LUTON
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Constucting the terminal to the south of the runway would have proved impossible. This is due to the fact the airport is almost right next door to the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire border and this idea would have meant the terminal being built in Hertfordshire. This is something I can assure you Herts council would have fought desperately. Not only that, the land is anything but flat. It would have made no economical sense to flatten the land out, not to mention re-alligning the roads and demolishing people's homes.
Surely an airport which has seen its passenger useage rise from around 1.9 million in 1994, to just under 9 million nowadays per annum, and the fact it posts considerable profits proves it's efficient?
Last edited by LTNman; 25th Jun 2005 at 22:40.
Join Date: Nov 2004
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After tax and after paying Luton council £11.8 m in fees the airport made 16p profit per passenger in 2004
The Concession Agreement with Luton Council is a real moneyspinner for the local worthies and councillors (not that they appear to spend their £11.8m on anything tangible or innovative...) but it's a major handicap for the airport operating company because it prevents effective competition with its main business rival, BAA Stansted which continues to use cross-subsidies to support its Stansted charging regime.
But rest assured, if the Concession hadn't been devised and let, and Luton Council had continued to run (or should that be run down...??) Luton Airport, you wouldn't be seeing the investment that's currently taking place nor the passenger or movement figures.
Given the thoroughly incompetent way in which Luton's councillors and the previous airport management ran the Airport for the twenty years 1980 until 2000, it's probable that had it stayed 'in house' Luton would by now, have become the Lydd of the northern Home Counties.
The present management incumbents are at least commercially-minded and street-wise: but they're running the business - much to the approval of BAA - with 'one hand tied behind their backs'!
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Quote from an old document still on the airports website “ The new terminal building is designed for a passenger throughput of approximately 5 million passengers”
Well the space allocated to each passenger must have been generous in the extreme as the terminal still has plenty of space with its present day 8.3 million passengers or was this “slight” underestimate a way of avoiding a public inquiry in the late 90’s?
So would anyone like to guess what the true capacity of Luton is without the long term prospect of moving south of the runway which must be around 10 years away at a minimum? The next priorities for the airport must be sorting out the drop off zone and bus station, which was already at capacity 2 years ago according to a report. The mowing down of a bus queue yesterday will add urgency to this. No point in adding stands for more aircraft if passengers can’t get to the terminal.
Well the space allocated to each passenger must have been generous in the extreme as the terminal still has plenty of space with its present day 8.3 million passengers or was this “slight” underestimate a way of avoiding a public inquiry in the late 90’s?
So would anyone like to guess what the true capacity of Luton is without the long term prospect of moving south of the runway which must be around 10 years away at a minimum? The next priorities for the airport must be sorting out the drop off zone and bus station, which was already at capacity 2 years ago according to a report. The mowing down of a bus queue yesterday will add urgency to this. No point in adding stands for more aircraft if passengers can’t get to the terminal.
Join Date: Dec 2002
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A point regarding "a new terminal to the south would have to be built in Herts" - it would not: lets not forget the wonderful example of Gatwick.
Was due to be built on its current site, when the site formed part of the county of Surrey. Surrey said that they could not provide fire cover and West Sussex said they could so the boundary was changed around the airfield and West Sussex now have the world's buisiest single-runway airport within their county.
Its been done before and it can be done again.
Jordan
Was due to be built on its current site, when the site formed part of the county of Surrey. Surrey said that they could not provide fire cover and West Sussex said they could so the boundary was changed around the airfield and West Sussex now have the world's buisiest single-runway airport within their county.
Its been done before and it can be done again.
Jordan
Join Date: Apr 2004
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But that is exactly the plan in project 2030 to be revealed before the years end.
Think of the infrastructure that needs to be built? It would cost millions. Parkway station is completely the wrong side as well to it and that would render that practically useless.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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It might be madness but the airport can only expand in one direction and that is south. The other option is not to expand beyond say 10- 12 million and to stay within its existing boundary, there are no other choices available. No one is saying that the existing infrastructure will be abandoned but the town could get a major new airport attached to the old airport
This was posted here last month:
ENVIRONMENTALISTS fear a group of developers and landowners have joined with
Luton Airport operators to pressure for building on Green Belt land near
Harpenden.
The group, calling itself the South East Luton Strategic Alliance (Selsa),
owns or has option to buy land stretching from East Hyde to Breachwood Green
and as far as Offley.
