LUTON - 6
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Not a good morning at Luton. First the runway didn’t open until 6:30 due snow and then the ILS packs up at 7:10 just as the influx of arrivals started their approaches. Nothing is arriving at the moment with arrivals being put in holding patterns.
Edit at 7:30
SRA's have come into operation and aircraft are now getting in.
Edit at 7:30
SRA's have come into operation and aircraft are now getting in.
Last edited by LTNman; 5th Jan 2009 at 06:31.
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Airport's new drop-off zone branded 'complete shambles' - Bedford Today
There you go, its only bad due to construction work and has nothing to do with the layout. Who is kidding who I wonder?
There you go, its only bad due to construction work and has nothing to do with the layout. Who is kidding who I wonder?
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No doubt anticipating the demise of Sky Europe, Wizz will start 4 x weekly Luton-Prague on 20 Feb, making 15 destinations served from LTN. Increases to daily from 21 July.
Last edited by Powerjet1; 10th Jan 2009 at 08:33.
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What kind of impact would a collapse of that airline have on passenger numbers at Luton?
You have to hand it to Wizz, their ingenuity and business acumen is spot on!
You have to hand it to Wizz, their ingenuity and business acumen is spot on!
Buster -
Sky's 737s hold 149 pax. Their network load factor in '08 was 73.4%. At present they are operating 32 flights per week into Luton, although that has fluctuated, and continues to do so (their web timetable is full of anomalies). For the purposes of the calculation, I'll assume 30 flights per week.
30 x 2 x 52 x 149 x 73.4% = 341,222 pax.
However, I would anticipate that their loads into Luton are better than their network average, so this may be an under-estimate.
Offsetting that are the proposed Wizz flights to PRG. Taken as daily, with an estimated 80% load factor, that implies 7 x 2 x 52 x 180 x 80% = 104,832. Also, I would anticipate the Bratislava link remaining. It was flown previously by easyJet (and I think, Wizz) so is probably good for a once-daily flight, delivering about 100,000 pax.
Sky's 737s hold 149 pax. Their network load factor in '08 was 73.4%. At present they are operating 32 flights per week into Luton, although that has fluctuated, and continues to do so (their web timetable is full of anomalies). For the purposes of the calculation, I'll assume 30 flights per week.
30 x 2 x 52 x 149 x 73.4% = 341,222 pax.
However, I would anticipate that their loads into Luton are better than their network average, so this may be an under-estimate.
Offsetting that are the proposed Wizz flights to PRG. Taken as daily, with an estimated 80% load factor, that implies 7 x 2 x 52 x 180 x 80% = 104,832. Also, I would anticipate the Bratislava link remaining. It was flown previously by easyJet (and I think, Wizz) so is probably good for a once-daily flight, delivering about 100,000 pax.
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Nostalgic Pics of Luton Through the Years
Thought you might all be interested of these pics I found of LTN through the life of the airport...
Can't see it posted anywhere else. (Apologies if a duplicate!)
Picture the Past - London Luton Airport
The pictures of the new runway, when built in 1959/60 seems miles away from apron! I also can't believe how bendy the taxiway was to the runway, there also hadly any buildings, a stark contrast from today!
When they extended the runway to its current length, would I be correct in assuming the extension was to the western end of the runway?
Can't see it posted anywhere else. (Apologies if a duplicate!)
Picture the Past - London Luton Airport
The pictures of the new runway, when built in 1959/60 seems miles away from apron! I also can't believe how bendy the taxiway was to the runway, there also hadly any buildings, a stark contrast from today!
When they extended the runway to its current length, would I be correct in assuming the extension was to the western end of the runway?
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Bratislava
Bratislava has only been served by easyJet prior to Sky operating the route from Luton.
From memory, the only routes that Wizz have ceased from Luton are Ljubljana and Split. Dubrovnik was planned but Britannia (or whatever they are called this week) beat them to it.
Every other Wizz route has been kept and most have seen increases in frequency ... which speaks volumes.
From memory, the only routes that Wizz have ceased from Luton are Ljubljana and Split. Dubrovnik was planned but Britannia (or whatever they are called this week) beat them to it.
Every other Wizz route has been kept and most have seen increases in frequency ... which speaks volumes.
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Every other Wizz route has been kept and most have seen increases in frequency ... which speaks volumes
Last edited by LTNman; 12th Jan 2009 at 19:06.
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Monarch - Cut 50 Jobs at Luton
Can't find any links, but just heard on the late BBC Look East news bulletin that Monarch will be cutting 50 jobs at Luton along with other job loses at their other UK bases...
That is literally all they said, I am wondering if this will mean them cutting back their frequencies on some of their routes...
Not sure if the redundancies refer to back office jobs at Monarch HQ or actual frontline jobs. Either way, I pass my best wishes on to those effected during this difficult time.
That is literally all they said, I am wondering if this will mean them cutting back their frequencies on some of their routes...
Not sure if the redundancies refer to back office jobs at Monarch HQ or actual frontline jobs. Either way, I pass my best wishes on to those effected during this difficult time.
