LUTON -8
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9,863,364 PAX to date
Based on today's figures on the CAA website, I would not be surprised at all that Luton regains it's 5th position and reaches it's second best ever passenger total for a rolling year to date!
It's up, up and away at Luton...
It's up, up and away at Luton...
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Even though Eric Pickles did not call in the planning application for expanding the airport that planning permission has yet to be granted. No doubt it will go through but it just adds to the delay.
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Gaining back 5th position...
Based on today's figures on the CAA website, I would not be surprised at all that Luton regains it's 5th position and reaches it's second best ever passenger total for a rolling year to date!
It's up, up and away at Luton...
It's up, up and away at Luton...
Edinburgh has just had some pretty damn high profile routes start in the past few weeks:
Qatar Airways - 787 service to Doha
United Airlines - 757 service to Chicago
US Airways - 757 service to Philadelphia
On top of that, Turkish Airlines are increasing capacity to their Istanbul hub, and have seen routes to Verona, Heraklion and Bodrum open with Jet2 and easyJet.
Luton is over 100,000 short of the rolling 12 month figures of Edinburgh, and with the above routes only just starting, their figures are only going to get stronger.
New international routes boost May passenger numbers for Edinburgh Airport
With the greatest respect, I don't think the airport is too bothered about the 5th spot and more concerned about just maintaining and increasing passenger numbers. But I bet the airport would die for some of those carriers and routes if they had the opportunity!
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I was thinking the same. Does it really matter who is 5th or 6th. If an airline wants to fly into EDI there is just one airport. If an airline wants to fly into London they have a choice.
Luton is just heaving with Biz jets this week. On Monday the South stands was pressed back into use with 8 biz jets parked there as it was acting as an overflow.
Luton is just heaving with Biz jets this week. On Monday the South stands was pressed back into use with 8 biz jets parked there as it was acting as an overflow.
Last edited by LTNman; 17th Jun 2014 at 21:32.
Paxing All Over The World
I went out with friends on Wizz on 4th June to VNO and back on the 8th. It was sometime since I'd been through the airport and some of the usual culprits were still there, such as the mid-term car park having only one bus and the timings being outside the 10 minutes.
On return, as we had a checked bag, I was last off the (full) 320 and last through Passport (minimal queue) and still got to the belt before it began to move. Given that the a/c had parked within 100m of the belt, that was SOP for the airport.
The best part was that outbound security was running with all slots fully staffed = Hooray.
The chap in front of me was stopped and spent some time protesting that the contents of the plastic carrier bag should be let through as hand luggage. he was refused and chose to take the flight and leave it behind.
having heard metallic clunking sounds, I politely enquired of the agent what was in the bag? "an angle grinder" he did not specify whether mains or battery ...
On return, as we had a checked bag, I was last off the (full) 320 and last through Passport (minimal queue) and still got to the belt before it began to move. Given that the a/c had parked within 100m of the belt, that was SOP for the airport.
The best part was that outbound security was running with all slots fully staffed = Hooray.
The chap in front of me was stopped and spent some time protesting that the contents of the plastic carrier bag should be let through as hand luggage. he was refused and chose to take the flight and leave it behind.
having heard metallic clunking sounds, I politely enquired of the agent what was in the bag? "an angle grinder" he did not specify whether mains or battery ...
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Luton is just heaving with Biz jets this week. On Monday the South stands was pressed back into use with 8 biz jets parked there as it was acting as an overflow.
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I have an interest in airport figures.
With the deepest respect, the management most certainly do aspire to being the UK’s 5ft busiest airport: ‘London Luton Airport is the UK's 5th largest passenger airport’, those words are from their own website!
Furthermore, new destinations will shortly be inaugurated from Luton this year in addition to increases on current routes.
In terms of average passengers per flight for the rolling twelve months, Edinburgh handled 97, Glasgow 103 against Luton’s 137 which makes Luton far more efficient in terms of passenger volume v aircraft movement.
With most of Heathrow’s movements being by wide body aircraft, it does beg the question why the average passenger load is only 197? Could this be a reflection of some recently reported airline only achieving 40% payloads on it’s domestic routes?
Stansted has handled an average of 135, Gatwick 146, Southend 107, London City 50 passengers and Birmingham 108.
Furthermore, new destinations will shortly be inaugurated from Luton this year in addition to increases on current routes.
In terms of average passengers per flight for the rolling twelve months, Edinburgh handled 97, Glasgow 103 against Luton’s 137 which makes Luton far more efficient in terms of passenger volume v aircraft movement.
With most of Heathrow’s movements being by wide body aircraft, it does beg the question why the average passenger load is only 197? Could this be a reflection of some recently reported airline only achieving 40% payloads on it’s domestic routes?
Stansted has handled an average of 135, Gatwick 146, Southend 107, London City 50 passengers and Birmingham 108.
Statistics can be very misleading and should be treated with caution.
