LUTON -8
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The changing face of Luton
Taken three years ago this photo shows quite well how Luton is becoming almost unrecognizable from even its recent past.
The photo was taken from what is now inside the terminal extension. Looking out almost everything in the photo apart from the control tower has either gone or has been hidden by building work. Gone includes the roundabout, trees, road layout, bus station and the former easyjet HQ that was replaced by a multistory car park and walkway
The photo was taken from what is now inside the terminal extension. Looking out almost everything in the photo apart from the control tower has either gone or has been hidden by building work. Gone includes the roundabout, trees, road layout, bus station and the former easyjet HQ that was replaced by a multistory car park and walkway
Last edited by LTNman; 10th Sep 2017 at 06:13.
LTNman.
I wish I could share your enthusiasm regarding the "improvements" to LTN.
The new road layout is a disaster. Access to the drop off zone still results in the same bottle neck and jams that have existed for years. Traffic also queues to get out because of insufficient exit barriers, however I suspect this is to boost takings from the pound a minute drop off fees.
The new terminal that is currently being constructed has created a culdesac that now blocks in up to 8 aircraft with decades of delays to look for to. Why enough space wasn't left to allow for 2 aircraft to pass each other in that culdesac is beyond me.
Don't even ask me about ATC procedures, for starters how about an auto change over to the ground freq on landing and an auto change to London on departure?
I wish I could share your enthusiasm regarding the "improvements" to LTN.
The new road layout is a disaster. Access to the drop off zone still results in the same bottle neck and jams that have existed for years. Traffic also queues to get out because of insufficient exit barriers, however I suspect this is to boost takings from the pound a minute drop off fees.
The new terminal that is currently being constructed has created a culdesac that now blocks in up to 8 aircraft with decades of delays to look for to. Why enough space wasn't left to allow for 2 aircraft to pass each other in that culdesac is beyond me.
Don't even ask me about ATC procedures, for starters how about an auto change over to the ground freq on landing and an auto change to London on departure?
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Hmm, enthusiasm is something I am not noted for but I do report on the facts that can be taken either positively or negatively depending on peoples view point.
I am probably the greatest critic of that rediculas drop off zone. How it got through the airports planning committee will remain one of the great mysteries of our time. The only good news is it will be no more in a few months time when it is shifted to allow for the station to be built. The exit barriers are also being moved and increased but as they will end up being closer to the replacement drop off zone any delays will have an impact on the drop off zone.
The terminal development has not put in a culdesac so I don't know what you mean. Aprons have been extended and remarked but access is as before but each apron does now have more stands. Aircraft entering the main apron can travel via Taxiway Echo to the northern apron that leads to Taxiway Delta that leads the Eastern Apron and back to the runway and the southern apron so in effect there is a ring road of taxiways.
Work will start soon on Taxiway Foxtrot that will run parallel to taxiway Delta so will allow for 2 way traffic if needed up the eastern side of the airport.
I am probably the greatest critic of that rediculas drop off zone. How it got through the airports planning committee will remain one of the great mysteries of our time. The only good news is it will be no more in a few months time when it is shifted to allow for the station to be built. The exit barriers are also being moved and increased but as they will end up being closer to the replacement drop off zone any delays will have an impact on the drop off zone.
The terminal development has not put in a culdesac so I don't know what you mean. Aprons have been extended and remarked but access is as before but each apron does now have more stands. Aircraft entering the main apron can travel via Taxiway Echo to the northern apron that leads to Taxiway Delta that leads the Eastern Apron and back to the runway and the southern apron so in effect there is a ring road of taxiways.
Work will start soon on Taxiway Foxtrot that will run parallel to taxiway Delta so will allow for 2 way traffic if needed up the eastern side of the airport.
Last edited by LTNman; 10th Sep 2017 at 08:55.
LTNman, the culdesac that is the East Apron has been there for at least 20 years? The new terminal wing will result in frequent use of the stands there as capacity is increased, leading to increased ramp congestion which is a serious issue at LTN.
