LUTON - 3

[Powerjet1]

See yet again, easy have cancelled four of their nine scheduled departures, that were due to leave between 0600 - 0640 today. Staff shortages, sorry "operational reasons" no doubt!!!

[CAP493]

Any update on the proposed increase in cargo operations from Luton rumoured last spring?

Currently, commercially sensitive information but you won't be disappointed, and you won't need to burn the midnight oil to get photos...

[Daft bat]

Hanger 129 (Police helicopter)

Spoke to some blokes measuring the building and asked what they were doing they said they were surveying the building for Harrods.
Looks like Harrods have have a new base, I wonder if this is in addition to their existing building ?

[Buster the Bear]

Any truth in the rumour that the airport TBI/ACDL have asked ex staff inc those that have retired to return back to work in order to organise the check in queues within the tinminal? £6.50 per hour was mentioned?

I thought the Copper Chopper hangar days are now numbered? Is it not to be demolished?

[Powerjet1]

Originally Posted by Daft bat

Spoke to some blokes measuring the building and asked what they were doing they said they were surveying the building for Harrods.

Looks like Harrods have have a new base, I wonder if this is in addition to their existing building ?

Could this be in any way related to the proposed start of services of Silverjet, at the end of the year. They are supposed to be utilising the executive facilities of Harrods for their pax, so there may be some connection.

[ebenezer]

I thought the Copper Chopper hangar days are now numbered? Is it not to be demolished?

Looks like Harrods have have a new base, I wonder if this is in addition to their existing building ?

Demolished? Dunno! But the cunning plan (when the Police and Eagle Flight Training have left which will be by the end of the year) is to bring the level of the area outside this hangar to the same level as the existing Cargo Apron.

Then to extend part of the existing Cargo Apron northeastwards to create four additional narrow-body (or two wide-body) stands. (The northerly part of this area will have 'noise bunds' built.)

Harrods will move from the existing South Apron and 'terminal' to a new purpose-built exec terminal located near to their two hangars and will also then use part of the current Cargo Apron and the Stand 62 area (which might also be expanded).

Silverjet will operate from either the South Apron stands or Stand 16L with the pax being bussed to/from their aircraft (no doubt using newly-acquired limo-style executive buses with black reflective window glass, air cons, satellite TV and an on-board bar. They're also expecting to acquire some 767 aircraft steps that have built-in canopies.)

Absolutely no mixing it with the 'great unwashed' then (except on Luton's 1950s-style internal road system that leads down towards the Cargo Apron)

[andyafc]

Buster you are correct, even getting staff from management offices helping out to speed up the search process, aswell as securicor staff

[Buster the Bear]

Anyone here remember this view? I think that is Luton Relic in the hat, he hasn't changed much over the years!

[eggw relic]

I can honestly say that it is not me me in the hat, or one of the schoolboys although it could be vintage atco

[22/04]

I think the guy in the hat may actually be Harry King, who used to vist each Saturday in 1968 or so ( as I did). I guess the picture is from about then or a year or so later, with the AEL hangar clearly visible.

I don't think hye'll still be aound now. RIP

Mods please remove if I've borken any rules. Harry wouldn't mind though

[Buster the Bear]

DRIVERS BEWARE!

http://www.uk-airport-news.info/luto...ews-250806.htm

[Charlie Roy]

MALTA

A Malta connection seems ever more likely after it was confirmed today that both Ryanair and Easyjet have officially signalled an interest to operate the route. The offers came in response to a call for proposals from the Maltese government to low cost airlines to operate unserved routes deemed important to the Matese economy.

http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/...le_11265.shtml
"Ryanair offered to operate to Malta from Pisa, Dublin and Luton while Easyjet Airlines Co. Ltd. offered to operate from Luton and Mulhouse-Basel."

Easyjet seem to have gotten a head start, having sent a delegation team to Malta earlier this week. They have been meeting with various top politicans and authorities.
Ryanair on the other hand were keeping their cards close to their chest, and had signalled no intention to reply to the call for proposals (in fact a few months ago they said they were sick and tired of trying to negotiate with Malta and had given up). Then today, just hours before the deadline, Ryanair submitted it's reply to the call for proposals

Interesting to see what will come of all this... Eitherway a Luton to Malta service this time next year won't be a surprise to anybody.

[Buster the Bear]

Many years ago when Monarch introduced their Crown service, Malta was either flown for a while of was actively being considered. We are talking late 1980's though.

[BIZBOY]

Luton Flights downunder??????????????

Have just read the following in the September edition of "Australian Aviation"

Officials of both the UK and Australian Governments have signed an agreement to allow additional flights between the two countries.