London Luton Airport has joined with local landowners and developers to
promote the Selsa concept of planned and phased development linked with
enhanced and new transport infrastructure on land either side of the airport
to the south and east of Luton.
"SELSA is based on the simple idea of using existing transport links and
others which are planned in a combined and co-ordinated fashion".
A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said it was not part of the alliance,
but confirmed that the developers involved are Legal and General, Bloor
Homes, Crown Estates, Newcomb Estates, New Road Limited and Redway
This was posted here last month:
ENVIRONMENTALISTS fear a group of developers and landowners have joined with
Luton Airport operators to pressure for building on Green Belt land near
Harpenden.
The group, calling itself the South East Luton Strategic Alliance (Selsa),
owns or has option to buy land stretching from East Hyde to Breachwood Green
and as far as Offley.
London Luton Airport has joined with local landowners and developers to
promote the Selsa concept of planned and phased development linked with
enhanced and new transport infrastructure on land either side of the airport
to the south and east of Luton.
"SELSA is based on the simple idea of using existing transport links and
others which are planned in a combined and co-ordinated fashion".
A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said it was not part of the alliance,
but confirmed that the developers involved are Legal and General, Bloor
Homes, Crown Estates, Newcomb Estates, New Road Limited and Redway
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Parkway station is completely the wrong side as well to it and that would render that practically useless.
The existing Parkway Station would no longer serve the Airport.
The platforms of the new station would also be long enough to take all Midland Mainline trains instead of only its 'Meridian' services.
Don't forget also that Abertis (one of Luton's new holding company's partners) builds and operates major roads in Spain and so construction of the required road links - subject to planning approval - would not necessarily have to wait for the local councils or the Dept of Transport to get off their ar**s!
We're not talking Luton Borough Council fag-packet designed piecemeal development here - we're talking big-time strategic thinking by a world-class company whose operations in Spain alone, put BAA firmly in the shade.
What you see at present is only the interim arrangement...
Join Date: Apr 2004
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A new station would surely put Parkway out of the picture. Not many 'locals' use it with I'd say at least 75% of its pax going to/from LTN airport.
There currently is an old station with an overgrown platform on the midland main line, called Chiltern Green. You can see it to the right going towards Harpenden.
Maybe this could make a comeback, although think it only has 1 overgrown platform left.
There currently is an old station with an overgrown platform on the midland main line, called Chiltern Green. You can see it to the right going towards Harpenden.
Maybe this could make a comeback, although think it only has 1 overgrown platform left.
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There is a report on LTN's new facilities at the bottom of the page at http://www.abtn.co.uk/ The report also states that LTN probably now has Europe’s busiest executive jet operation
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Just read on the net The Shakespeare pub will be closing down and not moving to the new lounge. This is a massive shame, its been there for donkeys years, and I've enjoyed a couple of drinks there passing through.
Join Date: Oct 2002
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what a shame.
don't think I've ever passed through LTN without stopping off in the Shakespeare for one reason or another....even when working for the Orange Order
cheers
FF
don't think I've ever passed through LTN without stopping off in the Shakespeare for one reason or another....even when working for the Orange Order
cheers
FF
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Friday 01 July remains the target opening date with Monday 04 July as the reserve opening date.
Monday 04 July currently, looks more likely.
However, the really critical date is the weekend of 22nd/23rd July when the schools break up and a maximum holiday exodus takes place.
Monday 04 July currently, looks more likely.
However, the really critical date is the weekend of 22nd/23rd July when the schools break up and a maximum holiday exodus takes place.
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True, but probably no one outside the business knows it is meant to happen this weekend, and if Joe Public finds he can't buy a beer or someting to eat, or do the things you normally do while waiting for a flight because of the probs, they will not be happy.
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The last I heard was that the shopping mall including the duty free shop, bar and food outlets are going to be cleared out and the area is to become landside offices. This area was only built and opened in 2000 after the check-in area was moved to the new terminal in 1999.
The carpeted area beyond the shops will remain open and will receive passengers from the new departure lounge via the existing pier. Costa Coffee and the upstairs coffee shop will remain open.
The carpeted area beyond the shops will remain open and will receive passengers from the new departure lounge via the existing pier. Costa Coffee and the upstairs coffee shop will remain open.