LUTON - 7
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London European
20 minute Luton check-in with according to the timetable Viscount, Jetstream and Short 330 aircraft being used, except I can only remember the Viscount.
I'm thinking that the Jetsteam and Short 330 actually belonged to a company called Euroflite.
London European was taken over by Ryanair and became Ryanair Europe.
I'm thinking that the Jetsteam and Short 330 actually belonged to a company called Euroflite.
London European was taken over by Ryanair and became Ryanair Europe.
Last edited by LTNman; 19th Jul 2013 at 06:01.
The Viscount was replaced by a Shorts SD3-30 when London European started to have money problems. I think it was operated by Fairflight, with their own crews. I did manage to get a jumpseat ride to Brussels and back on it. I vaguely remember there not being many people on it.
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Somewhere I still have the application forms for a share offer by London European.
From memory, they came unstuck because of the lease/purchase agreement with BAF over G-LOND? Their only plane was 'sick' regularly and the costs of buying in a replacement were high.
Ryanair bought their AOC and 3 1-11s arrived on the register and a hope to increase flights to Amsterdam, Brussels and beyond. Soon became an IT airline. The aircraft registrations looked bizarre, but were a sequence of four letters for the first airframe, then the next was moving each letter to the right in the alphabet, if that makes sense?
Tony and the late Cathel Ryan were committed to Luton. The market was not mature enough for a scheduled airline. They eventually appointed MOL to boss Ryanair and the rest is history. I think Cathel was their Chief Pilot?
I am sure one of the bosses of London European went on to form Euro Direct? Certainly a link. Name Harford comes to mind?
Anyone remember the plans for Chiltern Airways (Fokker F27) and Air Excel (UK) intended using Embraer turboprops? Paper airlines trying to make Luton a scheduled airport around the Euroflight operation?
From memory, they came unstuck because of the lease/purchase agreement with BAF over G-LOND? Their only plane was 'sick' regularly and the costs of buying in a replacement were high.
Ryanair bought their AOC and 3 1-11s arrived on the register and a hope to increase flights to Amsterdam, Brussels and beyond. Soon became an IT airline. The aircraft registrations looked bizarre, but were a sequence of four letters for the first airframe, then the next was moving each letter to the right in the alphabet, if that makes sense?
Tony and the late Cathel Ryan were committed to Luton. The market was not mature enough for a scheduled airline. They eventually appointed MOL to boss Ryanair and the rest is history. I think Cathel was their Chief Pilot?
I am sure one of the bosses of London European went on to form Euro Direct? Certainly a link. Name Harford comes to mind?
Anyone remember the plans for Chiltern Airways (Fokker F27) and Air Excel (UK) intended using Embraer turboprops? Paper airlines trying to make Luton a scheduled airport around the Euroflight operation?
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Please correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember that after Autair ceased scheduled operations out of Luton in 1969 Luton went years without any scheduled services apart from weekend summer services by British Midland to Jersey and occasional years to Guernsey.
Euroflite, which was owned by McAlpine, was the start airline of the rebirth of scheduled services from Luton in 1984.
By November 1988 Netherlines were operating weekday services to Amsterdam using a Jetstream with London European operating a Monday, Friday and Sunday service using a BAC 1-11. Brussels was also served by their 1-11.
Ryanair were using a 1-11 to Cork and a 1-11 and HS748 on their Connaught service. Waterford was also served by the HS748 while Ryanair had competition on their 1-11 Dublin service with Virgin who were using a Viscount on those days.
Finally Monarch were dipping their toe into scheduled services with a service to Mahon using a 737.
Euroflite, which was owned by McAlpine, was the start airline of the rebirth of scheduled services from Luton in 1984.
By November 1988 Netherlines were operating weekday services to Amsterdam using a Jetstream with London European operating a Monday, Friday and Sunday service using a BAC 1-11. Brussels was also served by their 1-11.
Ryanair were using a 1-11 to Cork and a 1-11 and HS748 on their Connaught service. Waterford was also served by the HS748 while Ryanair had competition on their 1-11 Dublin service with Virgin who were using a Viscount on those days.
Finally Monarch were dipping their toe into scheduled services with a service to Mahon using a 737.
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Euroflite
Just a small correction
Euroflite was originally set up by Executive Express (1980?), using a Cessna 404, with a manual booking system involving with writng names on a perspex board! The ultimate personal airline, ringing up the passenger of the day amd asking them if they were allergic to cats (as the 404 did not have a separate hold big enough for the cat boxes).
Happy days
Euroflite was originally set up by Executive Express (1980?), using a Cessna 404, with a manual booking system involving with writng names on a perspex board! The ultimate personal airline, ringing up the passenger of the day amd asking them if they were allergic to cats (as the 404 did not have a separate hold big enough for the cat boxes).
