LUTON
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I hear that the new departure lounge didn’t cope too well yesterday after a number of flights didn’t make it in due to fog. The chickens came home to roost with the airports policy of keeping seating to a minimum with passengers just wanting somewhere to sit and finding there was nothing to sit on apart for a cold floor. On all accounts the lounge resembled a refugee camp.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: west of the Tamar
Posts: 199
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can believe it. We flew out of Luton on a Monarch 757 on a Monday morning in early September, returning Monday lunch time 2 weeks later.
We were amazed that no seating was provided at the departure gates. What kind of twit designed the place? What happens if a flight is delayed when the pax have already gone through to the gate? Do they assume all pax are youngsters in their 20's and 30's? What about families with kids? Or maybe the "architects" haven't noticed the average age of the population is getting steadily older every year! Typical British bad design.
Another thing: the space provided at the gates was so limited that the queue for our flight was mixed up with the queue at the adjacent gate. You can just imagine the confusion as pax were continually asking each other if they were in the queue for the
right flight!
I hope the awfulness of the baggage reclaim area is just a temporary problem?
The airport also needs to sort out the service to passengers in wheelchairs. Our outbound flight missed its departure slot because no transport could be found to put passengers in wheelchairs on board the aircraft. On arrival back at Luton, disabled pax waited on board the aircraft 30 minutes after the rest of the pax had left, again due to non-availability of equipment. Arriving in the baggage reclaim area, no wheelchairs were available, and no-one we asked was able to locate one.
On the positive side (yes, their was one) the MON check-in girls were very efficient and pleasant.
Please, please, can LTN get things right for a change.
We were amazed that no seating was provided at the departure gates. What kind of twit designed the place? What happens if a flight is delayed when the pax have already gone through to the gate? Do they assume all pax are youngsters in their 20's and 30's? What about families with kids? Or maybe the "architects" haven't noticed the average age of the population is getting steadily older every year! Typical British bad design.
Another thing: the space provided at the gates was so limited that the queue for our flight was mixed up with the queue at the adjacent gate. You can just imagine the confusion as pax were continually asking each other if they were in the queue for the
right flight!
I hope the awfulness of the baggage reclaim area is just a temporary problem?
The airport also needs to sort out the service to passengers in wheelchairs. Our outbound flight missed its departure slot because no transport could be found to put passengers in wheelchairs on board the aircraft. On arrival back at Luton, disabled pax waited on board the aircraft 30 minutes after the rest of the pax had left, again due to non-availability of equipment. Arriving in the baggage reclaim area, no wheelchairs were available, and no-one we asked was able to locate one.
On the positive side (yes, their was one) the MON check-in girls were very efficient and pleasant.
Please, please, can LTN get things right for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The airport is to unveil its Draft Masterplan on monday. With all the rumours that have been flying around, it will be interesting to see if the new spanish operators come up with something really new and innovative for the future expansion & prosperity of the airport.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: London FIR
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
...it will be interesting to see if the new spanish operators come up with something really new and innovative for the future.
One of the main consultancy companies involved in this project is the firm that designed Hong Kong's Chep Lak Kok Airport.
The 'interim' plan if approved, will also be very interesting ~ and exceedingly challenging from an air traffic control and airspace perspective (not to mention local road infrastructure) given the expected timeframe and the slow speed at which improvement in such areas seems to be implemented.
What will really concentrate some highly-placed minds is the level of investment proposed for the entire project ~ interim and final ~ which could (subject to the usual permissions from the Town Hall) see some concrete being poured as early as the end of next year.
Clearly, ACDL isn't going to sink this amount of cash into the Luton development project and still accept playing 'second fiddle' to the likes of BAA at Stansted or having Luton continue to be treated as a peripheral 'regional' status airport.
A few sacred cows could be lined up for slaughter over the next five years...
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: London Whipsnade Wildlife Park
Posts: 5,040
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Word on the kerb is that the marshalling will be supplemented by the handling agents. So expect to see lots of 'Follow Me' wagons directing the Biz Jet arrivals all over the place quite soon!
I assume that they (the agents) will have all the required expertise, knowledge and training that the Rover's currently enjoy and meet all the CAA criteria?
How about Luton Borough Council re-deploying some of the Lollypop ladies to lend a hand!
I assume that they (the agents) will have all the required expertise, knowledge and training that the Rover's currently enjoy and meet all the CAA criteria?
How about Luton Borough Council re-deploying some of the Lollypop ladies to lend a hand!
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BBC local News reporting that LTN's expansion plans are to be released later this morning. Mentioned 5 x the present number of flights & more than a tripling of passengers by 2030.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North of 50N
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Airport management believe 30m pax could be reached 10 years earlier, by 2020. If new runways in the south are delayed slightly, they are predicting 23.5m pax by 2015. Tracked monorail system planned for new term plus replacement 3000m runway set 950mtrs to south of existing. Lots of new stands etc. Phew!!!
Wait for the nimbys to come out fighting.
Wait for the nimbys to come out fighting.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: A Virtual World!
Posts: 451
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Marshalling by Handling Agents
Interesting news that Buster. It was raised as an issue a couple of years ago but nothing came of it, allegedly as some (one) handling agent or FBO wasn't prepared to take on the liability it they screwed up whilst parking an aircraft.
