Once you have navigated the train to the main terminal building (which can certainly be classed as an "experience"), arriving into STN is otherwise not too bad. I would recommend flying into STN to try the new F, rather than flying out.

In addition, to the STN ‘experience’ there is a possible CD issue. The distance limit out of (and to) STN is 50 miles vs 70 miles for LHR and LGW. And the ‘including all London postcodes’ addition also does not appear for STN. As it is now driven miles based rather than ‘as the crow flies’ (the red circle on the website is a bit misleading).
This can force you into a taxi or on the Stanstead express rather than the Emirates car. :(

Agree about the STN experience! Its not great! I prefer it though as it saves me having to go into London.

Look, ref my previous : I don’t want to over-state things ........ STN is not a horrid airport and I’m conscious that there are far worse out there. But I just feel it’s not really suited to a quality long-haul experience.

I was there last week (for a Ryanair hop to Slovakia, nice little trip) and the fast-track lane - access for which came bundled with my seat selection - seemed little faster than the standard lanes. Maybe I was unlucky on the day ...... but this was a mundane Tuesday morning in mid-October so nothing exceptional in terms of footfall ..... ie. not school holidays, not peak travel season. And the sheer number of shopping outlets you must pass through to get anywhere near a gate is a tad annoying, not least given the number of casual holidaymakers strolling along, four abreast, as though it’s all good fun ..... no sense of urgency of course (you will have gathered I enjoy finding cause to gripe :D)

On my return back to STN, it was a little strange (albeit not a surprise) to see the big EK 777 tail, so prominent and instantly recognisable, dwarfing all the s/h aircraft in serried rows alongside it on their stands. It was being prepped for its imminent evening departure, and I couldn’t help momentarily envying the pax sitting comfortably (those towards the nose, that is !) with drink in hand, en route to sunny DXB.

Absolutely agree if it works geographically for you. If you are North of London or anywhere in North London itself it will work fine.
I am in the far SE, and LGW is my airport of choice for that reason. I am 67 driven miles from LGW, so really get the maximum out of CD! I don't often fly F, but I doubt I would make the trek to STN just to have new 77W F over 380F (I would very much like to try new F though, maybe fly to BRU and then Eurostar to Ashford...:) )

Arriving into STN can be a superb experience. I have gone from airbridge being attached to getting into a chauffeur drive car with checked luggage in around 20 minutes - good luck with replicating that flying F to LHR! The departure experience is a bit poor, yes. Helps that I live close to Canary Wharf so STN is actually the quickest drive too.

Too bad CD is not available with award bookings.

Effective March 1, 2019, new Chauffeur-drive service reservations are not available in conjunction with Skywards Business and First Class Classic Rewards

Yeah I don't think that's news to anyone, but outright awards are terrible use of miles, anyway

True. I was out within 20 mins the time before last but last month it took 1hr due to my luggage being put into the Economy hold for some reason! That wasn't STN fault more to do with how EK handled the F luggage in DXB.

Be that as it may, some of us just don’t have the knowledge to be able to track this stuff, regardless of being shown a link to a website. So I apologize in advance of “stupid” questions.

Not necessary to apologise at all! Remember that the only ‘stupid’ question is the one that was not asked! Please feel free to ask, that is what FT is all about!

Better to ask a question and appear stupid for 5 minutes, than to never ask and forever be stupid.

Updated on November 13th 2019, are there only 7 of the retro-fitted bird in service ?

There are 9 77W’s with the new F: A6-EQH to EQP. Note these are not ‘retrofitted’, these are new frames which were delivered in this configuration. EQP was the last 77W to be delivered (on 30/11/2018). There are no plans to ‘retrofit’ as far as I am aware.
So that is all we’ll get. The new 77X is only due in 2021 it seems and I don’t think we know how that will be equipped.

One can create a custom fleet view on F24, and have a one-stop lookup for positioning of all these aircrafts with the new F.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5cadac1318.png