LUTON -8
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Why be so pessimistic man, The airport is about to expand majorly. The new flights will have to go somewhere. If these routes make as much sense as we all think they do someone will pick them up. 
Join Date: Aug 2013
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I'm very optimistic about the airport & I do think some of these routes could work again from Luton but it is hard to see who might realistically pick them up. There's nothing to say that these routes will definitely return.
Flybe who seemed the most logical carrier have gone, the likes of BMI regional, Cityjet or perhaps Eastern seem unlikely to pick then up. easyJet could look at JER & IOM perhaps but having tried JER before they may be reluctant so that's why I say I don't expect to see these routes returning anytime soon.
If a carrier announces any of these routes sooner, I'll be delighted
Flybe who seemed the most logical carrier have gone, the likes of BMI regional, Cityjet or perhaps Eastern seem unlikely to pick then up. easyJet could look at JER & IOM perhaps but having tried JER before they may be reluctant so that's why I say I don't expect to see these routes returning anytime soon.
If a carrier announces any of these routes sooner, I'll be delighted
Last edited by wallp; 4th Aug 2014 at 19:03.
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I can see EZY taking up (JER & IOM) routes once the airport expands and hopefully more based aircraft, even as gap fillers, but that is years off.
Last edited by pabely; 4th Aug 2014 at 14:47. Reason: Don't think they would want WAT or GCI
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Nothing too exciting, but Wizzair are increasing Warsaw from 21 to 24 flights a week from March 2015, as they are adding another aircraft to their Chopin base.
24 flights a week is crazy, where is all this traffic coming from?! I think Budapest has a similar number of rotations each day too...
The A321's are due to join their fleet later this year, no doubt they will be showing up a numerous routes and will be increasing capacity even further!
WIZZ AIR ANNOUNCES 5TH AIRCRAFT AND 8 NEW ROUTES IN WARSAW
24 flights a week is crazy, where is all this traffic coming from?! I think Budapest has a similar number of rotations each day too...
The A321's are due to join their fleet later this year, no doubt they will be showing up a numerous routes and will be increasing capacity even further!
WIZZ AIR ANNOUNCES 5TH AIRCRAFT AND 8 NEW ROUTES IN WARSAW
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Wizz are also going to increase Riga from 7 flights to 11 flights a week
WIZZ AIR doubles capacity at Riga base :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics
WIZZ AIR doubles capacity at Riga base :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics
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Is there a reason why Wizz have yet to have a go at the Estonian market with flights to Tallinn, I wonder? It seems an obvious gap in their network
Wizz are also going to increase Riga from 7 flights to 11 flights a week
WIZZ AIR DOUBLES CAPACITY AT RIGA BASE
So while nothing terribly exciting in the matter of new routes, but with the 3 extra rotations on the Warsaw route and now 4 extra to Riga, that has the potential to be an extra 131,000 passengers a year!
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Wizzair continues to grow at Luton
@gilesdavies,
Warsaw is increasing from 20 to 24 flights so your extra passenger seat levels available that includes Riga has the potential to be 149,760 if operated year round.
With 37 A320's and 25 A321's currently on order I think we can see further growth planned for Luton?
Warsaw is increasing from 20 to 24 flights so your extra passenger seat levels available that includes Riga has the potential to be 149,760 if operated year round.
With 37 A320's and 25 A321's currently on order I think we can see further growth planned for Luton?
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Looks like it will be EasyJet and Wizz Air dominating Luton growth next year, unless anyone else adds more aircraft. Does anyone think Luton could hit 11 mppa in 2015?
Lets take it one step at a time...
The airport has been hovering around the 9.5-9.9 million mark for the last 7-8 years... Lets break through that 10 million mark first!
On another note, is it likely Monarch will base a sixth airframe at the airport next year?
I am more than happy to be corrected, but sure I remember it being said somewhere they would base an additional aircraft at LTN next year as well as the one they added this year too...
Join Date: Sep 2012
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The airport has been hovering around the 9.5-9.9 million mark for the last 7-8 years... Lets break through that 10 million mark first!
The airport has also seen some quite rapid traffic growth recently and so far looks like more to come. It will definitely break 10 mppa this year. Considering Wizz are already showing signs of expansion next year and EZY apparently growing 20% next year (although what EZY seem to say and do these days are two very different things) and possibly another Monarch aircraft, I think 11 mppa or close to is possible for 2015.
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FRatStN
So what is your view regarding FR at LTN?
It's been several years since they decided on a four a/c base.Apart from the odd Canary Islands flights they have no competition on their routes from rivals.
They seem to show no interest in basing more , given their deal with MAG at STN.
The routes appear to be profitable or they would be dropped.Could it be that they signed a ten year deal and are just treading water until it is up for renewal.
