LUTON -8
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Clickable photos of the new duty free shop can be found at the bottom of this article.
UPDATE: New Aelia Luton store vision: "It's a London thing" | DFNI
UPDATE: New Aelia Luton store vision: "It's a London thing" | DFNI
I usually end up getting a nasty headache, as you breath in all the perfumes that are being sprayed and forced under your nose.
I suppose however it was inevitable as having flown through Birmingham, Manchester T2 and Heathrow T3, recently, they all force you to walk through the shop after security too!
I have no issue with theese "Tax Free" shops being in an airport, but I want a choice which shops I visit and ones I don't want to.
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You can walk through the new shop at LTN quite quickly - it has a wide walk though and as I said last week it has things Luton has lacked like a Joe Malone shop where in may case you can buy goodies for daughter:
It isn't IMHO as long or tortuous as Stansted at least at the moment which feels like a never ending snakey version of a shopping mall.
It isn't IMHO as long or tortuous as Stansted at least at the moment which feels like a never ending snakey version of a shopping mall.
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Don't forget that there will be a continuation of the walk through when all the new shops go in when the terminal infill is built.
The existing left turn into the main departure lounge will be closed off with all passengers following a new route that will go to the front of the terminal before it enters the main lounge at one end only rather than the middle.
The existing left turn into the main departure lounge will be closed off with all passengers following a new route that will go to the front of the terminal before it enters the main lounge at one end only rather than the middle.
I used Luton for a weekend trip to London (from Jersey) last weekend. Arrived Sat. Mid pm. Journey into London Marble Arch quick & easy by coach. Overall experience on this leg - 90% satisfaction rating. Return by coach Monday mid pm from Marble Arch - satisfaction rating 10% . Pick up from London was good, but it was all downhill from there. Journey took almost 2 hrs. & we arrived after the flight should have left (& there was not another flight until Wednesday !). The only reason that we caught the flight was that the inbound had been delayed. Not the Airport's fault but it must raise concern about the quality of the travel experience & the likelihood of pax making repeat journeys through Luton. Personally, I will give it another chance (solely because the inbound journey was so problem free); but a repeat of the return journey would mean that I will never use Luton again. PIty, because there is potential there for a pretty hassle free & positive travel experience.
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Sound like you had a problem away from Luton. Bus travel to any London airport is always going to be problematic as traffic jams can appear anywhere en-route but I would always allow an additional hour for at least the rest of this year for that final mile into Luton.
As you found out better to arrive an hour too early than a minute too late.
As you found out better to arrive an hour too early than a minute too late.
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Journey took almost 2 hrs. & we arrived after the flight should have left (& there was not another flight until Wednesday !).
1.5 to 2 hours is the minimum you should be allowing to get to the airport from Central London by bus.
If you was only allowing one hour to get to get to London for example and another hour to get through the airport, you was cutting things very fine for yourself! Especially with all the work going on, and sounds like you are ignoring all the warnings made to get to the airport in good time.
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It was only in the morning rush that traffic extended all the way back to around the Parkway turning. Well that is where it is queuing from now at 6pm.
Today's comments to the airport from angry passengers
Today's comments to the airport from angry passengers
Take a bow Luton Airport -traffic tailback reaching out to the M1 at 4.30am with 100's of passengers running around in confusion missing flights all because someone decided to turn the drop-off area into an amateur go cart track, charging everyone £2.50 just to drop someone off!! Are you trying to give Southern trains a run for the spotlight?
Luton airport was our favourite at one point easy to get to (we live in Watford) easy to drop off or park at but this morning at 4.30am it took over half an hour to travel the short dual carriageway just to get to the "newly remodelled" drop off point. It was utter chaos people being dropped on the road adding more misery and then adding insult by charging £2.50 just to drop off....you are disgusting. We will never use Luton again. If this was any later in the day, I conservatively estimate your f@#k up could have added an hour and potentially cause flights to be missed. Get someone out there to direct traffic and stop drivers dropping in the road.
Anyone going to the airport this week (12-14th in particular) would be wise to leave some extra time due to roadworks on the approach road from Capability Green all the way up to the Holiday Inn roundabout. Sounds like it has the potential to cause some real chaos.
LTNMan &gilesdavies
Thanks for your comments. You are correct, of course. I found out the hard way ! I was lucky to catch my flight & will, in future, allow extra time. I do feel that, nevertheless, Luton does offer a potentially very useful gateway to London for me - if I get my planning right !
Thanks for your comments. You are correct, of course. I found out the hard way ! I was lucky to catch my flight & will, in future, allow extra time. I do feel that, nevertheless, Luton does offer a potentially very useful gateway to London for me - if I get my planning right !
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Anyone going to the airport this week (12-14th in particular) would be wise to leave some extra time due to roadworks on the approach road from Capability Green all the way up to the Holiday Inn roundabout. Sounds like it has the potential to cause some real chaos.
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It never fails to amaze me about the great human race that some of them still cannot leave enough time lest things might go wrong. The redevelopment of the airport has been flagged up in the social and 'normal' media for the best part of a year and still they moan and groan when things go wrong. Unfortunately today the 'just in time' culture and it will be the same every day and nothing will go wrong seems to be the norm. It seems Luton is not alone as Manchester seems to be having a poor time also.
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I am not that convinced the traffic nightmare is that well reported on social media.
