LUTON -8
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Redevelopment update
The second half of the shell of the pier B link building has been erected. As can be seen it has dropped a floor and is narrower than the first part that is attached to the terminal. As there are no more foundations dug I would say this is the final length of the link before it connects to Pier B.
The link building will have a total of 18 narrow windows in height shared between both sides in a dark green tinted glass. A close examination of the photo below shows the position of 4 of these windows located in the third and sixth section away from the camera.
The final length of the multistory car park can now be seen with the final columns and beams put in place this week. At some point external stairwells will be put in for fire escapes.
The disabled parking area that at the moment sits between the existing and new drop off area has been moved. Over the next couple of weeks the existing area will empty of cars allowing for the expansion of the proposed new drop off area, which is being used as part of the short term car park at the moment.
The link building will have a total of 18 narrow windows in height shared between both sides in a dark green tinted glass. A close examination of the photo below shows the position of 4 of these windows located in the third and sixth section away from the camera.
The final length of the multistory car park can now be seen with the final columns and beams put in place this week. At some point external stairwells will be put in for fire escapes.
The disabled parking area that at the moment sits between the existing and new drop off area has been moved. Over the next couple of weeks the existing area will empty of cars allowing for the expansion of the proposed new drop off area, which is being used as part of the short term car park at the moment.
Last edited by LTNman; 24th Jun 2016 at 18:19.
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Yeah.. who needs expansion and growth. Bizarre.
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Is it the French closing stands during summer peak and start the expansion with building a car park first instead of the taxiways?
The priority is getting the CTA sorted out and the car parks built so the taxiways can wait. Replacement stands should hopefully be coming online in the coming weeks if not sooner and the contract to start the 08 taxiway extension should hopefully be started in the next month or so as the tender closed I think in March.
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So everything is in order, if there are minor glitches here and there that's only because of the French and the Spanish, all happy, I'm moving on. Sorry to distrub you, keep on operating this gem of an airport for everyone's satisfaction.
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I was at the airport again today collecting family members. Same situation as Friday, gridlocked roundabout as everyone tried to get into the one lane that goes into the CTA. Surely they could implement a temporary traffic light system at the roundabout to ease the congestion. Ridiculous.
There was also an incident where an air ambulance landed in the CTA, partially blocking the bus station, with ambulances and armed polices officers surrounding the area. Don't know what happened there?
There was also an incident where an air ambulance landed in the CTA, partially blocking the bus station, with ambulances and armed polices officers surrounding the area. Don't know what happened there?
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A temporary traffic light system would not achieve a thing. If the road to the tunnel is congested then it is congested and traffic lights are not going to fix the roundabout. The problem is the existing drop off area and sometimes Swift Cars who operate meet and greet parking just inside the entrance to the short term car park. They can't handle the number of bookings and when their drivers have removed cars to their own car parks the drivers get caught in the queue on the return journey that they have helped to create so they handle even less cars by blocking the short term car park entrance.
The exit barriers in the drop off area are a disaster. There are always problems with the barriers not lifting so needs an attendant to help but then a lane won't move for a good minute while the problem is sorted.
The shuttle buses from the station are taking the long route to the terminal and come in via Eaton Green Road and Frank Lester Way when the hill is blocked.
What is happening should not surprise anyone. I have been spouting on about what was going to happen since last year. Last year was bad and this year there is another 20% increase in passengers trying to get into a smaller drop off area and smaller short term car park.
The only small bright spot is that the new drop off exit barriers are under construction now by the multistory car park. I will make a guess that within the next month the existing barriers will be removed which should should help things.
Of course there is nothing to stop the airport leaving the barriers up during busy spells but that would cost the airport a great deal of money so that would never happen.
The exit barriers in the drop off area are a disaster. There are always problems with the barriers not lifting so needs an attendant to help but then a lane won't move for a good minute while the problem is sorted.
The shuttle buses from the station are taking the long route to the terminal and come in via Eaton Green Road and Frank Lester Way when the hill is blocked.
What is happening should not surprise anyone. I have been spouting on about what was going to happen since last year. Last year was bad and this year there is another 20% increase in passengers trying to get into a smaller drop off area and smaller short term car park.
The only small bright spot is that the new drop off exit barriers are under construction now by the multistory car park. I will make a guess that within the next month the existing barriers will be removed which should should help things.
Of course there is nothing to stop the airport leaving the barriers up during busy spells but that would cost the airport a great deal of money so that would never happen.
Last edited by LTNman; 27th Jun 2016 at 06:53.
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Sounds like the best idea I've heard for a long time. Perhaps someone should give the idea some thought. A trial period of waiving the drop-off charge at peak times? Yes it would cost the airport money short term but losing disgruntled passengers will also cost money longer term. Losing disillusioned airlines will cost even more. Mind you, the airlines probably don't mind passengers missing their flights as they will no doubt charge them a (large) rebooking fee....
Last edited by cj241101; 27th Jun 2016 at 15:17.
cj - I think you are being naive. The loss in car parking revenue would be large and the message from the airport will be 'very sad to hear you missed your flighf but we always recommend passengers allow plenty of time to get to and transit through the airport (so they are tempted to spend their cash on the tat we sell in our shopping mall while they try to kill time)'
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Those passengers will be back (they can't resist the cheap fares) and when they do come back they will arrive 3 hours early so they definitely will have time to kill and end up buying the overpriced tat.
Just accept the airport has it all worked out..
Just accept the airport has it all worked out..
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I don't think they have got it worked out. Most of the mid term car park that was closed off due to redevelopment work has now opened with the cinder parking bays to match the rest of the car park. As the bays are cinders they can't be marked out so cars park with plenty of space around them. I would say the airport must loose 20 to 25 percent of its parking which would have paid for the tarmac and gave the car park a bigger capacity.
I use the Luton dropoff area daily.
Passengers are going elsewhere. Business customers are opting from Beds/Northants/MK border area for Heathrow and Birmingham bigtime.
Even older customers are losing patience with the Luton experience. Nil customer service throughout from dropoff, crowded check in desks, slow security, No seats in departure lounge. Even assistance for disabled passengers is patchy. I serve 5 airports on a daily basis. Luton is bottom of the list and getting worse.
Passengers are going elsewhere. Business customers are opting from Beds/Northants/MK border area for Heathrow and Birmingham bigtime.
Even older customers are losing patience with the Luton experience. Nil customer service throughout from dropoff, crowded check in desks, slow security, No seats in departure lounge. Even assistance for disabled passengers is patchy. I serve 5 airports on a daily basis. Luton is bottom of the list and getting worse.
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Passengers are going elsewhere. Business customers are opting from Beds/Northants/MK border area for Heathrow and Birmingham bigtime.
The traffic jam this morning is beyond words and was passed the traffic lights at Parkway.
Last edited by LTNman; 28th Jun 2016 at 05:22.