Originally Posted by
HarryHolden68
Without more drastic schedule cuts, T5 lacks capacity for the current schedule. Unless they crack on with the D satellite and get it operating this year?
With US pre-clearance.
And a suite of lounges including a mini CCR?
While we are at it, can F passengers get a car to the aircraft steps too?
I can dream can't I? But the D satellite looks more and more appealing. Much better than giving away all of of your cash as dividends. To me anyway.
T5 has an overall capacity of 35m passengers, right now, and it was approaching capacity back in 2019 - now, I doubt it's the case. It's worth pointing out that the pinch points - i.e. what constraints passenger numbers - aren't actually that visible to the customer. They are, from memory and in no particular order
1. Transfer Baggage capacity at input points (in other words, at peak times you have a queue of baggage trains trying to offload their loads)
2. Stands. Even by putting off-pier/on remote stands any aircraft that sits for more than 6 hours on the ground, LHR is >90% busy (well, was before Covid)
3. Security checkpoints
Over the years there have been improvements to baggage (larger bag store) and security, with the dual lanes going up from "ready to fly", but a big issue is stands. You just can't build more of them and a T5D might help, but only slightly (you might be able to squeeze about 5 more stands, I guess, by rearranging the layout there). And it'd be a massive b*tch to build, for it'd require:
1. Moving the fuel farm
2. Moving the fire department station, which is there for a reason
3. Giving up some important off-pier stands during the building phase.