Originally Posted by
LTNman
Seeing you are asking the airport should be kept under the ownership of the council but greed and incompetence took over as income to LRT from the airport is being used for debt interest payments instead of dividends, which remain at zero.
If the airport was left at 18m then that would secure the airports future. It is now looking like LRT will borrow more money to finance phase 1 if approved, which further risks the airport of a takeover. The whole point of the concession is that the concessionaire takes the risks.
Let’s not forget that LRT is only here today due to a bailout by a council despite being created as a zero risk company to just collect concession fees and rents with no staff.
The town needs diversity not a single source employment choice for job creation where 24/7 becomes the only option.
These are all points I have said before so it is time to move on and get back to the airport, as no one is interested in my rants.
LTNman You have good intentions I am sure but I guess most of us in this forum are excited by the airport expansion and the benefits it brings to the town. You mention Luton being a 3rd world town and you mention 30 percent plus claiming some form of benefits. What you failed to mention is that a lot of residents are re-homed from other councils because (as an example) the likes of St Albans and Harpenden do not welcome the poor, In effect they want to be exclusive. Having read various comments over the years relating to the airport I recall statements in which they say they get ‘nothing out of it’.But they do. They have several thousand residents working at the airport and get to not offer social housing to outsiders and they; I am sure do not open their arms to migrants or boat people claiming asylum. The Government always sends these people to our town as they don’t want to upset those in South Hertfordshire! We need jobs to get people in work! The airport has the potential to turn around our towns fortunes! Finally wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.