It states "The current limit will be lifted paving the way for additional services to alternative UK airports such as Gatwick ,Manchester and Luton,from Brisbane ,Adelaide and Perth"

So any ideas why Luton is mentioned?.Is it just a fall back to the good old days of Brits 767s charters to Perth for "Austravel" or could it be a proposed Silverjet destination?

Anyway ,it is nice to hear that Luton is mentioned down this neck of the woods!!

[Buster the Bear]

Why was Luton mentioned.....very easy that one. Austravel launched low cost flights in the 1990's from Luton to Australia and New Zealand, so I guess that is why it is being spoken about?

Britannia B767 flew from Luton via tech stops in the Gulf and Singapore. Fares were at launch, massively cheaper than the 'flag carriers'.

Britannia were never really focused from Luton during the 1990's. A decline set in as the B737-200 fleet was replaced by B757's, the routes to Oz moved eventually to Gatwick, then stopped once general fares dropped and Britannia could earn more cash during the winter form the Hajj.

Amazing to think that TUI are now based just down the road!


Malta: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=37853

EDIT: Both easyJet and Ryanair were given landing slots into Malta. Both airlines refused to fly there citing the landing/handling fees. Maltese Govt then went back to both airlines with realistic fees allegedly, rumour has it etc!

[LTNman]

So has the passenger drop off zone been permanently moved to the short-term car park on the grounds of security? Is security the real reason now or has the airport got a hidden agenda seeing that the only vehicles allowed into the drop off area are the towns taxis whose drivers would all be picked out if passenger profiling was introduced.

The move to the short term car park was previously attempted around 2 years ago by the airport authority but they had to abandon it after only a few days when the great travelling public started to use the roundabout as an unofficial drop off and pick up area.

This time things are a bit different, more manpower is being used to directed traffic, part of the short term car park has been resurfaced with the wooden posts used to segregate the old car hire area being removed to open up the dead end routes. The cost of the extra manpower would be offset by a considerable amount by cars parking for more than 15 minutes as they wait for passengers.

[Buster the Bear]

Putting two and two together. Local rag has a large advert for Ramp Agents. Are DHL increasing their presence at Luton I wonder as the ad was placed by them?

[pabely]

Malta Daily

Originally Posted by Charlie Roy

A Malta connection seems ever more likely after it was confirmed today that both Ryanair and Easyjet have officially signalled an interest to operate the route. The offers came in response to a call for proposals from the Maltese government to low cost airlines to operate unserved routes deemed important to the Matese economy.

http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/...le_11265.shtml
"Ryanair offered to operate to Malta from Pisa, Dublin and Luton while Easyjet Airlines Co. Ltd. offered to operate from Luton and Mulhouse-Basel."

Easyjet seem to have gotten a head start, having sent a delegation team to Malta earlier this week. They have been meeting with various top politicans and authorities.
Ryanair on the other hand were keeping their cards close to their chest, and had signalled no intention to reply to the call for proposals (in fact a few months ago they said they were sick and tired of trying to negotiate with Malta and had given up). Then today, just hours before the deadline, Ryanair submitted it's reply to the call for proposals

Interesting to see what will come of all this... Eitherway a Luton to Malta service this time next year won't be a surprise to anybody.

As reported in Maltese Press today - within 9 weeks!
http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/por...d=246194&pid=1

[Powerjet1]

pabely

From the ryan news section of their website........
News Release
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RYANAIR PROPOSES NEW ROUTES FOR MALTA
Ryanair, today (30th August) confirmed that it had submitted proposals to the Maltese Government to fly three new routes to Malta International Airport from London Luton, Pisa and Dublin. The proposal is a response to the Maltese Government’s call to low cost airlines for offers to fly routes to the Mediterranean island.
Ryanair’s plan is to launch, on a year round basis, a daily service from London Luton starting on 31st October 2006, a three times weekly service from Pisa starting on 31st October 2006 and a three times weekly service from Dublin starting on 9th February 2007.
Announcing the proposals at a press conference in Malta today, Ryanair’s Deputy Chief Executive, Michael Cawley, said:
“Ryanair is very pleased to respond to the call by the Maltese Government to start routes to and from Malta International Airport. We have been encouraging the Maltese Government to promote the advent of low cost airlines as a solution to the declining tourism industry. The provision of a long-term, low cost regime at MIA is crucial to the success of low fares airlines and we welcome the initiatives by the Government to effectively reduce this cost over the long term. We believe this proposal is the start of a new era for Maltese tourism. The decline, which has been evident in their visitor numbers for some time, will now reverse and that success can be built upon with more growth which Ryanair is quite prepared to provide to Malta from its various bases throughout Europe in the coming years.
We commend the Maltese Government for this initiative and look forward to working with them in the future”.

[Buster the Bear]

In order to operate the Malta flight, what route or routes would Ryanair axe?

easyJet seem very keen to fly this route as well