LUTON - 6
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I would have thought it was the airport that decided to go down the £1 barrier route although who stumped up the money and how it is split I guess we will never know.
Other prices have come down like the free 1 hour parking in the mid term, which is only £2 if a car stays for up to 2 hours. But if too many passengers start to be dropped off in the car park then this will also create its own problems, as the bus can only cope with around maybe 15 cars worth of passengers at say 3 passengers per car. Well 15 cars can shoot through the tunnel in less than a minute so is this really the fix the airport is hoping for?
With a single bus running between various stops in the car park and the terminal a 10 minute service is the best that can be hoped for unless a second bus is put on the route. With a morning traffic jam in the tunnel this 10 minute service is no doubt often late just when it is needed most.
Got to say this year’s problems are different from the issues the airport has had over the last few years. Before the single entry and exit barrier together with cars parking up while their drivers waited for passengers would cause congestion during peak periods through out the day. Now it only seems to affect the morning peak while the other 22 hours of the day the roads seem fine. This peak is not helped by the fact that cars heading for the drop off zone, the short term car park and the staff car park all use the same exit point now on the former roundabout.
Apart from reversing the flow of traffic into the drop off area, which most people think would fix all issues I can’t see what else would help. No doubt the airport must have considered this and must have a very good reason not to go down this path but with barriers and number plate readers now in and working reversing the traffic flow has now got much more expensive if they go down this path.
The bottom line is that there is no point in building new aprons so that more aircraft can be based at Luton or even extending the terminal because the road layout in the central area can’t cope now so the airport has effectively reached or gone beyond capacity.
Other prices have come down like the free 1 hour parking in the mid term, which is only £2 if a car stays for up to 2 hours. But if too many passengers start to be dropped off in the car park then this will also create its own problems, as the bus can only cope with around maybe 15 cars worth of passengers at say 3 passengers per car. Well 15 cars can shoot through the tunnel in less than a minute so is this really the fix the airport is hoping for?
With a single bus running between various stops in the car park and the terminal a 10 minute service is the best that can be hoped for unless a second bus is put on the route. With a morning traffic jam in the tunnel this 10 minute service is no doubt often late just when it is needed most.
Got to say this year’s problems are different from the issues the airport has had over the last few years. Before the single entry and exit barrier together with cars parking up while their drivers waited for passengers would cause congestion during peak periods through out the day. Now it only seems to affect the morning peak while the other 22 hours of the day the roads seem fine. This peak is not helped by the fact that cars heading for the drop off zone, the short term car park and the staff car park all use the same exit point now on the former roundabout.
Apart from reversing the flow of traffic into the drop off area, which most people think would fix all issues I can’t see what else would help. No doubt the airport must have considered this and must have a very good reason not to go down this path but with barriers and number plate readers now in and working reversing the traffic flow has now got much more expensive if they go down this path.
The bottom line is that there is no point in building new aprons so that more aircraft can be based at Luton or even extending the terminal because the road layout in the central area can’t cope now so the airport has effectively reached or gone beyond capacity.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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LTNman - I wouldn't exactly say that El Al didn't stay long at STN - they served it for the best part of 14 years! Without wishing to restart an old argument, STN has had greater success with national/major airlines than LTN has had (and probably will have), and a few have stuck around for prolonged periods, over 10 years in some cases ie Cyprus, CSA, Luxair, Air Malta. Unfortunately, times and markets change (Lufthansa/SAS/Continental post 9/11, KLM with the lowco boom, Luxair/CSA scaling back ops), and the reasons that some others have only had short stays are that traditionally LGW/LHR slots have been more sought after and carriers have operated ex-STN as a short term measure (eg Aeroflot St Petersburg, Cubana, Croatia, Air Molova more recently).
Tommy,
You evidently have not been following this thread. The reasons Stansted was more successful than Luton in attracting airlines over the years are two:
1. It was cross-subsidized by BAA from Heathrow and Gatwick, and
2. The BAA marketing machine directed airlines looking for slots away from Heathrow and Gatwick to their less popular and more remote airfield in Essex.
It is quite remarkable that such a large number of airlines have failed at Stansted, despite the subsidies. Now that the playing field is more level, airlines are increasingly choosing Luton, with a shorter runway and smaller terminal, simply because it is far more economical and convenient for their passengers.
