Reply on: AxLu #256432:
The racks are there for passengers to put their luggage there. If they don't put it there, they take up space and reduce passenger capacity. It also makes no sense to remove these racks, since the vehicles that are used on line 61 are also used on line 40 to the Bus Station, which makes these vehicles used by tourists and residents with permanent residence outside of Bratislava. In addition to the vehicles that had these racks removed, DPB removed them to increase passenger capacity in the vehicle, because these buses run on lines on which passengers occasionally carry luggage. These buses originally ran on line 61 to the airport, later they were replaced by trolleybuses.
AxLu
With some of Ryanair’s and Wizz Air’s flights being moved from Vienna to Bratislava, the load on this line has noticeably increased. Lately, I’ve repeatedly had a very unpleasant experience travelling on it, most recently yesterday.
The long trolleybuses with luggage racks have a really cramped interior – partly because of these racks, and partly because the doors open inwards.
Yesterday, on top of that, a short trolleybus – probably from the backup fleet – was put on the line. Considering the current passenger numbers, it was absolutely inadequate and travelling was extremely uncomfortable.
I believe that with the ongoing growth in passengers, especially due to the frequent and convenient flights from Bratislava, the situation needs to be looked at systemically. This is not just my personal experience – I’ve heard similar complaints from several friends who regularly commute to and from the airport for work.
If line 61 is still to serve as a main connection to the airport, its capacity and operational setup probably deserve a serious discussion.