If the new terminal (and pending rail station) had been built about 30-40m further out it would have allowed 319/320 & 737 size aircraft to enter and exit the apron at the same time. It's a big opportunity missed, the Luton planners and designers need to be shot!
If the new terminal (and pending rail station) had been built about 30-40m further out it would have allowed 319/320 & 737 size aircraft to enter and exit the apron at the same time. It's a big opportunity missed, the Luton planners and designers need to be shot!
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Ok I know what you are talking about now. The 6 stands became 7 stands and will end up as 8 stands when the builders compound disappears. I assume the width is not greater as it would have impacted on the size of the CTA which is already too small and can't be increased.
I don't know if Taxiway Foxtrot will help matters as aircraft could be tugged to two different taxiways for start up but the eastern apron will be getting a lot more busy when the new pier opens.
I don't know if Taxiway Foxtrot will help matters as aircraft could be tugged to two different taxiways for start up but the eastern apron will be getting a lot more busy when the new pier opens.
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Don't even ask me about ATC procedures, for starters how about an auto change over to the ground freq on landing and an auto change to London on departure?
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I think it used to be the case that Luton Tower were responsible for ensuring the correct squawk before hand off to London. Don't know if that is still the case or what happens at airports which do have auto transfer.
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Top International Routes for Growth - July 2017
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Porto – 10,060 (+168)
Rhodes – 6,105 (+84%)
Chisinau – 7,369 (+70%)
Zurich – 15,410 (+66%)
Reykjavik – 8,296 (+64%)
Olbia – 4,216 (+54%)
Kaunas – 28,125 (+53%)
Naples – 15,027 (+53%)
Tenerife – 17,634 (+51%)
Craiova – 10,668 (+46%)
Cluj Napoca – 32,400 (+42%)
Lisbon – 26,472 (+42%)
Constanta – 4,284 (+42%)
Munich – 7,663 (+42%)
Venice – 9,452 (+37%)
Amsterdam – 67,415 (+36%)
Dubrovnik – 3,934 (+36%)
Riga – 20,924 (+33%)
Ibiza – 15,672 (+30%)
Heraklion – 6,202 (+30%)
Rhodes – 6,105 (+84%)
Chisinau – 7,369 (+70%)
Zurich – 15,410 (+66%)
Reykjavik – 8,296 (+64%)
Olbia – 4,216 (+54%)
Kaunas – 28,125 (+53%)
Naples – 15,027 (+53%)
Tenerife – 17,634 (+51%)
Craiova – 10,668 (+46%)
Cluj Napoca – 32,400 (+42%)
Lisbon – 26,472 (+42%)
Constanta – 4,284 (+42%)
Munich – 7,663 (+42%)
Venice – 9,452 (+37%)
Amsterdam – 67,415 (+36%)
Dubrovnik – 3,934 (+36%)
Riga – 20,924 (+33%)
Ibiza – 15,672 (+30%)
Heraklion – 6,202 (+30%)
Just like my prediction the airport will create a further 15+ stands with a satelite building that will result in the airport 'easily' capable of handling 25MPPA which I have always stated.
Time will tell...
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Construction update - from inside the terminal
I flew out from Luton on Sunday evening, so I thought I'd post a few pictures from inside the terminal. Apologies for quality of some of the shots through the windows, the weather was not pleasant!
In the main departure lounge, the new entrance to the existing boarding piers has opened in between Frankie & Benny's and Boots.
This is the view in the opposite direction.
This is the area where the pile driving is taking place. I think the foundations in between stands 60 and 61 are for the footbridge for stand 60 which links to the new boarding gate being built over the customs hall.
This is a view of Pier B taken from Pier A showing most of the external cladding/glazing now complete.
In the main departure lounge, the new entrance to the existing boarding piers has opened in between Frankie & Benny's and Boots.
This is the view in the opposite direction.
This is the area where the pile driving is taking place. I think the foundations in between stands 60 and 61 are for the footbridge for stand 60 which links to the new boarding gate being built over the customs hall.
This is a view of Pier B taken from Pier A showing most of the external cladding/glazing now complete.
