An interesting update from "Marni1971" of SSC (see airport thread) who attended a meeting and was talked through the current plans, which seem to be quite fluid.
Promising that a need is foreseen for 3 A380 contact stands...
Copy and paste below:
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From last nights TAS meeting with speakers from MAG about the airport redevelopment. I may have some bits mixed up but this is what I gather.
Car park work late 2016 into 2017
Pier one (west) starts to open 2018. Other Terminal building work continues.
Main works due to complete 2022. Current T2 remodelling into 2024.
Currently three piers planned. Option for 4th (west most). Using these designations and looking at the existing airside frontage I'm describing them numbered 4 1 2 3 from west to east.
Pier 2 has 3 A380 stands. Two contact at the moment. Third contact possible. Possible 3 air bridges for these.
Two options for pier 3. One is double sided with current pier C removed. Other is pier 4 one sided and pier c satellite removed. Pier c (minus satellite - roughly the 1974 structure) will then go single sided and connect into end of the new pier 3.
Plans showed retained pier b and terminal one southside frontage. Pier b new build?
Also terminal 3 as is with possible southern end removed. Also easterly extension.
Main north - south Taxiway will be two way from runway one, between hangers and pier b, all the way to new T2 pier 1. No bottlenecks. Only single way running when A380 is on the move (not enough space for another plane to pass A380 around the hangers corner). Also new complete taxiway parallel to runway one north of it. New taxiway lighting guidance system.
Inside the new terminal 2 looks very impressive. New building joined to old for large continuous spaces. Design and layout still evolving but looked very nice. Plenty of space and light. Minimal signage with new signage system.
Then came the radical redesign of the interior space:
Current departures level will be opened up. Landside area will push further into current airside. Current check in area will be more empty. Plenty of self check in kiosks.
Big change to check in desks. Instead of a long line of desks the line will be removed. 4 "tear drop shape" or huge triangular islands will house check in desks. Two in current building two in new building. These will spread from current check in desk positions through into what is now airside. They will also function as bag drops.
Moving past these is the airside line and new security area, roughly where today's duty free shop area is. Huge area. This will use all the space up to today's departure pier and south windows out onto the apron.
There are two new separate security areas. One in current building one in new. Both on current departures level. Having two Offers flexibility, option to close one when it's quiet, and help spread the load between two when busy. Also plenty of spare room for future security measures.
Another revelation is the entire departure lounge will be above here on a new upper floor. Each security check will flow into two new vertical circulation areas with lifts, escalators and stairs up to this new floor. One circulation area per security hall. And each will put passengers at opposite ends of the new floor. New floor is huge, the length of both old and new buildings and width from the apron to today's upper balcony above check in. All eateries, shopping and lounge area will be on this floor....
....apart from extra eating and seating, and airline lounges, which will be on yet another mezzanine level above the new departure floor.
Both these new floors will have large apron view Windows. I may be wrong but there may also be yet another part floor with more club lounge space above this.
The new departure floor also means the new piers will be taller, with pier lounge space and gate access on the same level as the new departure floor. No moving down a floor to the piers. Not sure if actual access to airbridge will still need stairs down like today.
Arrivals hall and baggage reclaim bigger. Lighter. Taller. New baggage system.
Ratio of airbridge / contact gates to remote gates swings much more towards contact gates.
US pre clearance area safeguarded but not a definite yet in the short term.
Metrolink line to Davenport green and hospital (Whythenshawe loop) protected with possible new station for T2. This could happen sooner than later.
Internal road network redesigned and tested to circa 2034. Includes new direct link from M56 roundabout into the drop off area as seen in the flythrough video.
Current budget is £850m. The one billion figure comes from inflation adjusted final figures by 2025.
Funded by MAG. Was explained as any expected 10/20/30 million - or more - additions that would have to be made to existing terminals over the next decade are all having their budgets pooled into this one pot.
Like I said it's a bit vague and still a work somewhat in progress. I've also probably forgot some things and made the odd error but I think that's the main points. Exciting times.
