LUTON -8

[runway08]

They seem to be newly moving into scheduled Low Cost flights after getting their own AOC, Good luck to them.

Poland's 4YOU Airlines temporarily suspends operations - ch-aviation.com

You may mistaken them for Monarch planes until 4you switches to the 737.

[TBSC]

operating Luton to Lodz, as they will be competing directly against Ryanair from Stansted and is one of the few airports in Poland without a Wizzair service, which is bound to happen some time in the near future!

Wizz Air operated Luton-Lodz between September 2011 and May 2013.

[LTNman]

It would appear that the police have closed the approach road to the airport with the surrounding roads gridlocked .

(edit Just found this)

London Luton Airport has evacuated the terminal building after a suspicious item was found in the security search area. The decision has been taken with the Police to ensure the safety and security of passengers and staff.

All incoming flights have been suspended and the approach road to the Airport has also been closed. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines to establish the status of their flights. Further updates regarding the security and operations at the Airport will be provided as soon as possible.

[LTNman]

Mayhem rules. Photos and video here Luton Airport Evacuated: Flights Diverted

This will have an impact on Septembers passengers figures

[LTNman]

Terminal is in the process of being re-opened after a four and a half hour closure.

[LAX_LHR]

4.5 hour closure and BBC reporting that there was a 'controlled explosion'.

Obviously something quite substantial to warrant these actions.

[LTNman]

I bet it wasn't. In the past I have seen the police closing the airports approach roads, thus the whole airport, when an aircraft has declared an emergency.

I see there is a large number of cancellations tonight.

[Barling Magna]

From the LTN website:
As a result of the earlier evacuation of London Luton Airport, easyJet has taken the decision to cancel the remainder of this evening’s flight programme. easyJet expects operations to return to normal tomorrow morning. easyJet passengers who are affected by the cancellations can change their flight or obtain a refund at easyJet.com or via the Customer Service desk.

[compton3bravo]

Bet the queue at the easyJet customer service desk stretches a bit! Interesting to note that Ryanair are carrying on with their programme, they are usually the first to cancel flights. Part of the change in attitude me thinks.

[Aluminium shuffler]

That's not right, Cpt3B, it's BA and EZY that cancel swathes of flights when things go awry - RYR are quite the opposite, keeping crews and pax hanging around depserately in the face of the obvious inevitability.

[Cloud1]

Let us not get carried away Aluminium shuffle - when it was the French ATC strikes Ryanair were the ONLY airline to cancel flights at the airport I was stuck at. Monarch, Thomson and Easyjet amongst other foreign carriers all operated with delays

[LTNman]

I have heard the evacuation was over a non working hairdrier in hand luggage which was blown up just to be on the safe side.

[pitotheat]

Was the hairdrier non working before or after the controlled explosion?

[c52]

What is the sequence of events for the beginning of this evacuation?

X-ray machine operator thinks there's a bomb in a bag.

Does s/he first press the emergency button, or ask the owner of the bag to unpack it for them?

Or did they fail to find the owner?

Could they not find the owner in the hours it took to arrange to blow the bag up?

[manrow]

c52

I don't anticipate that we will see comprehensive answers to your questions (and others), despite the fact that we would like to know!

I just hope that the situation at Luton yesterday is better coordinated in future as otherwise absolute mayhem will result.

[Level bust]

According to local radio the owner couldn't explain what the 'box shape thing with wires coming out of it' was and how it got there!

[LTNman]

According to the local radio it was a pair of hair straighteners detected by a x-ray machine. On asking the male owner of the hand luggage he denied owning hair straighteners which is understandable. He also said that he had left the bag unattended.

I wonder if he will get sent a bill?

[ericlday]

Yeh, the ''old Bill''

[Buster the Bear]

"He had left the bag unattended", not very nice way to refer to his own wife!

[davidjohnson6]

Did airport staff / police perhaps over-react in this instance ? Based on what I've seen so far, it all seems rather dramatic