I'll be arriving at STN on a KL flight at 9:30 AM and I am booked on a separate ticket to depart at 2:00pm. There is an earlier flight out at 10:40am and maybe others that I would like to get on if they let me. Can one transit STN without arriving, i.e. get off the incoming and find a transit desk to check in for the next flight and hope to be placed on an earlier one? If so, how much time is estimated based on this airport's layout and size?

There are remote terminals (used by FR) and a main terminal. Note sure which one KLM UK would use.

If you are connecting onto a Ryanair flight, I doubt if you can transit to the next flight as FR doesn't even interline its own flights. You'll have to reclaim your bags and then recheck in. FR wants a change fee on top of positive fare differences in their favour (but nothing for you if the fare difference is in your favour).

The remote terminals require use of a people mover (automated guided bus).

Thanks! I will be arriving and departing on KL. My ideal situation would be to arrive on the flight from AMS, walk off the jetbridge, approach the gate counter and ask to check in for the same metal going back. I don't know if all arrivals from AMS have to go through UK customs and immigration.

Have no idea how it'd work but it sounds a more probable situation than if you were on a FR flight. Not sure if you can check your bags AMS-STN-AMS.

BTW, it's Stansted.

Gotit, Stansted. I'm wondering if I can arrive on a KL flight from AMS, walk to a transit desk and try for a flight earlier than I am booked on, perhaps on the same plane I arrived on. The website does not have a terminal layout drawing.

I guess it all depends where your other flight is going to:

From the website:

International to UK connections
If you arrive on an international flight to transfer to a UK domestic flight, you are required to pass through passport control, to collect all baggage and clear H.M. Customs before reporting at check-in for the connecting flight.

International flight connections
If you are connecting from one international flight to another you do so via the terminal. For the terminal follow the signs for 'flight connections and baggage' and use the transit system to the connections area, on arrival at the terminal go to the right of passport control.

Monitors will display information relating to your next flight departure.

Toilets, refreshments and the opportunity to purchase tax and duty free goods are available in the terminal and satellites.







[This message has been edited by LHR Tim (edited 03-19-2002).]

Thanks, arriving on KL from AMS and outbound on KL to AMS. Without a terminal layout, the words, "via the terminal" threw me when I read them. The full description sounded like it is a long circuitous route through a departure lounge ala LHR because of some security related funneling of all arriving pax. I was hoping someone familiar with the terminal layout would confirm or tell me it is really a quick trip to a transit desk near the arrival gate in a small airport.

[This message has been edited by Warrenlm (edited 03-19-2002).]

Sounds like you're doing a points run :-)

The gate agent for the earlier flight may be able to help you. Failing that you could try the lounge (just opposite gate 33/34)

If you do have to leave and come back in then be careful with the time. I flew STN-AMS last night, the fasttrack lane was closed and I spent 20 mins queueing to clear security. :-(

- Dambus

Thanks, Dambus, is the Fast Track open only to premium pax or do they include status customers? I figure I will ask in AMS about changing flights to the immediate turnaround but expect to be told to ask in STN. Hence the wish to avoid the immigration and circle route. What did you mean by leave and come back in? The terminal itself (mindful of the words on the website implying moving between terminals) or just the security zone?

[This message has been edited by Warrenlm (edited 03-20-2002).]

It's a couple of years since I had to transit at STN but at that time if you didn't already have a boarding card for your onward flight you had to leave bagage claim and check in at the public check-in desks.

If you already have a boarding pass (for an international connection) you can go from baggage claim back into the departure lounge.

Either way, you still have to take the train-shuttle to the main terminal building and then back again to your gate (min round trip time of 15mins or so).

Since you're getting off one KLM flight and on to another (hand lungage only, right?) you may be able to check in at the gate and not travel to the main terminal.

If you have to check in at the normal check-in desks in the main terminal and your are short of time then ask for a last boaring card and/or a green Fast Track sticker (also available for SW/RW).

Whew! Hope this helps!

- Dambus

Thanks! The train shuttle discussion helped me understand what they meant about going to the terminal nd the timeframe associated with it. Wish they had a terminal map on their site. I'm going to try everything to avoid wasting 4-5 hours in STN airport. thanks for the details.

Just in case someone searches for info on STN in the future and comes upon this thread, I'll wrap it up with some facts from this weekend's visit.

-STN is 50 minutes by Express Train from Liverpool station. Cost is 35 pounds business class return, 24 pounds economy, I think. Trains run every 15 minutes during most of the day.
-The airport is primarily for the leisure traveler on the discount airlines. It seems very underutilized except at early morning checkin. Two concourse areas are in use and I gather the third could be used. The concourses are connected to the terminal by a transit train. Trip takes about 5 minutes on the train itself.
-Arriving pax have to go through immigration and customs, enter the main terminal to get to the checkin counters, then go through security and reach a departure lounge. (There is a direct route for transiting pax bypassing immigration but it was not in use when I was there.)
-Departure Lounge has many shops and one or two restaurants. Also one shower in the restroom area.
-There are two separate security screening tracks, separated between EU and non EU. One is very light and used for Fast Track...ask for a sticker when checking in.
-There is an Executive Services Lounge near the KL gates run by KL but open to all willing to pay 5 pounds a head.
-I have the feeling that I could have rushed the whole route and made it onto the plane heading back to AMS if there had been room, but there was not.



[This message has been edited by Warrenlm (edited 06-30-2002).]