LUTON - 6
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Salzburg
Well i am in Salzburg as i write this.I make on average about ten flights a year here.I really hope that this will become a year round destination and not just for the ski season but i am not optimistic.
The reason i say this is they dropped Vienna a few years back and that was well patronaged .
The Ryanair flights from STN that i have to make are always packed and they are daily so the demand must be there and if true MUC would be a perfect alternative.LTN has never had that link since Debonairs demise.
There are many parts of Europe where opportunities exist from Luton.I am surprised Easy dont look at more of them.
The reason i say this is they dropped Vienna a few years back and that was well patronaged .
The Ryanair flights from STN that i have to make are always packed and they are daily so the demand must be there and if true MUC would be a perfect alternative.LTN has never had that link since Debonairs demise.
There are many parts of Europe where opportunities exist from Luton.I am surprised Easy dont look at more of them.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Could we be seeing Air Europa at LTN soon?
Looks like Monarch has began a codesharing agreement with Air Europa and over the coming months both airlines are going to begin co-operation on routes...
With Air Europa flying to Latin America and the US, it could possibly offer new connections through the airport?
Problem is Air Europa's main hub is Madrid, and not sure if there is enough of a market for Monarch/Air Europa to start competing against easyJet on the route... Also I wonder if Monarch's other bases like LGW, MAN & BHX might be more attractive routes to Madrid.
Could be worth a punt?
'It's not some grand plan': Mantegazza on changes at Cosmos and Monarch - www.travelweekly.co.uk
With Air Europa flying to Latin America and the US, it could possibly offer new connections through the airport?
Problem is Air Europa's main hub is Madrid, and not sure if there is enough of a market for Monarch/Air Europa to start competing against easyJet on the route... Also I wonder if Monarch's other bases like LGW, MAN & BHX might be more attractive routes to Madrid.
Could be worth a punt?
'It's not some grand plan': Mantegazza on changes at Cosmos and Monarch - www.travelweekly.co.uk
Air Europa
I can't see AE using Luton - why should they? Their new partner Monarch would operate any services from LTN to link with their network.
What could happen is that Monarch start selling tickets to distant points on the AE network via Spain, thereby giving Luton 'services' to South America, the Caribbean and the US.
What could happen is that Monarch start selling tickets to distant points on the AE network via Spain, thereby giving Luton 'services' to South America, the Caribbean and the US.
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: London
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No passports required for British or Irish citizens entering the UK from Ireland - Common Travel Area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Of course it's always catch 22 proving you are entitled to make use of this privilege without a passport!
Of course it's always catch 22 proving you are entitled to make use of this privilege without a passport!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: London Whipsnade Wildlife Park
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Thanks for that, someone speculated that we might have arrived under a new immigration fast track scheme?
I will tell the in-law's that they are still Irish!
I will tell the in-law's that they are still Irish!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
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No idea at what time the road traffic peaks at the airport but I was standing by the barriers to the Holiday inn at 6:15 this morning and I lost sight of the queue as it disappeared over the railway bridge on the A505. That has got to be at least a mile of standing traffic all trying to get to the airport.
Can’t see the point of building more stands if you can’t get passengers to the drop off point.
Can’t see the point of building more stands if you can’t get passengers to the drop off point.
Monday mornings are even worse!
We were all late for work the other week. It doesn't help when taxi drivers get in the lane to go right from the fuel farm direction and then cut across and go left.
Grrrrr
We were all late for work the other week. It doesn't help when taxi drivers get in the lane to go right from the fuel farm direction and then cut across and go left.
Grrrrr
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: west of the Tamar
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Well, as it was a Sunday a good number of our Polish and other Eastern European friends were no doubt heading to the airport to catch the 11 (or is it 12?) early morning Wizzo departures.
Is there any other UK airport that has that many aircraft belonging to a single foreign carrier arriving in a 30-minute period?
Is there any other UK airport that has that many aircraft belonging to a single foreign carrier arriving in a 30-minute period?
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: u.k
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Until the airport authority sort the traffic congestion and drop off area out i do not know how they can even contemplate extra flights. Today was particularly bad 25 mins to get to easyland from signature hangar, a bit weary every day.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Word has it that a large number of tour operators flew into Luton on Sunday morning, from Vilnius with Wizz and then waited + waited to be allowed off the plane, and then joined a 90 minute wait for immigration, all told nearly 2 hours from landing to exit.