Given the recent track record of one FBO when tugging aircraft, if I were one of their customers, I would be very concerned about this new proposal.
Given the recent track record of one FBO when tugging aircraft, if I were one of their customers, I would be very concerned about this new proposal.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Short-term proposals are for planning permission to be applied for in early 2006 to cover..
New stands on short-term car park.
Extension for a full length parallel taxiway.
Multi-story carpark near to terminal.
Extension to existing terminal.
Work on above hopefully completed by Oct 2007.
Revision of airport boundries( S & E) to cover planned new expansion.
Late 2006 Planning permission applied for 3000m full length runway south of exisiting + 65000sq ft south terminal + 35 new stands to be in operation by late 2011.
New control tower.
13.8m pax predicted in 2011, 23.5m by 2015 with provision of new runway & terminal. 5% oof ATMs expected to be Longhaul on 767/777 aircraft.
2015 Further expansion of terminal and ancillary facilities to cope with 30m pax by 2020(airport estimate) .
Seems bold and ambitious but will be fought tooth & nail all the way through the planning stages
New stands on short-term car park.
Extension for a full length parallel taxiway.
Multi-story carpark near to terminal.
Extension to existing terminal.
Work on above hopefully completed by Oct 2007.
Revision of airport boundries( S & E) to cover planned new expansion.
Late 2006 Planning permission applied for 3000m full length runway south of exisiting + 65000sq ft south terminal + 35 new stands to be in operation by late 2011.
New control tower.
13.8m pax predicted in 2011, 23.5m by 2015 with provision of new runway & terminal. 5% oof ATMs expected to be Longhaul on 767/777 aircraft.
2015 Further expansion of terminal and ancillary facilities to cope with 30m pax by 2020(airport estimate) .
Seems bold and ambitious but will be fought tooth & nail all the way through the planning stages
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Ask the tower !
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OLNEY 1 BRAVO rest assured, handling agents WILL be doing marshalling in place of the rovers !
powerjet1
what's wrong with the existing "new tower" ??
powerjet1
New control tower
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bacardi Walla
Good question. The brief just states that a new control tower would be built close to the new south terminal, viewing two new parallel taxiways that would be built for the replacement runway. New fire station too.
Exisiting runway would remain for use in emergencies, maintenance etc. The MD said on BBC local news when questioned about this said 'this is not included in the current 2030 project but beyond that who know'? .' The avaition world won't stop at 2030'.
Good question. The brief just states that a new control tower would be built close to the new south terminal, viewing two new parallel taxiways that would be built for the replacement runway. New fire station too.
Exisiting runway would remain for use in emergencies, maintenance etc. The MD said on BBC local news when questioned about this said 'this is not included in the current 2030 project but beyond that who know'? .' The avaition world won't stop at 2030'.
Resident insomniac
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
Age: 79
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Ask the tower !
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Exisiting runway would remain for use in emergencies, maintenance etc
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BW
Numerous reasons given but the main ones seem to be
1. Difficult & time consuming to construct due to topograpghy of land to east of runway.
2. Massive amounts of landfill required. Estimated at 1.14million lorry trips through country roads causing severe enviromental problems.
3. Lengthy runway closures of r/w so day to day ops badly affected.
4. Major stand & terminal construction on old landfill site east of delta taxiway.
Numerous reasons given but the main ones seem to be
1. Difficult & time consuming to construct due to topograpghy of land to east of runway.
2. Massive amounts of landfill required. Estimated at 1.14million lorry trips through country roads causing severe enviromental problems.
3. Lengthy runway closures of r/w so day to day ops badly affected.
4. Major stand & terminal construction on old landfill site east of delta taxiway.
As I understand it, it is a new replacement runway aligned with that of Stansted (i.e. 05/23 or thereabouts) and 10,000 feet long.
The existing 08/26 will be used as an emergency runway - but who is to say whether or not it would be brought back into use if the airport grows sufficiently!
The existing 08/26 will be used as an emergency runway - but who is to say whether or not it would be brought back into use if the airport grows sufficiently!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North of 50N
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Doors to Automatic ~ no, the proposed new runway at Luton (08R/26L) is +/- 3000 metres long and parallel to but offset slightly from, the existing runway 08/26.
The runways are not far enough apart to be operated 'independantly' and the noise-abatement turn from the current Runway 26 would preclude simultaneous take-offs.
The runways are not far enough apart to be operated 'independantly' and the noise-abatement turn from the current Runway 26 would preclude simultaneous take-offs.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North of 50N
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Strikes me yet again that LTN has no real plan and will carry on being a building site with it's own runway...
If you take the time to READ the Project 2030 proposal you'll (hopefully...) see that this is a plan, and whilst ambitious, it's feasible and has been costed by Luton's new spanish operators.
Most airports these days tend to be 'building sites' - you only have to look at LHR or LGW to realise this.
Luton's Project 2030 plan hasn't be dreamed up in the local town hall but is the result of extensive work by international consultants who have experience of successful airport development work in the US, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and Continental Europe.
Suggest you read and inwardly digest the facts before making such crass ill-informed comments.