You evidently have not been following this thread. The reasons Stansted was more successful than Luton in attracting airlines over the years are two:
1. It was cross-subsidized by BAA from Heathrow and Gatwick, and
2. The BAA marketing machine directed airlines looking for slots away from Heathrow and Gatwick to their less popular and more remote airfield in Essex.
It is quite remarkable that such a large number of airlines have failed at Stansted, despite the subsidies. Now that the playing field is more level, airlines are increasingly choosing Luton, with a shorter runway and smaller terminal, simply because it is far more economical and convenient for their passengers.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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EZY A320's
As mentioned earlier in the thread, EZY start Sharm El Sheikh & Paphos from LTN at the start of November. 2 A320's will also be based here to cope with these flights + more ! 
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As mentioned earlier in the thread, EZY start Sharm El Sheikh & Paphos from LTN at the start of November. 2 A320's will also be based here to cope with these flights + more !
I have not yet seen the the official announcement from EZY so not sure on frquency of these flts.
A few months ago I booked for the family to go to Majorca for a week. the low cost flight options boiled down to either LGW or LTN and as I live just 12 miles from the latter, LTN seemed the logical choice.
However, I'm now regretting the decision. I live on the Thameslink/First Capital Connect line and Gatwick has always been an easy run. A regular 90 minute train journey which takes you straight into the terminal.
While logic says that LTN should be the better option, with all the coverage of the drop off charges and morning traffic chaos, I'm now wondering just what time to leave home to catch our 0930 Easyjet flight. I don't particularly want to drive and have to park; is a taxi going to get stuck before the tunnel and likewise the bus linking the station and airport?
Frankly, I wish I'd gone to LGW; and even STN's sounds like a more chilled option (it's an hour by taxi).
This has to be one of the biggest PR/Marketing disaster yet by LTN. Am I the only one living in LTN's catchment area now contemplating using an airport more than twice as far away? Probably not.
Don't get me wrong -- I worked at Luton Airport for 14 years and woulld love to see it develop more but with this sort of decision making it seems unlikely!
However, I'm now regretting the decision. I live on the Thameslink/First Capital Connect line and Gatwick has always been an easy run. A regular 90 minute train journey which takes you straight into the terminal.
While logic says that LTN should be the better option, with all the coverage of the drop off charges and morning traffic chaos, I'm now wondering just what time to leave home to catch our 0930 Easyjet flight. I don't particularly want to drive and have to park; is a taxi going to get stuck before the tunnel and likewise the bus linking the station and airport?
Frankly, I wish I'd gone to LGW; and even STN's sounds like a more chilled option (it's an hour by taxi).
This has to be one of the biggest PR/Marketing disaster yet by LTN. Am I the only one living in LTN's catchment area now contemplating using an airport more than twice as far away? Probably not.
Don't get me wrong -- I worked at Luton Airport for 14 years and woulld love to see it develop more but with this sort of decision making it seems unlikely!
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airport choice
Hope you were not thinking of going to Gatwick on a Saturday or a Sunday on Thameslink as I believe there is no direct services across London at weekends for several months due to engineering work - suggest stick with Luton - you might have to wait for a few minutes and just leave a little earlier from Bedford - I know I used to live there a number of years ago.
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although the new queues are annoying i think they are being blown out of proportion. I regularly have to join it at its worst time in the morning and it 'only' really adds about 10 mins max to my journey...although it looks bad it does constantly move...just very slowly at some parts. For the guy wondering whether o go GW or KK...GW certainly, the queue really isnt that bad just add an extra 10 mins to journey time.
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True. I drove there this morning on the new road at about 0720, to catch a flight, and there were no hold-ups whatsover. Almost got into the CTA, without changing gear. More people seem to using the free drop off in the mid-term car park.
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Mid Term carpark
If only they could develop the Mid term area properly.
i.e seperate undercover drop off with a people mover under the taxiway to the Terminal.
Drop off for about 100 cars.They have the room to do it.
Ok better wake up now-----
Wouldnt it be nice to have all the room STN has??
Easy to TLV, maybe but i bet the airport wouldnt be happy after enticing EL AL
i.e seperate undercover drop off with a people mover under the taxiway to the Terminal.
Drop off for about 100 cars.They have the room to do it.
Ok better wake up now-----
Wouldnt it be nice to have all the room STN has??
