Wow big news...
Congratulations to Wizz and LTN on securing the deal!
Being the kinda guy, whose glass is half empty and not half full, I wonder if a bit of the announcement might be "smoke and mirrors"...(?)
Going by the new routes announced, I'm not sure there is enough to cover 4-5 aircraft being based at the airport, so I wonder if a number of existing routes might switch to being operated by LTN based aircraft? Then that frees the aircraft up at other bases to open new routes.
For example the new aircraft could easily do a quick there and back rotation to Budapest or Warsaw, first thing in the morning and be back at LTN for midday-ish and then fly to Tel Aviv or Larnaca in the afternoon/evening...
The proof will be in the pudding, with the number of inbound Wizz Air flights first thing in the morning. I think at present, we see about 13-15 inbound and on the ground between 7.00-8.30am.
Can we assume by this announcement, Wizz Air has swallowed up Monarch's slots, or with the new apron space and parallel taxiway coming online soon, these slots were going to be available regardless?
I've flown Wizz numerous times this year and have been really impressed with them, friendly crew, nice aircraft and been on time.
BUT, a part of me is slightly disappointed, it is not a new airline or one of airports smaller customers expanding. As I do feel the airport is heavily dominated and too reliant on easyJet and Wizz.
I think the airline is making a sensible decision to not get entangled and involved in a price war on the summer routes to the likes of Spain and Portugal.
I do wonder if we will reach a point where Wizz cannot expand any further east of Germany, from Luton, as they have nearly every market sown up between London and eastern/central Europe? I wonder if the airline might look further afield to expand from Luton, possibly the likes of Moscow and St Petersburg, with a UK registered aircraft, as I believe two UK airlines can operate the route and since easyJet dropped it, there is room for a second airline to take up these rights. With them buying a stake in some Turkish Airline, I wonder if we will see them operate to Turkey more and they are very successful on the Dubai routes from cenral Europe, and that could be achievable with an A320/321neo from Luton.
Here's a nice InfoGraphic!
