Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[superking]

I think some thing like this should be highlighted every time there is a problem lie this. But lack of imformation is down to which ever airport it happens. If the airport is getting no imformation from the handleing agent,then some one from the airport should pick phone up and ask questions why bag reclaim has problems. If there is any imformation then post it on the screens ,people can handle that but can not handle nothing or bull s-it.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

My experience at BRS is that passport control usually doesn't take very long and once you made it through the bags are often already there or will appear within minutes. However, when I got back from CPH last week, it took Swissair about 50 minutes to get the luggage onto the belt. So people were waiting for 45 minutes. (Even more annoying if you only had hand-luggage but the airline announces half-way through boarding that all remaining bags must go into the hold.) The worst thing is there was simply no information whatsoever what's going on. On Twitter the airport just deflects blame onto Swissair, but the fact is this reflects badly on the airport itself, not least for not having someone there who can provide information and liaise with the baggage handlers. Other airports have displays that tell you how long it might take for the luggage to arrive, but not at BRS. Apologies if this is going a bit off-topic.

It's all part of the infrastructure picture so I think it' still relevant in this thread. I have a vague memory that BRS used to show delivery times for baggage onto the carousel. Perhaps that system disappeared when the carousel area was increased in size a few years ago.

I agree that the airport has a vested interest in the efficiency of its airline partners' handling agents - most people blame the airport not the airlines or Border Agency when things go wrong - so I wonder if they do exert at least gentle pressure to try to ensure that things run smoothly.

 

[kraktoa]

A new and unexpected problem has raised its head.

The line of traffic waiting to enter the rapid pickup car park beside the terminal is causing jams all the way in the front of the terminal. This is the £1 for 10 min parking pick up area.

So buses that ferry passengers from the silver zone car parks is also routinely delayed. Passengers are going to miss flights.

Add to the mix the opening of the new multi storey car park, which will use the same road and you have a mega disaster waiting to happen.

Only solution i see is to discontinue the rapid pick up and make acess to multi story via the side downside road

 

[kraktoa]

It's all part of the infrastructure picture so I think it' still relevant in this thread. I have a vague memory that BRS used to show delivery times for baggage onto the carousel. Perhaps that system disappeared when the carousel area was increased in size a few years ago.

I agree that the airport has a vested interest in the efficiency of its airline partners' handling agents - most people blame the airport not the airlines or Border Agency when things go wrong - so I wonder if they do exert at least gentle pressure to try to ensure that things run smoothly.

The contracts for the handling agents is outside the control of the airport. Its a business decision between the airline and the tendering agents. Lowest tender usually wins. To get low tenders they cut corners with staffing. Passengers pay the price and the airport can do nothing about it. Their only option would be to threaten airline that they wont allow their flights. The odds that The Queen will throw a hissy fit at the Royal Wedding are better than the possibility of Airport cancelling EZY flights.

And oh yeah the airport have plans to reduce the number of baggage belts in international arrivals from 6 to 5.

 

[andrewgreen]

The contracts for the handling agents is outside the control of the airport. Its a business decision between the airline and the tendering agents. Lowest tender usually wins. To get low tenders they cut corners with staffing. Passengers pay the price and the airport can do nothing about it. Their only option would be to threaten airline that they wont allow their flights. The odds that The Queen will throw a hissy fit at the Royal Wedding are better than the possibility of Airport cancelling EZY flights.

And oh yeah the airport have plans to reduce the number of baggage belts in international arrivals from 6 to 5.

P
What’s the reason for the reduction in baggage belts ?

 

[kraktoa]

P
What’s the reason for the reduction in baggage belts ?

Expansion of the electronic gates area possibly.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A new and unexpected problem has raised its head.

The line of traffic waiting to enter the rapid pickup car park beside the terminal is causing jams all the way in the front of the terminal. This is the £1 for 10 min parking pick up area.

So buses that ferry passengers from the silver zone car parks is also routinely delayed. Passengers are going to miss flights.

