LUTON -8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Oh Cavey
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Its so much better
Touch wood there hasn't been any delay in pax disembarking because of steps with the new pooled equipment
Pax waiting for border force is a different issue though haha
All the new equipment runs on a telematics system, you have to swipe your ID pass for anything to start up.
Everything is recorded now, last user, speed, braking action or if you make contact with the aircraft and it all gets logged in the airports system. They really are splashing the cash out on ramp. It's long overdue
Touch wood there hasn't been any delay in pax disembarking because of steps with the new pooled equipment
Pax waiting for border force is a different issue though haha
All the new equipment runs on a telematics system, you have to swipe your ID pass for anything to start up.
Everything is recorded now, last user, speed, braking action or if you make contact with the aircraft and it all gets logged in the airports system. They really are splashing the cash out on ramp. It's long overdue
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One of the biggest complaints from passengers is the length of time it takes to get luggage to the belts. Is that just down to a lack of staff or a lack of belts to put the cases on?
One of the last tasks, as part of the increase in capacity of the terminal, is the increase in size of the baggage hall. That can't take place until the temporary arrivals waiting area is moved from the original 1960's terminal into the new build. Seeing that half the new build in the former bus station area still hasn't seen a single piece of steelwork installed yet after 16 months of site clearance it is going to be a long wait.
One of the last tasks, as part of the increase in capacity of the terminal, is the increase in size of the baggage hall. That can't take place until the temporary arrivals waiting area is moved from the original 1960's terminal into the new build. Seeing that half the new build in the former bus station area still hasn't seen a single piece of steelwork installed yet after 16 months of site clearance it is going to be a long wait.
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Luton
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Both handerling agents have about 10-12 trucks each and if we have all these planes hit the ground at the same time it's just too much for us to handle in such a small space of time. Your average wizz and easyJet flights have 60-70 bags (1 truck)
Whereas Ryanair's are touching the 100 mark and Thomson are well over 180 (2 trucks)
Most of the baggage delays come from first wave. We only have 4 inbound belts which are not big enough to take 2 flights and belt 1 can only take one small flight so most of the time we are waiting for space on the belts
Only exception to all this is the nights
Come 1-3am they run the operation with a "skeleton" crew, basically the bare minimum amount of loaders and sometimes there are delays there
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The airport always blames the handling agents and tells the passengers to complain direct to them when passengers kick off on the airports Facebook page. I always had a suspicion that a lack of belts was one of the reasons which is down to the airports own infrastructure limitations. Hopefully during 2018 this will be sorted out when the new belts come on line
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Luton
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The airport always blames the handling agents and tells the passengers to complain direct to them when passengers kick off on the airports Facebook page. I always had a suspicion that a lack of belts was one of the reasons which is down to the airports own infrastructure limitations. Hopefully during 2018 this will be sorted out when the new belts come on line
I think the airport misjudged the amount of baggage passengers would carry and decided to just test the limits of their old systems
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Between the check-in desks
Posts: 445
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It has already been mentioned that these stands will only be used by the airport for night stoppers which will allow Signature to use the stands during the day.
Great post by the way!
Great post by the way!
