Ryanair Luton expansion
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Luton Full
A Belgium AF C130 has been sent packing to night stop at Cranfield as Luton could not provide a stand for a night stop. Stands 9L, 60 and 61 are still under construction while stands 46 and 47 still has the easy tent on it. Ryanair moved in their second LTN based 737 over the weekend, which has already had an impact while another 2 go into service next week if a space can be found.
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Belgian C-130
LTNMAN - not strictly true. The Herc wanted a stand that it could taxi straight off from as it didn't have a towbar ... the Kuwaiti Hercs bring a towbar with them. These sort of stands don't exist at Luton any more. A request to reverse off of a nose in stand was declined ... as such requests always are.
Moreover I'm told that none of the handling agents knew it was coming .. otherwise it might have been told to bring a towbar.
I agree the parking situation at Luton is a mess ... but not the airports fault on this occasion.
Moreover I'm told that none of the handling agents knew it was coming .. otherwise it might have been told to bring a towbar.
I agree the parking situation at Luton is a mess ... but not the airports fault on this occasion.
Thread Starter
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So did this flight turn up out of the blue?
Did it have a tow bar?
Did the OP's 'Bunker' know of the flight and its intentions well in advance, thus affording its arrival a stand in their stand allocation plan?
Did the Belgian Air Force contact a handling agent ahead of its arrival?
When was the last BAF C130 movement at Luton?
Did a handling agent inform the 'Bunker'?
LTNman, please give us all more detail please?
How did the RYR advertising lights look as they shone toward the Tinminal this evening?
Did it have a tow bar?
Did the OP's 'Bunker' know of the flight and its intentions well in advance, thus affording its arrival a stand in their stand allocation plan?
Did the Belgian Air Force contact a handling agent ahead of its arrival?
When was the last BAF C130 movement at Luton?
Did a handling agent inform the 'Bunker'?
LTNman, please give us all more detail please?
How did the RYR advertising lights look as they shone toward the Tinminal this evening?
aceatco, retired
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As I am sure you know, LTNman, from the other lists you are on, the real reason is the C130 didn't have a tow bar with it and the airport does not permit powerbacks, allegedly.
Why are you always so negative about Luton?
Why are you always so negative about Luton?
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Sometimes I might appear to be negative but I really am LTN’s number one fan. Negative posts from me are quite rare and are normally directed at how passengers see “our airport” like the state of the short-term car park.
I spent too many years sitting on the passengers services committee representing passenger’s interests to know that passengers interests were not a high priority with TBI management. We would battle for year over little things like the bus shelters that don’t protect passengers from the rain or the fact that 30 people can’t fit in a bus shelter built for 10. The excuses came think and fast. The bus shelters could not be expanded, as this would affect terminal evacuation. Even the smallest things like the analogue clocks that used to sit by the departure boards all showing a different time was never resolved. I had an 18-month battle trying to get no smoking stickers placed on each side of the bins within the terminal instead of the existing single sticker which always seemed to face the walls. Another failure as nothing was done.
Anyway that is all history now as the airport closed the group down. I sometimes wonder if I was part of the reason for the groups demise. The other passenger representatives were councillors and members of the travel trade who only ever came to the airport for the meetings. I was different, I had the insider information as the airport is my place of work so it was me that had the killer questions. Looking back though I can’t think of a single achievement the group actually made.
But lets look to the future. LTN is on an unstoppable roll with new owners with money to burn and Ryanair making big plans. It is a good time to be a fan of the airport right now.
I spent too many years sitting on the passengers services committee representing passenger’s interests to know that passengers interests were not a high priority with TBI management. We would battle for year over little things like the bus shelters that don’t protect passengers from the rain or the fact that 30 people can’t fit in a bus shelter built for 10. The excuses came think and fast. The bus shelters could not be expanded, as this would affect terminal evacuation. Even the smallest things like the analogue clocks that used to sit by the departure boards all showing a different time was never resolved. I had an 18-month battle trying to get no smoking stickers placed on each side of the bins within the terminal instead of the existing single sticker which always seemed to face the walls. Another failure as nothing was done.
Anyway that is all history now as the airport closed the group down. I sometimes wonder if I was part of the reason for the groups demise. The other passenger representatives were councillors and members of the travel trade who only ever came to the airport for the meetings. I was different, I had the insider information as the airport is my place of work so it was me that had the killer questions. Looking back though I can’t think of a single achievement the group actually made.
But lets look to the future. LTN is on an unstoppable roll with new owners with money to burn and Ryanair making big plans. It is a good time to be a fan of the airport right now.
Last edited by LTNman; 14th Jan 2005 at 07:22.
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I agree the parking situation at Luton is a mess ... but not the airports fault on this occasion.
The reason that stands 60 and 61 are not yet completed is that an 'uncharted' gas main was identified running underneath/adjacent to the works and the only company that can deal with such things is Transco. Unfortunately (like many of the United Kingdom's companies) over Christmas and the New Year - a particularly long break this year - it reduced to skeleton staffing and was unable to give the necessary work any priority.
The airport does not permit powerbacks, allegedly...
It depends on the stand in question and the aircraft''s size; it's either a strategically planned event or if not anticipated, a tactical decision made at the time by the Airport Duty Manager.
Previous comments regarding the handling agents and pertinent questions to prospective operators are correct. Maybe on this occasion, the questions just weren't asked by anybody and the operator simply assumed.
However, it's surprising that one couldn't have been 'borrowed' from say, Marshalls at Cambridge or from a handling agent/FBO who is also at Stansted, for example.
Sounds like a bit of a
by the operator and/or handling agent - not LLAO!
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quote:-
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"I was different, I had the insider information as the airport is my place of work so it was me that had the killer questions"
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Ah LTNman - what elegant modesty...
Love to all
Fast Eddie.
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"I was different, I had the insider information as the airport is my place of work so it was me that had the killer questions"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ah LTNman - what elegant modesty...
Love to all
Fast Eddie.
