). I thought that IRIS was discontinued years ago (have you not flown in the last few years)? Not much, and not from Gatwick North. But I felt significantly inconvenienced when I did. The ePassport queues have got worse and worse, as more people have got chipped passports and have learned how to use the gates. At one time, the majority preferred the manual queue, but as fewer desks are now manned, most EU citizens now use the gates. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 09:27:36 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. Not compared to the ones down to the Heathrow T5 transit or the T2 walkways: https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/28105847650/in/album-72157671130714396 |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 11:00:04 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: The ePassport queues have got worse and worse, as more people have got chipped passports and have learned how to use the gates. At one time, the majority preferred the manual queue, but as fewer desks are now manned, most EU citizens now use the gates. Only two more years to go. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message 563270497.506775297.963474.recliner.ng-
, at 11:01:33 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. Not compared to the ones down to the Heathrow T5 transit or the T2 walkways: https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/28105847650/in/album-72157671130714396 Looks about the same to me. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ck_North_Termi nal_escalator_up_to_Pier_6_passenger_bridge.JPG -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message 563270497.506775297.963474.recliner.ng- , at 11:01:33 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. Not compared to the ones down to the Heathrow T5 transit or the T2 walkways: https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/28105847650/in/album-72157671130714396 Looks about the same to me. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ck_North_Termi nal_escalator_up_to_Pier_6_passenger_bridge.JPG No, that's clearly much shorter. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 11:00:04 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: The ePassport queues have got worse and worse, as more people have got chipped passports and have learned how to use the gates. At one time, the majority preferred the manual queue, but as fewer desks are now manned, most EU citizens now use the gates. Only two more years to go. Really? EU citizens are very likely to continue using the ePassport gates post-Brexit. After all, visa-free movement is likely to continue; what's likely to be restricted is employment (ie, getting an NI number) and access to benefits. Even now, many non-EU citizens can use them: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPas...es#Eligibility At present, British citizens, European Economic Area citizens and citizens of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States who are enrolled in the Registered Traveller Service,[1] can use ePassport gates, provided that they are aged either 18 and over or 12 and over travelling with an adult and holding valid biometric passports. ---- Similarly, I was surprised to see that I could use the equivalent gates in New Zealand. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 22.01.2017 12:28 PM, Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 09:27:36 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. -- Roland Perry I'm going to suggest you never visit the Lufthansa terminal at the (generally outstanding) Munich airport - moving between the two piers there combines a couple of extremely long escalators *and* a transit shuttle... (Under rather than over the taxiway in that case.) Of course, nowhere can match Stansted for sheer awfulness - the slow and infrequent transit shuttle there just being the icing on the cake of passenger-hating crap if you have the misfortune to arrive at a remote gate. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message , at 11:44:25 on Sun, 22 Jan
2017, Clank remarked: If it takes me 2 minutes to walk over that bridge (say), unless I'm injured I know it will always take that. It's much more than 2 minutes. It's about 200m long, and has travelators, so two minutes is about right. What about the escalators up and down? OK, so add another minute. They are extremely long escalators. I'm going to suggest you never visit the Lufthansa terminal at the (generally outstanding) Munich airport - moving between the two piers there combines a couple of extremely long escalators *and* a transit shuttle... (Under rather than over the taxiway in that case.) That has very little relevance to the relative convenience of Pier 6 being attached to the North vs South terminal. -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
In message