Methinks that LTN management will be hearing quite a lot more about this !
Methinks that LTN management will be hearing quite a lot more about this !
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Word has it that a large number of tour operators flew into Luton on Sunday morning, from Vilnius with Wizz and then waited + waited to be allowed off the plane, and then joined a 90 minute wait for immigration, all told nearly 2 hours from landing to exit.
Methinks that LTN management will be hearing quite a lot more about this !
Methinks that LTN management will be hearing quite a lot more about this !
They need to apply a lot of pressure on UK Borders, to get additional desks open and for them to get that blasted automatic barriers open. UK Borders are not the sole people to be blamed...
The immigration hall is such a depressing place and not exactly the most welcoming entry to the UK. There is regularly chaotic queues, with passengers merging from flights that have arrived on the new pier into the hall with people coming off flights from where the old apron is.
I arrived into Luton about 6 weeks ago from Reus, at around 10.30am, and was chaotic with only two desks open for non EU nationals, and the El Al flight had just arrived along with numerous other easyJet and Ryanair flights. There was only 2-3 Shengen desks open too. We took over 25 mintues to get through (and by the sounds of it we were lucky). I never experienced that sort of queue at other UK airports...
The El Al passengers did not look happy, and I wouldn;t blame them too, when they have been up since about 2-3am getting their flights.
The longest I have experienced else where was on an Emirates flight into Birmingham and queued for 15 minutes, with over 400 passengers arriving just on our flight and a number of other Low Cost airline flights arriving at the same time
I queried with the officer why the new automated system was not open, and his answer was to the effect thats its hardly ever open as they don't have the staff to work it as well as the normal desks. I would call that a catch 22 situation!
Wizzair and other airlines are not going to care who is to blame for the queues, whether it be UK Borders or the airport management. With an airport down the road having a lot of spare capacity and eager to boost their passengers numbers back up, LTN need to keep their airlines and passengers using the airport happy!
Then to add to that a 40 min bus ride the other week, to get from Parkway to the Terminal at 5.45am!
I just feel the experience of using the airport in general, is going down hill big time! I like to remain loyal to LTN, but more than happy to swap my allegiance to airports up the M6 (BHX) and M1 (EMA) from Northampton.
Airport management must be aware of these issues, but just turn their back on the problems.
Last edited by gilesdavies; 20th Jun 2011 at 22:53.
I'm puzzled as to why immigration at LTN can sometimes be such a poor experience for inbound arrivals.
Yes, immigration at LTN sometimes can be good - but that usually requires no planes having arrived in the last 30 mins and having been one of the first off an arriving plane. When a few planes arrive at the same time, it seems to really foul things up.
However, any system or process like airport immigration should be designed to cope with peaks in demand. An example at the supermarket is how during busy times, staff are taken off stacking shelves and put on the tills. Conversely, when it goes quiet, staff revert to stacking shelves.
Yes, Stansted sometimes has a few planes arriving in a short interval, but even at 10 pm on a summer Sunday evening, immigration at STN still seems to be managed and under control.
I've tried complaining to the immigration bods at Luton, but they don't seem to want to know or consider it their problem - I have no desire to write a letter whose sole purpose is filling up a filing cabinet.
So what is the cause of the problem ?
Is it that that the immigration hall is just too small ? There are not enough desks ? There is a need for automated gates ? Staff rostering prevents having enough staff on duty at any one time ? Perhaps something about the architecture of the long corridor leading to immigration makes for problems ? Lack of queue management leading to too much variability in queue length ? Would paying immigration staff a bit more cash in exchange for changing working practices of immigration staff do anything ?
I know that throwing lots of money at the problem or building a new terminal has a good chance of making it better, but I suspect that this is overkill and a simpler solution might make things a whole lot better
Yes, immigration at LTN sometimes can be good - but that usually requires no planes having arrived in the last 30 mins and having been one of the first off an arriving plane. When a few planes arrive at the same time, it seems to really foul things up.
However, any system or process like airport immigration should be designed to cope with peaks in demand. An example at the supermarket is how during busy times, staff are taken off stacking shelves and put on the tills. Conversely, when it goes quiet, staff revert to stacking shelves.
Yes, Stansted sometimes has a few planes arriving in a short interval, but even at 10 pm on a summer Sunday evening, immigration at STN still seems to be managed and under control.
