With the builders compounds going by November, which will free up 2 stands, Ryanair have grabbed their last chance to base more aircraft at Luton for what could be several years. Interestingly on the TV last night the airport person (sorry no idea who he was) said that Ryanair are tough negotiators and it has taken two years to get the deal. From the airports point of view maybe Ryanair with their higher capacity aircraft is a better option than another couple of low capacity easyjet 319's and that they wanted to get away from the Easyjet / Wizz dominance. On the other hand Ryanair might have been the only bidders.
Reading the airport passenger reviews makes for depressing reading particularly since the completion of the departure lounge where passengers still moan about the same things they have been moaning about at Luton for years. The number one hate seems to be the lack of seating and queuing. Well one thing is for certain, if they thought 2018 was bad then come back for 2019 when things will be worse with even more passengers. I see Luton as a chicken factory, passengers come in through one door, and are then processed and are then dispatched minus their feathers.
Come 2019 the only outstanding work regarding the 18 million passenger upgrade will be the new taxiway Foxtrot and the extension to the taxiway at the 26 end both of which have yet to be started. Other independent works include the CTA's second multistory, which will open in the Autumn of 2019 and the DART link that might open in 2021 although in my eyes it hasn't really got going yet. With the brand new dual carriageway needing to be dug up for the cut and cover tunnel it will be interesting to see how far past Luton Airport Parkway the traffic queues will be for next year when the extra passengers arrive coupled with the pending digging out of the tunnel route.
I have been around the airport since the 1960's and have watched every new build. The transformation can only be described as total. The only reference point is the old Britannia hangar which is now painted orange. Remembering the days even in the early 1990's when staff outnumbered passengers on a winters afternoon when the last flight of the day had departed.
Last edited by LTNman; 24th Aug 2018 at 07:05.