-septe mber.org, at 11:30:53 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: They are extremely long escalators. Not compared to the ones down to the Heathrow T5 transit or the T2 walkways: https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/28105847650/in/album-72157671130714396 Looks about the same to me. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ck_North_Termi nal_escalator_up_to_Pier_6_passenger_bridge.JPG No, that's clearly much shorter. fsvo "much" - counting the steps about a third shorter. But why does greater inconvenience at Heathrow excuse deliberate inconvenience at Gatwick? -- Roland Perry |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On Sun, 22 Jan 2017 13:33:28 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 11:30:53 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: The ePassport queues have got worse and worse, as more people have got chipped passports and have learned how to use the gates. At one time, the majority preferred the manual queue, but as fewer desks are now manned, most EU citizens now use the gates. Only two more years to go. Really? EU citizens are very likely to continue using the ePassport gates post-Brexit. After all, visa-free movement is likely to continue; what's likely to be restricted is employment (ie, getting an NI number) and access to benefits. That's going to stop people working illegally, not. They'll be able to come in via Ireland in any case. Even now, many non-EU citizens can use them: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPas...es#Eligibility At present, British citizens, European Economic Area citizens and citizens of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States who are enrolled in the Registered Traveller Service,[1] can use ePassport gates, provided that they are aged either 18 and over or 12 and over travelling with an adult and holding valid biometric passports. I'm genuinely surprised by that. I have an Australian ex-colleague who often complains about being grilled by UK Immigration about why they are such a frequent visitor here. [The reason being, they are in effect in transit to several different EU countries, but like to break the trip for a few days in London]. I should see if they are eligible to use the ePassport gates. I think they have to join the Registered Traveller Service to do so. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On Sat, 21 Jan 2017 14:41:32 +0000, Recliner
wrote: Anyone who travels through Gatwick has probably seen the overbridge that connects the North Terminal to its pier 6. This is the world's highest and longest passenger bridge over an active taxiway, and I think it's rather elegant. It opened in 2005, and was designed to be high enough for the then-largest aircraft using Gatwick, the 747-400, to pass underneath. The only other such airbridge over a taxiway (in Denver) is much smaller, only being high enough for 737s to pass underneath. Of course, Gatwick North Terminal now sees regular A380s, which are slightly too high to pass under the bridge, while no 747s currently serve the North Terminal (which will soon change, as Virgin is moving to it). I happened to pass over and under it last month, possibly for the last time in a while, as BA is moving back to the South Terminal, so I took some pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/reclin...57675681821364 There's more about its construction he http://www.ingenia.org.uk/Content/in...21/samaras.pdf Thank you for those very interesting pictures. -- John Ray |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-22 11:44:25 +0000, Clank said:
Of course, nowhere can match Stansted for sheer awfulness - the slow and infrequent transit shuttle there just being the icing on the cake of passenger-hating crap if you have the misfortune to arrive at a remote gate. Agreed there, Stansted is a terrible airport in just about every way. They got to start from scratch on a greenfield site, too, so there is no excuse for just how awful it is. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On 2017-01-22 13:45:01 +0000, Recliner said:
They'll be able to come in via Ireland in any case. For a time. I have a feeling Brexit will push NI in the direction of a majority view in favour of rejoining the Republic, then there will be a hard border. Within 10 years I think the UK will consist of England and Wales. And only Wales because on its own it'd be like Albania; it depends too much on England's economy. Neil -- Neil Williams Put my first name before the @ to reply. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On Sun, 22 Jan 2017 13:37:46 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 11:30:53 on Sun, 22 Jan 2017, Recliner remarked: They are extremely long escalators. Not compared to the ones down to the Heathrow T5 transit or the T2 walkways: https://www.flickr.com/photos/recliner/28105847650/in/album-72157671130714396 Looks about the same to me. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ck_North_Termi nal_escalator_up_to_Pier_6_passenger_bridge.JPG No, that's clearly much shorter. fsvo "much" - counting the steps about a third shorter. But why does greater inconvenience at Heathrow excuse deliberate inconvenience at Gatwick? Where's the 'deliberate inconvenience' in Gatwick? Your Bellysian plan would be far worse, and more expensive to boot. The current pier 6 works well in Gatwick, and it would be unacceptable if linked to the end of an already overlong pier by an even longer, higher bridge than it has now. The only acceptable link to the South terminal would be an underground shuttle, which is overkill for an 11 gate pier. You also seem to think that the south terminal has enough spare capacity for another 11 gates. It doesn't. |
Gatwick airport overbridge
On Sun, 22 Jan 2017 14:35:14 +0000, Neil Williams
wrote: On 2017-01-22 11:44:25 +0000, Clank said: Of course, nowhere can match Stansted for sheer awfulness - the slow and infrequent transit shuttle there just being the icing on the cake of passenger-hating crap if you have the misfortune to arrive at a remote gate. Agreed there, Stansted is a terrible airport in just about every way. They got to start from scratch on a greenfield site, too, so there is no excuse for just how awful it is. Not an excuse, but a one word explanation: Ryanair. It has enough of the business through the airport to be able to veto any plans that would make it better. And Ryanair doesn't give a fig if that makes the airport less popular with other airlines' customers. |
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