LUTON -8

[PLAMALTN]

With Luton sat in Heathrow's shadow (And STN to some extent) will flights like this ever really work? BA having a similar service from LCY would hamper STN I guess.

I have reservations but would love to be proven wrong.

[mikkie4]

Watched it take of from SEN after testing ... what a horrid blue colour

[wallp]

It beggars belief that La Compagnie can offer little or no marketing and a poor online biooking experience and still expect to sell seats.

I can't believe that the requirements of the French business traveller are that much different to those in the UK, how does the ORY-EWR route fair?

I agree about the flight times, really poor timings which must be down to price and availability?

I hope the route succeeds but given the lack of strategy it seems highly unlikely

[AirportPlanner1]

runway08, I made that point (no further service) a while back, suggesting STN may not have wanted them. Back around the time they were spouting garbage about LTN being a 'boutique' airport.

I've seen nothing to change that opinion. I wonder if people on here would feel confident booking with them more than two weeks ahead? Genuinely?

[runway08]

2 weeks ahead sure, Will they last through summer? Not if it continues in such an unorganised way.

Lets be clear though we are all working on assumptions, I have no idea of the exact number of pax and what they have paid but the whole using 1 plane, cutting Paris to cover it, Super slashed low fares already.. Doesn't paint a great picture.

[LTNman]

runway08, I made that point (no further service) a while back, suggesting STN may not have wanted them.

I would find it hard to believe that Stansted did not make a good attempt to get this service after their statement about trying to attract long haul services.

As for booking a flight? Only for the short term and with some sort of flight cancellation or failed airline insurance policy but we have to remember the service has only been operating a week so we can't write them off yet. The airline has demonstrated that it can make good decisions by coming to Luton in the first place.

[AirportPlanner1]

LTNman, that was my point. With STN so keen for long-haul service, would they want something on their books that could do more harm than good? And don't forget the airline's first noise was about LGW. At the times they are operating, I doubt getting slots would have been much of a problem.

[LTNman]

If no one has heard of the airline and then if it did fail then no one would be any of the wiser would they.

[whitelighter]

I think the point about STN is that if their ambitions are for a bigger (Middle East maybe) premium airline (as misguided as that may or may not be) then why would they want to bring an airline in first who will put downward pressure on the premium fares. We all acknowledge that this is where legacy/flag carrier airlines make their profit.

I'm not saying that MAG did turn down la compagnie and it is good that LTN have a long haul service but I can see why STN would. Also the amount of fervent criticism of STN the airline pit out before launch was unnecessary and smacks a bit of sour grapes.

Of course you want to believe LTN is a boutique airport that will see a boutique airline thrive. Only time will tell

[runway08]

No idea about all this boutique nonsense, Luton is a low cost and exec jet meccah. Complimented by sports charters all throughout the year. I feel there is space for some niche flights here and there also like the NY one if it was done properly and not half assed.

If it fails it wont hurt Luton really other than nobody else likely to try a NY flight for a long long time. It will be disappointing for sure, But lets face it.. they are a miniscule operation from what is a rapidly expanding and important airport.

[Boeing737-8]

All of the flights have been more than 50% full so is it all bad. This is a brand new service and needs to spread its name out but give it a chance as this is it or nothing for a New York service.

[runway08]

Does anyone know how the Tarom flight has performed over the last year or so. People didn't think that it would survive very long but they continue on.

Lots of charters because of the Rugby. Carpat Fokker 100's, CSA, Flyniki, Blue Panorama, Enter Air?

[compton3bravo]

If you look at the CAA stats the number of passengers per flight is very good but again we do not know the yield plus they will have competition soon on the route with Wizzair.

[LTNman]

I have noticed the CTA is again struggling to cope with traffic volumes, which hasn't happened since before the airport built the new exit route from the drop off area around the car park perimeter a few years ago. This afternoon the traffic queue started before the Ibis roundabout.

The queue was basically caused by no one directing traffic to the overflow drop off area, which was all but empty and is located at a right angle to the main drop off area. Also once again the short term car park was full so it took 2 men working as a pair talking to each driver and handing them a piece of A4 paper which I think directed them to the mid term car park. I don't think it occurred to them that if they talked to a driver each they would handle twice as many cars.

[Lee Baker Street]

Tarom route

Runway08, Tarom carried 16,417 passengers during 2014 or an average of 316 passengers a week on the Iasi route.

Considering Iasi airport handled 273,047 passengers for the whole year in 2014 I can not see why Wizz would want to take on the route?

We could see the demise of Tarom at Luton (which will be a shame) and Wizzair pulling the route after low yields? Time will tell I guess.

[gilesdavies]

Iasi - TAROM v Wizz

Iasi is probably an airport Wizz has wanted to fly to for some time, especially when you consider they have virtually the rest of Rominaia covered! The likely issue is airports runway length...

Up until earlier this year the runway was less than 6000ft long and while this is no issue for TAROM operating the 737-300 with only a maximum payload of around 120 passengers, that would be very difficult for Wizz to operate a full A320. Especially during the hot summers.

However the runway has now been extended and this makes operating a full A320 far more easier and like most Wizz routes they start off with a few flights a week, before increasing frequencies.

It will be interesting how TAROM react, but doubt they will want to go head to head with Wizz.

[runway08]

Well themselves and Blue Air have been operating without any cut throat rivalry for a long while. Maybe they will leave it be and focus on something else.

[Cloud1]

Have spoken to a number of friends and none of them know you can fly to NY from LTN. They do now so maybe La Compagnie would like to hire me in their marketing team assuming they have one

[LGS6753]

Is today's Freebird flight the first of a summer series?

[canberra97]

Cloud 1

Well 'your friends' had better book quick as I am sure it won't last the course!

'Marketing team, assuming they have one"?

Of course they would have a marketing team, companies don't just start up routes on their own!

Sean