Add to the mix the opening of the new multi storey car park, which will use the same road and you have a mega disaster waiting to happen.

Only solution i see is to discontinue the rapid pick up and make acess to multi story via the side downside road

The airport has plans to reorganise the road layout on the Northside. It's set out in the phase 2 consultation documents. When it will occur is anyone's guess.

The road in front of the terminal can be become very crowded with buses.

I've seen people miss the A2 to Weston before now as it drives slowly along the outside of a line of stationary buses at the bus stops but fails to see would-be passengers and they aren't always alive to the situation. I had to stand between two parked buses once to flag down the A2 but it didn't stop. It was held at the security barrier giving me time to catch it up and bang on the door. The driver said he hadn't seen me.

And oh yeah the airport have plans to reduce the number of baggage belts in international arrivals from 6 to 5.

easyJet's policy of not putting a weight limit (only size) on cabin bags might have a bearing with fewer passengers opting for checked baggage on easyJet flights. Just a suggestion.

 

[Marko1]

[QUOTE="TheLocalYokel, post: 140249, member: 56"


easyJet's policy of not putting a weight limit (only size) on cabin bags might have a bearing with fewer passengers opting for checked baggage on easyJet flights. Just a suggestion.[/QUOTE]

I can only think is somehow a retrograde step because if they want to grow the amount of baggage and flights arriving together will grow. Surely not true is it ?

 

[Foxlimayankee]

A new and unexpected problem has raised its head.
The line of traffic waiting to enter the rapid pickup car park beside the terminal is causing jams all the way in the front of the terminal. This is the £1 for 10 min parking pick up area.
So buses that ferry passengers from the silver zone car parks is also routinely delayed. Passengers are going to miss flights.
Add to the mix the opening of the new multi storey car park, which will use the same road and you have a mega disaster waiting to happen.
Only solution i see is to discontinue the rapid pick up and make acess to multi story via the side downside road

Also the majority of passengers currently will be heading either to the rapid pickup/drop off or over to silverzone. With the MSCP there will be an increase number of people walking down to Northside road and crossing at the crossing by the old car hire. A constant flow of people often causes a backlog on the road going either way, because it's a pedestrian crossing rather than lights. Cars can be stuck at the crossing if there's a continual flow of people. Is there, or will there be a new bridge installed going over the road into the car park?

The contracts for the handling agents is outside the control of the airport. Its a business decision between the airline and the tendering agents. Lowest tender usually wins. To get low tenders they cut corners with staffing. Passengers pay the price and the airport can do nothing about it. Their only option would be to threaten airline that they wont allow their flights. The odds that The Queen will throw a hissy fit at the Royal Wedding are better than the possibility of Airport cancelling EZY flights.

And oh yeah the airport have plans to reduce the number of baggage belts in international arrivals from 6 to 5.

Not strictly true. Handling Agents hold licences with the Airports to operate there. With that comes a levels of contractual targets and agreements. At LGW fines and bonuses are enforced. Not sure if that happens elsewhere. If a handler isn't performing, the licence can be revoked, leaving it the Airlines problem to sort. It's rare to see but is possible.

Airlines can be the point of blame for low paying contracts to handling agents. Airlines want to pay the lowest price to turn the aircraft around. This results in low pay and tight staffing. That's great when all of your staff are in work, but the slightest bit of sickness or other flights delayed off the normal schedule the staffing is planned for can throw up it's own problems.
Also bear in mind the like of EZY and FR with their hand luggage policies. FR now tag most bags at the gate unless you're priority. That could mean up to (or over!) 100 bags to load at the gate. Add in 20-60 checked in bags. Times that by 2 for the inbound and outbound bags together, you're talking 300-400 bags, which is that of TUI/TCX baggage amounts. And EZY/FR expect that to be done in 25 minutes!​

 

[kraktoa]

Yes there will be a bridge from terminal to the MSCP but it will be built when the coach interchange or whatever they call it will be built. Guess 2-3 years down theline.

