Possibly a stupid question but how many more 737 sized airframes could be accommodated at Luton overnight in July with initial departures around 6 am or 7 am (along with the rest of the morning rush), not just for ramp space but also passenger security screening capacity of the terminal ?
Wizzair, bases an A320 at the airport between June and September, and has done so for the last two or three years. (Maybe nightstop would be a better word to use than, basing an aircraft at LTN)
That aircraft operates to Split and Debrecon, departing at around 6am every morning to one of these two destinations which operate alternate days. Debrecon is a new destination and unfortunately dropped Dubrovnik, which they previously operated, in it's place.
There probably is space at the airport to add 3-4 additional aircraft, to be based and parked up over night...
The airport is currently back up to passenger numbers of around 2005 and 2006, Back then charter traffic at the airport was healthier, with the likes of Thomson basing around four aircraft at the airport during peak season and the likes of First Choice and Thomas Cook/MyTravel (whatever they were called back then) each basing an A320 during the summer months. Also in that time, the likes of easyJet and Ryanair have tweaked schedules and routes, but their aircraft numbers have remained pretty much static at LTN,
Wizzair has plugged a lot of the gap in the terms of bringing passenger numbers back up to where they are now, but other than their lonesome A320 during the summer months, they base no other aircraft here.
At the present time, Im not sure the airport would want to be actively seeking or intending to base new aircraft at the airport, due to the strain the current terminal gets at present during peak hours (6am and 8am departures). As well as all the based aircraft leaving during this time you also have 6-8 Wizzair aircraft fly in and out around this time too!
I think where the airport could really make some increases in traffic and not impact on the passenger experience through the airport is to gain more routes outside of peak hours, by trying to attract more foreign carriers to the airport. For example the likes Germanwings, Norwegian, Pegasus and Air Berlin...
This could work quite well for the airport, as the first aircraft would arrive around 8.30 in the morning, just as peak traffic dies down and the last of these airlines daily routes would be departing around 9.30pm at night to return to their respected bases. Just before the late evening arrival rush begins.
I love trying to run the airport from my armchair!
Are their any easyJet or Ryanair flights operated by non-based LTN aircraft, also how many aircraft and types does Thomson have based at the airport this summer?