To take an extreme example, the BA A318 flight from London City to New York might only have a couple of dozen pax on board, but the yield would be an order of magnitude higher than that from 189 punters on a fully loaded Ryanair flight.
To take an extreme example, the BA A318 flight from London City to New York might only have a couple of dozen pax on board, but the yield would be an order of magnitude higher than that from 189 punters on a fully loaded Ryanair flight.
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Oi oi does Edinburgh have a direct link to Iraq though? 
:P
I think we can see some interesting new destinations with Atlasjet. They have this Kurdish airline and if you read on it seems are opening a ukrainian airline also.
I am guessing LTN will be their focal point in London so.. Interesting times ahead.
Does anybody know when Wizz receive their A321's?
Still nothing on anybody picking up the old Arann routes or Flybe? Would have figured someone would show interest but I guess they were not as attractive as we all assumed.
:PI think we can see some interesting new destinations with Atlasjet. They have this Kurdish airline and if you read on it seems are opening a ukrainian airline also.
I am guessing LTN will be their focal point in London so.. Interesting times ahead.
Does anybody know when Wizz receive their A321's?
Still nothing on anybody picking up the old Arann routes or Flybe? Would have figured someone would show interest but I guess they were not as attractive as we all assumed.
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In view of the current,volatile situation in Iraq, I would be most surprised if the proposed service goes ahead.
Atlasjet have said they will start a direct service to Antalya next year from LTN, which will probably result in Monarch withdrawing from the route they only started this year.
Atlasjet have said they will start a direct service to Antalya next year from LTN, which will probably result in Monarch withdrawing from the route they only started this year.
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Erbil & the Kurdish area is a different kettle of fish to rest of the country.
Erbil Tourism 2014
Not that I want to visit Iraq but it look rather gorgeous.
Erbil Tourism 2014
Not that I want to visit Iraq but it look rather gorgeous.
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"Atlasjet have said they will start a direct service to Antalya next year from LTN, which will probably result in Monarch withdrawing from the route they only started this year."
I doubt it- Surely Monarch will be familiar to most UK originating traffic and a proportion of their seats are holidaying with UK companies.
I doubt it- Surely Monarch will be familiar to most UK originating traffic and a proportion of their seats are holidaying with UK companies.
On return, as we had a checked bag, I was last off the (full) 320 and last through Passport (minimal queue) and still got to the belt before it began to move. Given that the a/c had parked within 100m of the belt, that was SOP for the airport.
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Most of the baggage loaders at Luton are now Eastern Europieans. I thought that they had a hard work ethic. Oh course the problem could be that too many aircraft arrive together and there is only so many staff to go around.
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I suspect it's more due to the appallingly dire layout of the buildings and limited vehicle access to the back of the old and decrepit baggage hall. The airport is in a ridiculous state, having never been designed properly in the first place, bodged and extended into its current mess. The old brick terminal needs to be demolished and a fresh, modern start should be made. It's impressive just how well LTN does work, considering how hamstrung it is by its own configuration and lacklustre management/investment history.
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I think you will find it is more to do with staffing levels of both the airports handling agents. The number of arrivals can very considerably between one hour and the next. Staff have to be paid for and the last thing the agents want is staff sitting around being paid just to cover peak traffic flows. There are plans to add new belts in arrivals and expand the arrivals hall and the migration area but the airport has no control over staffing levels.
Last edited by LTNman; 19th Jun 2014 at 19:09.
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Ryanair mulls investing in Spanish airport operator, AENA - ch-aviation.com.
So if Ryanair did invest in AENA would Ryanair be more likely to base more aircraft at Luton? I wonder what motives Ryanair has in basing any aircraft at Luton after their cosy deal with Stansted seeing that their Dublin service could be based in Dublin leaving them with just a single Luton route.
I think that as far as Ryanair is concerned it doesn't really matter which airport is used as they often just shift routes between the two North London airports.
So if Ryanair did invest in AENA would Ryanair be more likely to base more aircraft at Luton? I wonder what motives Ryanair has in basing any aircraft at Luton after their cosy deal with Stansted seeing that their Dublin service could be based in Dublin leaving them with just a single Luton route.
I think that as far as Ryanair is concerned it doesn't really matter which airport is used as they often just shift routes between the two North London airports.
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Ryanair's Luton operation has always perplexed me a bit given that their Stansted operation is so massive but I presume their 4 aircraft operation out of Luton must be profitable otherwise they wouldn't continue with it and that all the routes, not just Dublin, must make money?
Given the current constraints at Luton, it's hard to see how Ryanair could significantly increase their presence at Luton as accommodating a larger based fleet of planes would be nigh on impossible until significant improvements to the airports infrastructure are completed.
Given the current constraints at Luton, it's hard to see how Ryanair could significantly increase their presence at Luton as accommodating a larger based fleet of planes would be nigh on impossible until significant improvements to the airports infrastructure are completed.
Last edited by wallp; 21st Jun 2014 at 10:32.