Originally Posted by
davidjohnson6
With the apparent move of SunExpress to Stansted next year... it seems Luton is relying on a few very large eggs in its basket. If Easyjet and Wizzair were to merge in 2 years time, that would leave one airline with an awful lot of leverage at LTN
Anyone able to say why SunExpress are leaving, and what airlines might potentially be lured to LTN ?
Not being privy to their decision-making process, I presume that Sun Express intend to move from LTN to STN because of slot availability. It is clear that the ludicrous 18m pax cap is stultifying organic growth, especially amongst the smaller airlines at the airport. Ryanair and TUI have both applied for extra slots and been thwarted. Other airlines (like Jet2) can see that there is no opportunity at Luton to build a viable base, so they don't even apply.
From a geographical point of view, Luton is ideally placed for growth, but the lack of a national infrastructure strategy, public sector sclerosis, and general short-termism have deprived the UK of the opportunity of a conveniently-located major airport.