Until then, the passengers will be walking on the numerous zebra crossings delaying buses and vehicles.

The traffic lights at the Downside junction is already causing problems and tailbacks all the way into the terminal

Deja vu from 2017

 

[kraktoa]

The 2 security bollards at the 2 ends of the terminal forecourt have been malfunctioning regularly.

They changed the bollard from the 2 cylindrical metal ones that sink underground to a large single piece bollard that also sinks below ground to let vehicles pass. Problems persist.

I think the airport should seriously consider moving the taxi rank pick up from the forecourt to the car parking zone. The number of taxis that pick up passengers is vast in number and it all adds to the wear and tear of the bollard.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The 2 security bollards at the 2 ends of the terminal forecourt have been malfunctioning regularly.

They changed the bollard from the 2 cylindrical metal ones that sink underground to a large single piece bollard that also sinks below ground to let vehicles pass. Problems persist.

I think the airport should seriously consider moving the taxi rank pick up from the forecourt to the car parking zone. The number of taxis that pick up passengers is vast in number and it all adds to the wear and tear of the bollard.

It's not rocket science surely to provide bollards that are of sufficient durability to cope with continuous usage.

On more than occasion I've seen a line of buses and coaches parked all along the main entrance road trying to enter the road in front of the terminal but could not because the entry barriers were stuck. Passengers were getting off and walking along the pavement with their luggage to reach the terminal. On other occasions I've seen buses and taxis trapped in front of the terminal because the exit barriers had jammed.

All this was with the old-type barriers. I'd assumed, obviously wrongly, that the new barriers had made such problems a thing of the past.

 

[kraktoa]

Stuck yesterday behind 2 bendy buses packed to the rafters with silver zone passengers, about 5 taxis and the Plymouth Falcon. All waiting to get out f the forecourt

Took 15 mins to sort after engineering were called. Frustating for all. If you have arrived from a hub like Amsterdam having travelled from far away countries those extra 15 mins will seem like hours.

The coach and bus interchange will sort it all out and take most of the traffic away. But that is about 2 years away?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

[QUOTE="kraktoa, post: 140954, member: 6081"
The coach and bus interchange will sort it all out and take most of the traffic away. But that is about 2 years away?[/QUOTE]

I don't know what the timescale is for the interchange.

 

[alphagolf]

Wales 247 reports on topping out of the new fire station at Bristol Airport

https://wales247.co.uk/amp/rm-willi...re-station-project/?__twitter_impression=true

 

[superking]

What happened with the media over this side of the water reporting about the topping out the roof.

 

[alphagolf]

What happened with the media over this side of the water reporting about the topping out the roof.

Bristol Post only ever reports negatively, so they wouldn't take a second glance at anything positive.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

R & M Williams of Cardiff are the contractors for the new fire station. Welsh construction companies doing well out of BRS - perhaps it's some payback for the number of 'Welsh' passengers that use the airport.

Alun Griffiths Contractors of Abergavenny (I think they are now owned by the Tarmac) have carried out major projects at BRS in recent years - they were also the main contractor for the South Bristol Link Road - and I believe they are currently involved in some construction on the Southside entrance.

 

[kraktoa]

https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/sun-seekers-could-soon-catch-1595611.amp


Whilst it is useful to know that a train link to Bristol is still a possibility to use the word ‘soon’ in the article above is terribly misleading to their readers.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/sun-seekers-could-soon-catch-1595611.amp


Whilst it is useful to know that a train link to Bristol is still a possibility to use the word ‘soon’ in the article above is terribly misleading to their readers.

It's a straight lift from an 'article' in Bristol Live (which is how the Bristol Post website now seems to be styling itself) the other day. Both Bristol Live and Devon Live are part of the Trinity Mirror group of regional 'newspapers'.

Trinity Mirror continually attaches misleading headlines to their reports.