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That new entrance to the gates was Frankie and Benny's main seating area for their restaurant. I bet they are delighted to have lost it.
Before
Not quite sure why it has been moved?
Before
Not quite sure why it has been moved?
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Seriously in the second photo would it not hurt the airport to put in a few rows of seats!!
It might prevent the place from looking so depressing.
What is happening to the original entrance to the pier?
On my last visit I also noticed in the MSCP that some parking bays are marked up for electric charging points.
Not fitted yet but I wonder if the airport will try and charge for that as well.
Keep the photos coming though LTNman , really interesting to see what's going on behind the scenes.
It might prevent the place from looking so depressing.
What is happening to the original entrance to the pier?
On my last visit I also noticed in the MSCP that some parking bays are marked up for electric charging points.
Not fitted yet but I wonder if the airport will try and charge for that as well.
Keep the photos coming though LTNman , really interesting to see what's going on behind the scenes.
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I guess it's just using the space created by filling in the gap between the terminal and the departures corridor to the gates. This old google earth image shows it in construction. Hopefully the link to the gates will be a bit wider than the current one which is always a massive bottleneck as people hang around there waiting for their gate number to be displayed.
I'm guessing Frankie & Benny's will move their seating areas into the vacant space shown in my second picture.
I'm guessing Frankie & Benny's will move their seating areas into the vacant space shown in my second picture.
Falcon - additional seating would not be optimal for the airport operator as people sitting down are not shopping. To maximise revenue the airport will want to have the absolute bare minimum of seats - just enough to avoid elderly people fainting because they found the airport too stressful (along with bad publicity in the press) but not a single seat more
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I have looked at this part of the plan now for over 2 years and never spotted the new entrance to the gates, which I have marked with a brown arrow or the external seating area that I have underlined in red.
I thought the external seating area was going over the immigration hall and was replacing part of the plan. It now seems all along to be infilling the gap to the north pier. Wonder if people will be allowed to smoke there?
Below that is the check-in hall. My original plans show check-in desks 201-210 being put back into the infill area allowing for a good sized queuing area but later plans show them going back to where they were originally before the outsized baggage area was temporarily moved. The infill by this time had been removed to save a few bob. I don't know if it is now going back to expand the check-in area or whether the departure lounge infill is on stilts.
Last edited by LTNman; 12th Sep 2017 at 05:00.
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From when work first started it is already going to take over 3 years to complete the terminal and probably closer to 4, 5 years to complete the rest of the airport and 7 years when the rail link is included and you want to spread the work out even further 
The problem with the terminal redevelopment is that it is just like a big jigsaw puzzle. Bits can't be started until other bits are finished. Whole areas of the work have yet to be started so I am thinking 2019 for the completion of the terminal.
The problem with the terminal redevelopment is that it is just like a big jigsaw puzzle. Bits can't be started until other bits are finished. Whole areas of the work have yet to be started so I am thinking 2019 for the completion of the terminal.
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Probably due to the length of the concession ( extended to 2031) and their need get the pax numbers up quickly to make it viable.
You can appreciate why they have been voted bottom of the league for the last five years.
As they say the only way now can be up , hopefully by next summer it will have improved- only time will tell!
You can appreciate why they have been voted bottom of the league for the last five years.
As they say the only way now can be up , hopefully by next summer it will have improved- only time will tell!
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I still expect them to be bottom in next year's vote. Next summer I would expect much of the building work will switch to gutting out all the existing retail units to allow the security hall to be made bigger as by that time the terminal extension will have opened. Work will have also started on making the baggage reclaim area bigger.
Outside the walk to the drop off zone will be much longer, the short term car park will be half the size even though it is always full and work will have started on the station and the cut and cover tunnel that will result in the airports brand new dual carriageway being dug up before it is put back.
No gain without a lot of pain I guess but there is still years of work left.
Outside the walk to the drop off zone will be much longer, the short term car park will be half the size even though it is always full and work will have started on the station and the cut and cover tunnel that will result in the airports brand new dual carriageway being dug up before it is put back.
No gain without a lot of pain I guess but there is still years of work left.