Easy to TLV, maybe but i bet the airport wouldnt be happy after enticing EL AL
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I see the ILS has taken a lightning strike after a massive storm passed overhead. Last weeks storm flooded the tunnel again so no one could get in and out of the CTA. Is the tunnel flooded again?
Tel Aviv
The airports in the UK which can really support a route more than about once or twice per week to Tel Aviv are Heathrow, Luton, Stansted or Manchester - Gatwick would be a much harder sell. Routes from Birmingham, Leeds or Liverpool would struggle to break even. Forget about Bristol, East Midlands, Newcastle, Edinburgh or Glasgow
Easyjet don't do Heathrow, and a route to Tel Aviv has recently been opened from Manchester by Jet2. As far as I know, Eeasyjet are reducing rather than growing Stansted, which leaves just Luton which means going against El Al
If Easyjet want to try Tel Aviv and they can get the traffic rights, Paris Charles de Gaulle might have a better chance of being commercially succesful than the UK
Easyjet don't do Heathrow, and a route to Tel Aviv has recently been opened from Manchester by Jet2. As far as I know, Eeasyjet are reducing rather than growing Stansted, which leaves just Luton which means going against El Al
If Easyjet want to try Tel Aviv and they can get the traffic rights, Paris Charles de Gaulle might have a better chance of being commercially succesful than the UK
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 7th Jul 2009 at 20:33. Reason: Cut out the acronyms !
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I drive the 321 bus and took it through 2ft of water under the tunnel today, I used to work for A ground handling and keep regular contact with my friends and they have already been told that LTN-TLV will be launched, could prove popular, some of LY's fares are very high and if EZY do a saturday flight I think then it could prove to be a winner!
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Captain_Caveman, that is superb news, I take it that these will be 'new build'?
Why would easyJet reduce from London's third airport...DIG....DIG!
Why would easyJet reduce from London's third airport...DIG....DIG!
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Luton Airport Director Leaving
According to a local newspaper in the Carlisle area Mr Andy Judge is leaving his post as Arport Director at Luton to take up the post of airport director at Carlisle Airport (I kid you not).
From what I have heard over some time from employees at the airport there will not be many tears shed on his departure.
From what I have heard over some time from employees at the airport there will not be many tears shed on his departure.
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Glenn@LTN
Wasnt the reason for LY not operating on a Saturday something to do with their religion preventing them from travelling? Saturday is the Jewish day of the Sabbath, and that prevents them from doing some stuff.
If that is the case and easyJet do launch a Saturday service, might end up not being so successful.
Wasnt the reason for LY not operating on a Saturday something to do with their religion preventing them from travelling? Saturday is the Jewish day of the Sabbath, and that prevents them from doing some stuff.
If that is the case and easyJet do launch a Saturday service, might end up not being so successful.
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As mentioned earlier in the thread, EZY start Sharm El Sheikh & Paphos from LTN at the start of November. 2 A320's will also be based here to cope with these flights
EZY Engineering should be getting more business also.
As far as Stansted EZY, could also see a reduction come the winter, but still only an option being looked at...
A flight from Luton to Tel Aviv on Saturday morning, returning Saturday early afternoon is probably not a great idea. If instead flights were on Sunday morning, that would be a completely different story.
Another possibility is;
Luton dep 2330 Tel Aviv arr 0630 Thursday + Saturday
Tel Aviv dep 0700 Luton arr 1000 Friday + Sunday
Flight time is 5 hours, with a 2 hour time gap
Perhaps not the most comfortable but because of the need of many pax on the route to have reached their final destination (not just destination airport) by sunset on Friday afternoon - rather more pressing in winter when the days are short - and not travel again until Saturday after nightfall, seats should not only sell well in both directions, but an airframe will be earning revenue for an extra 14 hours per week.
Another possibility is;
Luton dep 2330 Tel Aviv arr 0630 Thursday + Saturday
Tel Aviv dep 0700 Luton arr 1000 Friday + Sunday
Flight time is 5 hours, with a 2 hour time gap
Perhaps not the most comfortable but because of the need of many pax on the route to have reached their final destination (not just destination airport) by sunset on Friday afternoon - rather more pressing in winter when the days are short - and not travel again until Saturday after nightfall, seats should not only sell well in both directions, but an airframe will be earning revenue for an extra 14 hours per week.