I've tried complaining to the immigration bods at Luton, but they don't seem to want to know or consider it their problem - I have no desire to write a letter whose sole purpose is filling up a filing cabinet.
So what is the cause of the problem ?
Is it that that the immigration hall is just too small ? There are not enough desks ? There is a need for automated gates ? Staff rostering prevents having enough staff on duty at any one time ? Perhaps something about the architecture of the long corridor leading to immigration makes for problems ? Lack of queue management leading to too much variability in queue length ? Would paying immigration staff a bit more cash in exchange for changing working practices of immigration staff do anything ?
I know that throwing lots of money at the problem or building a new terminal has a good chance of making it better, but I suspect that this is overkill and a simpler solution might make things a whole lot better
Join Date: Oct 2006
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As an ex-pat arriving back, the UK now is not a very welcoming experience. Most of the time I use Luton because it is very convenient for me and the immigration area is so depressing. I have been very lucky recently and not had to wait very long at all but the immigration staff seem very surly and like the deli counter at most supermarkets there seems to be more people chatting behind the desks than actually checking passports. The only possible answer is more staff with all booths manned but in this economic climate not a hope.
I find it rather sad that a British citizen seems to be treated in such a way in their own country - nowhere is there ''WELCOME TO THE UK'' so most of us living out side of it say ''YOUR WELCOME TO IT'' especially if you have just travelled across Europe with no restrictions - re the Schengen Agreement.
Just as an aside have you ever come through the port of Dover - now there is an experience to behold - you thought Luton was dark and unwelcoming try Dover - what the European motorists think of it I shudder to think.
Early morning rant over. Feel much better now!
I find it rather sad that a British citizen seems to be treated in such a way in their own country - nowhere is there ''WELCOME TO THE UK'' so most of us living out side of it say ''YOUR WELCOME TO IT'' especially if you have just travelled across Europe with no restrictions - re the Schengen Agreement.
Just as an aside have you ever come through the port of Dover - now there is an experience to behold - you thought Luton was dark and unwelcoming try Dover - what the European motorists think of it I shudder to think.
Early morning rant over. Feel much better now!
Join Date: Apr 2004
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In my opinion, economic hard times should have no effect on the matter of immigration controls, and the lack of staff.
This is something that is being paid for by every passenger, and not the airport.
We have included in every passengers ' airport taxes' an agreed sum to pay for the borders control agency. At Luton it is quite clear that either the airport are not passing on this money to 'borders' so that the service can be provided, or 'borders' are taking the money and not providing the service.
Which is it ? Because I for one will not go through Luton again until a service guarantee is published, and guaranteed.
This is something that is being paid for by every passenger, and not the airport.
We have included in every passengers ' airport taxes' an agreed sum to pay for the borders control agency. At Luton it is quite clear that either the airport are not passing on this money to 'borders' so that the service can be provided, or 'borders' are taking the money and not providing the service.
Which is it ? Because I for one will not go through Luton again until a service guarantee is published, and guaranteed.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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I think Sam you are living in dream world if you think you are going to get any service guarantee from anyone. As the UK Border Agency is a government institution I suggest you write to Dave and ask him what he is going to do about it. Some years ago I remember people complained about the lack of staff at UK Border posts and were told in no uncertain terms by members of staff write to Tony Blair or Gordon Brown!
Also I have used other London airports and have to queue to get through but for some reason Luton seems to be the worst unfortunately. As I said earlier ''Welcome to the UK''.
Also I have used other London airports and have to queue to get through but for some reason Luton seems to be the worst unfortunately. As I said earlier ''Welcome to the UK''.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: STANSTED & MANCHESTER
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I have never used LTN but it cant be as bad as arriving in peak times at STN 
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Even though STN has loads of desks/staff the area where the transit train and stairs where Ryanair passengers meet is not big enough to cope I have seen people pushing there way off the transit into a packed hall and Ryanair passengers waiting on the bridge before the stairs ... This is only a peak times though, There has been many times when I have gone straight to one of many desks.
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.Even though STN has loads of desks/staff the area where the transit train and stairs where Ryanair passengers meet is not big enough to cope I have seen people pushing there way off the transit into a packed hall and Ryanair passengers waiting on the bridge before the stairs ... This is only a peak times though, There has been many times when I have gone straight to one of many desks.
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