Happy days
Last edited by Yak97; 21st Jul 2013 at 07:43.
You missed a 1-11 out Buster.
When Ryanair first got their hands on London European they transferred one of their 1-11s across and became GBNIH. They continued to operate Brussels and Amsterdam until they pulled out of the scheduled market and bought the 3 x 1-11s (GDJOS, GEKPT & GFLRU, ex GAYWB, GAXLN & GAXMG respectively), GBNIH returning to Ryanair. They mainly did the Italian charter flights that were popular in the 80s and 90s.
When Ryanair first got their hands on London European they transferred one of their 1-11s across and became GBNIH. They continued to operate Brussels and Amsterdam until they pulled out of the scheduled market and bought the 3 x 1-11s (GDJOS, GEKPT & GFLRU, ex GAYWB, GAXLN & GAXMG respectively), GBNIH returning to Ryanair. They mainly did the Italian charter flights that were popular in the 80s and 90s.
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"Please correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember that after Autair ceased scheduled operations out of Luton in 1969 Luton went years without any scheduled services apart from weekend summer services by British Midland to Jersey and occasional years to Guernsey".
Not quite. BMA tried LTN-GLA via EMA and LBA in 1970 - didn't last that long; a mix of BAC One Elevens and Viscounts. There was also Capital Airlines (Shorts 330s or 360s). Leeds based, ops to BHD I think.
Not quite. BMA tried LTN-GLA via EMA and LBA in 1970 - didn't last that long; a mix of BAC One Elevens and Viscounts. There was also Capital Airlines (Shorts 330s or 360s). Leeds based, ops to BHD I think.
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Not quite. BMA tried LTN-GLA via EMA and LBA in 1970 - didn't last that long; a mix of BAC One Elevens and Viscounts.
The service run LTN-LBA-GLA-LBA-GLA-LBA-LTN. Doing a search at the website Dan-Air remembered the website says jets were introduced later on.
Capital appears in my 1989 timetable running a service to Belfast using Short 360's I seem to remember they also operated 146's in this service.
Capital Airlines (UK) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Last edited by LTNman; 21st Jul 2013 at 11:47.
British Midland operated before Dan Air took it over. Generally the 1-11 went to Glasgow via EMA and the Viscount via Leeds.
I think it was in the late 60s, Channel Airways operated a Viscount that seemed to fly round the UK via most Airports! The Scottish Flyer or something similiar I believe.
I think it was in the late 60s, Channel Airways operated a Viscount that seemed to fly round the UK via most Airports! The Scottish Flyer or something similiar I believe.
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Capital appears in my 1989 timetable running a service to Belfast using Short
360's I seem to remember they also operated 146's in this service.
360's I seem to remember they also operated 146's in this service.
LTNman: you are right. I have a copy of the timetables from that time for Capital (somewhere). They werent a bad little airlines, I recall they had 2 146s and some 360s. The 146s were reg GOSUN and GOSKI and they wore the capital livery quite smartly. They flew from BHD DUB LTN and linked each airport with each of the other 2, 146s on the LTN sectors. BHD DUB was quite late comer and started a shortly before the company went bust. Fares were £19 each way!
They also were flying BHD and DUB to LBA with 360 and LBA had a LGW route too!! May have been a few others.
Cousins of mine were stranded over in LBA when the airline folder that summer and EI put on a 'rescue' fare to get her home......
I think it was in the late 60s, Channel Airways operated a Viscount that seemed to fly round the UK via most Airports! The Scottish Flyer or something similiar I believe.
The Portsmouth leg was dropped after two 748s aquaplaned whilst landing on Portsmouth's grass runway.
Mainly operated by Channel Airways Viscounts (G-ATUE I think had 'Scottish Flyer' titles). It usually came in to Stand 9, shutting down both port engines whilst taxying. Pax and bags were off-/on-loaded with the starboard engines turning. Turn-round time was scheduled for 10 minutes.
I think it was 1968 or 1969.
This really isn't meant to get people's backs up, but would it be perhaps possible to maybe think a little more about the Luton airport of today and the future ? Seems a shame to think only of what Luton was and ignore its potential greatness in 5 years time when it reaaches its 80th birthday
Have there perhaps been any recent developments with the plans for an enlarged terminal ?
Alternatively, any thoughts on the latest CAA stats ?
I notice that Ryanair seem to be dominating London-Lublin. Anyone want to suggest whether Wizz will persist on LTN-LUZ ? Perhaps a swap out for a different route ?
Have there perhaps been any recent developments with the plans for an enlarged terminal ?
Alternatively, any thoughts on the latest CAA stats ?
I notice that Ryanair seem to be dominating London-Lublin. Anyone want to suggest whether Wizz will persist on LTN-LUZ ? Perhaps a swap out for a different route ?
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 22nd Jul 2013 at 00:45.