If you look at the airports own website they mention the 3 day roadworks but nothing about the daily general congestion.
There is nothing on the Thameslink website that mentions that the shuttle bus that is supposed to run every 10 minutes can have extended gaps in service with massive queues and that once on the bus it can 30 minutes to travel the last 1 mile with passengers crammed in like sardines.
I would say it has reached the point where the words total chaos would be accurate and yet the airport just lets the traffic sort its self out with no staff employed to keep the CTA moving apart from one guy employed to look after the exit barriers when they fail to open except he can't be at more than one barrier at a time and sometimes he disappears altogether. All this was predicted here last year as the airport just allowed unlimited expansion when it was well known that the airports CTA capacity would be well down on last year and last year was a bad year.
If you look at the airports own website they mention the 3 day roadworks but nothing about the daily general congestion.
There is nothing on the Thameslink website that mentions that the shuttle bus that is supposed to run every 10 minutes can have extended gaps in service with massive queues and that once on the bus it can 30 minutes to travel the last 1 mile with passengers crammed in like sardines.
I would say it has reached the point where the words total chaos would be accurate and yet the airport just lets the traffic sort its self out with no staff employed to keep the CTA moving apart from one guy employed to look after the exit barriers when they fail to open except he can't be at more than one barrier at a time and sometimes he disappears altogether. All this was predicted here last year as the airport just allowed unlimited expansion when it was well known that the airports CTA capacity would be well down on last year and last year was a bad year.
Last edited by LTNman; 11th Jul 2016 at 04:30.
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Staggering total for little old Luton and why the traffic queues are so shocking.
1.43 million passengers flew during June
17.7% increase in passenger numbers compared with June 2015
The number of passengers using London Luton Airport (LLA) has increased for the 27th month in a row. Passenger numbers grew by 17.7% in June compared with the same month last year, with more than 1.4 million travellers passing through the airport.
LLA is addressing this continued demand by investing £110million to transform the airport. Contractors are on site working on a redevelopment that will facilitate the expansion of the airport’s annual capacity by 50%, from 12 to 18 million passengers by 2020.
Improving the passenger experience is a central part of the redevelopment which will see expanded retail and dining space and upgraded facilities in the terminal. This includes a new world class walk-through Aelia duty free store, operated by Lagardere Retail Travel, which was officially opened earlier this month.
Passengers are also benefitting from an ever-increasing choice of destinations with LLA’s 15 airline partners. June saw Adria Airways launch flights to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, while this month will see Air Nostrum’s service to the beautiful Spanish beach resort San Sebastian commence on 26th July.
In addition, work is underway to upgrade the airport’s transport links. A dual carriageway to the terminal is due to open later this year and plans have also been confirmed for a £200million light rail link to replace the current bus service between Luton Airport Parkway and the terminal. Once the new link is complete, the journey from London St Pancras to the terminal door will take less than 30 minutes, bringing LLA closer to central London than both Gatwick and Stansted.
Nick Barton, CEO of LLA, said: “With a decision on future runway capacity put on hold LLA remains the only London airport that is expanding capacity to meet rapidly growing demand.
The priority now is to make sure the travelling public can easily access our increasing range of destinations and new facilities, giving people more choice and flexibility. That’s why in the build up to the new East Midlands rail franchise we are working hard to secure additional fast train services.”
17.7% increase in passenger numbers compared with June 2015
The number of passengers using London Luton Airport (LLA) has increased for the 27th month in a row. Passenger numbers grew by 17.7% in June compared with the same month last year, with more than 1.4 million travellers passing through the airport.
LLA is addressing this continued demand by investing £110million to transform the airport. Contractors are on site working on a redevelopment that will facilitate the expansion of the airport’s annual capacity by 50%, from 12 to 18 million passengers by 2020.
Improving the passenger experience is a central part of the redevelopment which will see expanded retail and dining space and upgraded facilities in the terminal. This includes a new world class walk-through Aelia duty free store, operated by Lagardere Retail Travel, which was officially opened earlier this month.
Passengers are also benefitting from an ever-increasing choice of destinations with LLA’s 15 airline partners. June saw Adria Airways launch flights to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, while this month will see Air Nostrum’s service to the beautiful Spanish beach resort San Sebastian commence on 26th July.
In addition, work is underway to upgrade the airport’s transport links. A dual carriageway to the terminal is due to open later this year and plans have also been confirmed for a £200million light rail link to replace the current bus service between Luton Airport Parkway and the terminal. Once the new link is complete, the journey from London St Pancras to the terminal door will take less than 30 minutes, bringing LLA closer to central London than both Gatwick and Stansted.
Nick Barton, CEO of LLA, said: “With a decision on future runway capacity put on hold LLA remains the only London airport that is expanding capacity to meet rapidly growing demand.
The priority now is to make sure the travelling public can easily access our increasing range of destinations and new facilities, giving people more choice and flexibility. That’s why in the build up to the new East Midlands rail franchise we are working hard to secure additional fast train services.”
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I am told that...."when the new drop off exit gates open by new car park, fee will go up to £3 for 10 minutes. It will then be £1 a minute after that. They have moved the barriers further away, so everyone will get stung for the extra time!!".
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I am told that...."when the new drop off exit gates open by new car park, fee will go up to £3 for 10 minutes. It will then be £1 a minute after that