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Top 30 Routes for 2017 (Jan to Mar)
Some interesting figures with some Eastern European routes down
Amsterdam – 173,771 (+42%)
Copenhagen – 172,294 (-4%)
Bucharest – 128,630 (+22%)
Geneva – 127,171 (+92%)
Budapest – 126,297 (0)
Barcelona – 109,283 (+143%)
Warsaw – 98,941 (+18%)
Dublin – 82,832 (+2%)
Paris – 76,080 (+19%)
Belfast – 72,276 (0)
Edinburgh – 70,712 (+21%)
Tel Aviv – 68,193 (+14%)
Katowice – 66,537 (-7%)
Vilnius – 64,660 (+8%)
Cluj-Napoca – 64,063 (+19%)
Sofia – 59,802 (0)
Glasgow – 56,874 (+7%)
Kaunas – 52,102 (+158%)
Gdansk – 51,852 (-6%)
Tenerife – 50,210 (+61%)
Reykjavik – 46,182 (+27%)
Alicante – 41,956 (+14%)
Malaga – 41,257 (+18%)
Zurich – 40,564 (+93%)
Riga – 39,144 (-1%)
Berlin – 39,062 (+5%)
Poznan – 36,815 (+1%)
Iasi – 34,595 (+64%)
Lisbon – 33,503 (+38%)
Lanzarote – 29,989 (+19%)
Amsterdam – 173,771 (+42%)
Copenhagen – 172,294 (-4%)
Bucharest – 128,630 (+22%)
Geneva – 127,171 (+92%)
Budapest – 126,297 (0)
Barcelona – 109,283 (+143%)
Warsaw – 98,941 (+18%)
Dublin – 82,832 (+2%)
Paris – 76,080 (+19%)
Belfast – 72,276 (0)
Edinburgh – 70,712 (+21%)
Tel Aviv – 68,193 (+14%)
Katowice – 66,537 (-7%)
Vilnius – 64,660 (+8%)
Cluj-Napoca – 64,063 (+19%)
Sofia – 59,802 (0)
Glasgow – 56,874 (+7%)
Kaunas – 52,102 (+158%)
Gdansk – 51,852 (-6%)
Tenerife – 50,210 (+61%)
Reykjavik – 46,182 (+27%)
Alicante – 41,956 (+14%)
Malaga – 41,257 (+18%)
Zurich – 40,564 (+93%)
Riga – 39,144 (-1%)
Berlin – 39,062 (+5%)
Poznan – 36,815 (+1%)
Iasi – 34,595 (+64%)
Lisbon – 33,503 (+38%)
Lanzarote – 29,989 (+19%)
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thomson
So just 2 aircraft it seems from TOM next year, down to 26 weekly departures
Cancelled Routes
Antalya
Bourgas
Heraklion
Skiathos
Frequency Cuts
Corfu
Faro
Ibiza
Malaga
Menorca
Palma Mallorca
Paphos
Tenerife-South
Cancelled Routes
Antalya
Bourgas
Heraklion
Skiathos
Frequency Cuts
Corfu
Faro
Ibiza
Malaga
Menorca
Palma Mallorca
Paphos
Tenerife-South
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone know why Thomson are cutting back so much next year- is this a capacity cut or are they placing more PAX on other airlines? Are bookings down for this year or yields lower?
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 35,000ft
Posts: 983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perhaps Jet2 setting up shop up the road with 7 aircraft this summer has stole a few customers?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When one thinks that Luton in years gone by was known as a charter airport with over 3 million charter passengers in the days of Court Line and around 2 million passengers up until 1995 has seen that part of the business has all but disappear.
Luton's bottom of the table customer reviews and customer experience won't have helped matters either when families decide where to fly from.
Luton's bottom of the table customer reviews and customer experience won't have helped matters either when families decide where to fly from.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looks like Transavia flights to Paris Orly, might be coming to an end from October. Nothing bookable from November onwards from Luton, but flights from other destinations to Orly, are all available.
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Between the check-in desks
Posts: 445
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Seems that Luton's lost Thomson 737 is being transferred to Gatwick next year. Passengers voting with their feet? Can't say I would want to use Luton if I was living in North London if there was an alternative airport. Last years shenanigans could well have affected this years bookings which is reflected in next years cutback.
Anyone arriving by car last year could well have faced massive delays to travel the last mile. The shuttle bus from the station remains a nightmare with even the bendy buses now filled to capacity with two smaller standard single decker buses seemingly permanently replacing two of the larger capacity buses. Who in there right mind would want to use that mode of transport with a load of suitcases for a 2 week holiday with kids? Once inside the terminal it was standing room only last year and this year it will be little better.
Add to that Thomson flights from Gatwick are usually cheaper means that Luton has very little appeal.
Anyone arriving by car last year could well have faced massive delays to travel the last mile. The shuttle bus from the station remains a nightmare with even the bendy buses now filled to capacity with two smaller standard single decker buses seemingly permanently replacing two of the larger capacity buses. Who in there right mind would want to use that mode of transport with a load of suitcases for a 2 week holiday with kids? Once inside the terminal it was standing room only last year and this year it will be little better.