Given that extra capacity around London is at a premium, with EZY,s deal at SEN etc and the fact that it looks like they are consolidating south of London at LGW and north at LTN I do wonder what FRs plans may be. Do you think they missed opportunities at LGW when EZY stepped in there?
It does seem on the face of it that EZY have it sewn up from a catchment area perspective around London.
What do you think FRs strategy will be regarding LTN in the future?
So what is your view regarding FR at LTN?
It's been several years since they decided on a four a/c base.Apart from the odd Canary Islands flights they have no competition on their routes from rivals.
They seem to show no interest in basing more , given their deal with MAG at STN.
The routes appear to be profitable or they would be dropped.Could it be that they signed a ten year deal and are just treading water until it is up for renewal.
Given that extra capacity around London is at a premium, with EZY,s deal at SEN etc and the fact that it looks like they are consolidating south of London at LGW and north at LTN I do wonder what FRs plans may be. Do you think they missed opportunities at LGW when EZY stepped in there?
It does seem on the face of it that EZY have it sewn up from a catchment area perspective around London.
What do you think FRs strategy will be regarding LTN in the future?
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If FR's operation at Luton is profitable which I presume must be the case otherwise it wouldn't continue, why do anything with it other than offer more of the same?
Perhaps it won't grow much, although I can see justification for more routes and frequencies to Ireland - Shannon & Cork perhaps plus a 4th daily frequency to Dublin?
Other than that, why change anything?
Perhaps it won't grow much, although I can see justification for more routes and frequencies to Ireland - Shannon & Cork perhaps plus a 4th daily frequency to Dublin?
Other than that, why change anything?
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wallp
Just that there seems a lack of ambition from FR regarding Luton
The airport is expanding , more stands available for overnighting and it looks like Easy will take up the spare capacity (or could we see the first base for Wizz outside of Eastern Europe given the expansion-unlikely I know!)
If the routes are profitable as you say then why not a couple more a/c?
Just that there seems a lack of ambition from FR regarding Luton
The airport is expanding , more stands available for overnighting and it looks like Easy will take up the spare capacity (or could we see the first base for Wizz outside of Eastern Europe given the expansion-unlikely I know!)
If the routes are profitable as you say then why not a couple more a/c?
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As I have said before, FR's route network from LTN is very strange as in it doesn't serve the usual destinations. It's more the odds and sods that FR either seems to underserve or doesn't serve at all from STN. That is why I have previously questioned FR's future at LTN because in the past they didn't have the incentive to move those flights to STN but the MAG deal could give then that incentive.
FR's routes from LTN will be profitable. As to how profitable I can't say but would seem they do well.
If they eventually do close the LTN base it won't be because the routes are unprofitable. It will most likely be along the lines of why EZY closed EMA, because the base is stagnant and they can't see growth potential as strongly as they do at other airports (i.e STN in FR's case).
I would be disappointed if in future they closed their LTN base as I personally don't think they will. Having said that I can't see much of a growing future for them at LTN bar the odd new route from time to time.
They will probably want to maintain what they have in LTN as it is profitable and it will at least stop the likes of EZY potentially taking all their slots thus creating more competition to their STN base.
In regard to LGW I think FR may have missed some opportunities there but the growth is highly restricted given the lack of ability to base a lot of aircraft. They would certainly never get anywhere near the size of EZY at LGW so I guess there's not much point. They did give LGW a try during the BAA dispute at STN. They flew around 15 routes I think but without a base at LGW, most of which have now been withdrawn.
FR already have however and I'm sure will continue to take advantage of EZY's dwindling presence at STN. A big mistake on EZY's part in my view and certainly very risky. That's exactly what I think FR will continue to avoid to do at LTN by maintaining their presence.
FR's routes from LTN will be profitable. As to how profitable I can't say but would seem they do well.
If they eventually do close the LTN base it won't be because the routes are unprofitable. It will most likely be along the lines of why EZY closed EMA, because the base is stagnant and they can't see growth potential as strongly as they do at other airports (i.e STN in FR's case).
I would be disappointed if in future they closed their LTN base as I personally don't think they will. Having said that I can't see much of a growing future for them at LTN bar the odd new route from time to time.
They will probably want to maintain what they have in LTN as it is profitable and it will at least stop the likes of EZY potentially taking all their slots thus creating more competition to their STN base.
In regard to LGW I think FR may have missed some opportunities there but the growth is highly restricted given the lack of ability to base a lot of aircraft. They would certainly never get anywhere near the size of EZY at LGW so I guess there's not much point. They did give LGW a try during the BAA dispute at STN. They flew around 15 routes I think but without a base at LGW, most of which have now been withdrawn.
FR already have however and I'm sure will continue to take advantage of EZY's dwindling presence at STN. A big mistake on EZY's part in my view and certainly very risky. That's exactly what I think FR will continue to avoid to do at LTN by maintaining their presence.
Last edited by FRatSTN; 8th Aug 2014 at 15:11.