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Mostly back office jobs from what I understand. As usual it's the people who actually do the work who bear the cost of incompetent board level decision-making. No casualties there, of course 
If they were a PLC then the Chief exec, Airline MD and FD should all be falling on their swords for gross incompetence.
It used to be a company that valued it's staff. Now it's about the self-advancement of a few board members who couldn't give a sh!t about anyone but themselves and who will do anything to hide the magnitude of the results of their many f*ck-ups.
What a shame
If they were a PLC then the Chief exec, Airline MD and FD should all be falling on their swords for gross incompetence.
It used to be a company that valued it's staff. Now it's about the self-advancement of a few board members who couldn't give a sh!t about anyone but themselves and who will do anything to hide the magnitude of the results of their many f*ck-ups.
What a shame
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Luton's History
Nice memories here. I think the guy on the right of Lorraine Chase is Bernard Collins and later in the Prince Charles and Ryanair pictures it is Bob Easterbrook who were both Airport Directors, proper aviation men who new what was needed and very friendly with it not like the bean counters we have in most UK industries today who know nothing about the particular industry they are working in and only interested in the bottom line.
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Drop off area almost empty with just 2 cars parked up.
Check-in area deserted.
Departure lounge was almost devoid of all life.
Yes I was up there from about 08.30 and the morning peak had almost passed but I can’t remember the place being so quiet for years.
Check-in area deserted.
Departure lounge was almost devoid of all life.
Yes I was up there from about 08.30 and the morning peak had almost passed but I can’t remember the place being so quiet for years.
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Gilesdavies
Yes the runway was extended to the west of the taxiway - my ABC airports 1959 shows the TODA as 5400 feet to the taxiway intersection.Today's quoted 1685m equals 5560 feet. Not sure when it was extended but by 1968 7054 feet was available which has altered a bit by minor tinkering with the turninig circles I think. Today it is around 7128 feet! (2160m in modern parlance)
Enjoyed the pics- especially the 1968 view with the Ambassador and the One Elevens of Autair and a DC3 (G-APPO?) which sat where it is shown all summer and never moved!
Shall we start a LTN thread in the nostalgia section!
Yes the runway was extended to the west of the taxiway - my ABC airports 1959 shows the TODA as 5400 feet to the taxiway intersection.Today's quoted 1685m equals 5560 feet. Not sure when it was extended but by 1968 7054 feet was available which has altered a bit by minor tinkering with the turninig circles I think. Today it is around 7128 feet! (2160m in modern parlance)
Enjoyed the pics- especially the 1968 view with the Ambassador and the One Elevens of Autair and a DC3 (G-APPO?) which sat where it is shown all summer and never moved!
Shall we start a LTN thread in the nostalgia section!
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Yes the runway was extended to the west of the taxiway - my ABC airports 1959 shows the TODA as 5400 feet to the taxiway intersection.Today's quoted 1685m equals 5560 feet. Not sure when it was extended but by 1968 7054 feet was available which has altered a bit by minor tinkering with the turninig circles I think. Today it is around 7128 feet! (2160m in modern parlance)
1961 | 1383 | Flight Archive
Bottom left hand corner of main page
Luton looks ahead dated 1961
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Ryanair have announced further expansion today, for their Bristol and Edinburgh bases...
Nothing for Luton again!
Why can't Luton attract any further expansion from Ryanair?! They have had 4 737-800's based at the airport now for 4-5 years and expansion by the airline has stagnated, while nearly all of Ryanair's other bases continue to see expansion!
On the face of it, the number of routes operated by the airline increased dramitcally last year, but this was at the expense of other routes having their frequency dramitcally cut back.
With easyJet decreasing their flights at LTN due to the economic climate and taking preference to Gatwick, and SilverJet's collapse, no longer having 767s based at the airport, their must be apron space available?
Just doesn't seem to make sense, I would have thought Ryanair would have snapped at the chance of transferring further aircraft to LTN, with their spat at STN over the last 2-3yrs.
The only thing, I can think of is, the new(ish) bases at East Mids and Birmingham may have had some impact on passengers living north of the airport up the M1 corridor, but I don't think this is the main reason as most travellers are going to or are from the London region.
Nothing for Luton again!
Why can't Luton attract any further expansion from Ryanair?! They have had 4 737-800's based at the airport now for 4-5 years and expansion by the airline has stagnated, while nearly all of Ryanair's other bases continue to see expansion!
On the face of it, the number of routes operated by the airline increased dramitcally last year, but this was at the expense of other routes having their frequency dramitcally cut back.
With easyJet decreasing their flights at LTN due to the economic climate and taking preference to Gatwick, and SilverJet's collapse, no longer having 767s based at the airport, their must be apron space available?
Just doesn't seem to make sense, I would have thought Ryanair would have snapped at the chance of transferring further aircraft to LTN, with their spat at STN over the last 2-3yrs.
The only thing, I can think of is, the new(ish) bases at East Mids and Birmingham may have had some impact on passengers living north of the airport up the M1 corridor, but I don't think this is the main reason as most travellers are going to or are from the London region.