Add to that Thomson flights from Gatwick are usually cheaper means that Luton has very little appeal.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While I agree with much of the above post it is somewhat spoiled by the last paragraph.
The problem with the development is that it is in the passengers faces rather than hidden away but for Luton it can't be any other way due to constants on the land available and ever rising passenger numbers. Also work can only be done in a set order rather than the most urgent issues being tackled first with at least another years worth of work on the terminal before it is finished.
I totally agree that someone has cocked up big time with the drop off zone which just adds to the long list of bad designs. In recent years we have seen arriving cars having to cross the path of cars trying to leave. A set of traffic lights on the CTA roundabout that only lasted a matter of days and pay barriers on the exist lanes to the drop off zone which would bring traffic to a standstill. I think all of the above has happened in the last 5 years and now we have a single lane with 4 planned pedestrian crossings.
If Luton was flattened it would take longer than 6 months to rebuild it, more like 2 or 3 years and what would happen to the existing traffic? I don't see the other London airports absorbing 15 million passengers.
With work starting on the new station and cut and cover tunnel out of the CTA around the end of the year there is a few more years of work until 2021 before it is all finished.
The problem with the development is that it is in the passengers faces rather than hidden away but for Luton it can't be any other way due to constants on the land available and ever rising passenger numbers. Also work can only be done in a set order rather than the most urgent issues being tackled first with at least another years worth of work on the terminal before it is finished.
I totally agree that someone has cocked up big time with the drop off zone which just adds to the long list of bad designs. In recent years we have seen arriving cars having to cross the path of cars trying to leave. A set of traffic lights on the CTA roundabout that only lasted a matter of days and pay barriers on the exist lanes to the drop off zone which would bring traffic to a standstill. I think all of the above has happened in the last 5 years and now we have a single lane with 4 planned pedestrian crossings.
If Luton was flattened it would take longer than 6 months to rebuild it, more like 2 or 3 years and what would happen to the existing traffic? I don't see the other London airports absorbing 15 million passengers.
With work starting on the new station and cut and cover tunnel out of the CTA around the end of the year there is a few more years of work until 2021 before it is all finished.
The reduction of TOM capacity next Summer is part of a bigger picture to relocate various aircraft across bases (STN is loosing its long-haul operation)
TOM loads from LTN are historically very good, but obviously its been decided that the 737 can be better deployed elsewhere. There are other issues such as crewing that also can come into play here (and the need to protect the valuable LGW slots).......but the chaos in the terminal area of the last few years will certainly not have helped!
TOM loads from LTN are historically very good, but obviously its been decided that the 737 can be better deployed elsewhere. There are other issues such as crewing that also can come into play here (and the need to protect the valuable LGW slots).......but the chaos in the terminal area of the last few years will certainly not have helped!
Last edited by boeing_eng; 21st Apr 2017 at 11:58.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maybe we will see Vueling pick up the route either from Orly or Charles de Gaulle.
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: A place you do not know
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Surely the airport is actually happier that Thomson have released a plane from LTN. One plane on some days would do one flight a day and that was it. Now Thomson will use both planes to the maximum with less sitting around. Also the space has left it for someone else to base the plane here and make more of the based plane. Thomson are only there for peak season and the airport will surely benefit from them reducing and someone else having it for the whole summer. Also heard that it could be 2 757's with the other 737-8 switching with an 757 from LGW.
Last edited by Boeing737-8; 22nd Apr 2017 at 11:20. Reason: BOEING ENG
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Boeing 737-8 makes a good point. LTN never was a three aircraft base in the strict sense of the word, with w-patterns and days when not all aircraft were used- it was said this allowed for maintenance. There are few routes actually being lost and I am not sure if Thomson book pax on to other services all destinations except possibly Anatalya and Skiathos are served by other operators from LTN so this is theoretically possible. When making comparisons with charter in days of yore the frequency of flights to most IT destinations is far higher these days with many making their own arrangements -I know a family of four going to PMI with EASY with self booked apratment and diving.
Deployment to ABZ for Thomson makes sense - self arranging is less possible from there.
Deployment to ABZ for Thomson makes sense - self arranging is less possible from there.
Last edited by 22/04; 21st Apr 2017 at 14:29.