LUTON -8
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That structure was a one day station for a day of services down the old Dunstable line as there was a campaign to reopen the line for passenger use. It later became the Luton Bus Way.
As for free plastic bags is the airport going soft? They also only charge 20p for a plastic waterproof for passengers waiting for a coach due to a lack of a canopy. Even the free period of wifi has been extended. What next I ask myself, maybe free wellington boots to navigate the puddles in the stairwell of the passenger footbridge.
Good to hear about the extra E passport gates but one of the issues at the airport is that there isn't enough equipment for the aircraft when they come on stands. Last year I read that the airport were going to provide all the equipment but I know for a fact that staff a Swissport have to go hunting around the airport as there isn't one set of equipment per stand which delays disembarkation and luggage.
As for free plastic bags is the airport going soft? They also only charge 20p for a plastic waterproof for passengers waiting for a coach due to a lack of a canopy. Even the free period of wifi has been extended. What next I ask myself, maybe free wellington boots to navigate the puddles in the stairwell of the passenger footbridge.
Good to hear about the extra E passport gates but one of the issues at the airport is that there isn't enough equipment for the aircraft when they come on stands. Last year I read that the airport were going to provide all the equipment but I know for a fact that staff a Swissport have to go hunting around the airport as there isn't one set of equipment per stand which delays disembarkation and luggage.
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Footbridge opens
Today saw the closure of the pedestrian crossing to the short term car park and the opening of the passenger footbridge.
At Luton today while there has been no rain as such there has been quite a bit of murk and mist. While there were no pools of water in the lobby the floor was wet and a little slippery. The wet conditions actually extended the full length of the both bridges making the floors look dirty and scruffy.
What struck me was that the bridges looked like they had been standing for a couple of years. Running a finger for just an inch or two along any horizontal metalwork resulted in a blackened finger. There were splashes of concrete all over the bottom half of the walls and plastic windows. The paint was scratched in places and missing in other places and the builders measurement markings in large thick felt tip pen were everywhere. I am hoping that later on the whole interior will get a deep clean and touch up.
As for the materials used it would be better to talk about the materials that hadn't been used. The buildings and bridges just feel like shells with nothing covered up or boxed in.
By each entrance there are payment machines that are not working yet. They are housed in what looks like creosoted garden sheds with one wall removed.
Passenger experience I would give a score of 1 out of 10 as it is all rather dire to be honest.
At Luton today while there has been no rain as such there has been quite a bit of murk and mist. While there were no pools of water in the lobby the floor was wet and a little slippery. The wet conditions actually extended the full length of the both bridges making the floors look dirty and scruffy.
What struck me was that the bridges looked like they had been standing for a couple of years. Running a finger for just an inch or two along any horizontal metalwork resulted in a blackened finger. There were splashes of concrete all over the bottom half of the walls and plastic windows. The paint was scratched in places and missing in other places and the builders measurement markings in large thick felt tip pen were everywhere. I am hoping that later on the whole interior will get a deep clean and touch up.
As for the materials used it would be better to talk about the materials that hadn't been used. The buildings and bridges just feel like shells with nothing covered up or boxed in.
By each entrance there are payment machines that are not working yet. They are housed in what looks like creosoted garden sheds with one wall removed.
Passenger experience I would give a score of 1 out of 10 as it is all rather dire to be honest.
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easyJet
It's high time easyJet had a go at the Swedish market. Great news that it's flying to Stockholm finally. 4 x weekly is a good start point, much better than the paltry offering from Monarch.
Let's hope the route is a success. Scandinavia, Copenhagen aside, is a market which is woefully under served at Luton. Let's hope more routes follow.
Let's hope the route is a success. Scandinavia, Copenhagen aside, is a market which is woefully under served at Luton. Let's hope more routes follow.
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I never understood Monarch's offering for Stockholm - I know they are going after the leisure market, but even so it felt very spartan. Four times weekly sounds about right for the moment.
Biarritz is interesting, maybe a responce to BA who have been making large inroads in the regional France market.
Biarritz is interesting, maybe a responce to BA who have been making large inroads in the regional France market.
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Easyjet
If you look closely at the schedules there are quite a few routes with added frequencies as well.
Naples now daily from May- Sep up from 4x wkly
Venice now daily from 5x wkly
Extra weekly flights to Catania, Oporto, Split , Pisa , Zurich and Paphos
Maybe wrong but these do seem extra to S16
Naples now daily from May- Sep up from 4x wkly
Venice now daily from 5x wkly
Extra weekly flights to Catania, Oporto, Split , Pisa , Zurich and Paphos
Maybe wrong but these do seem extra to S16
Well done easyJet let's hope these services do well 
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So Varna is the latest Wizz base. We see flights increased from daily to 10 weekly which gives us 3 more. Only 3 of the 10 flights are from the Varna operated based plane.
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easyJet
Based on my analysis (comparing operations on a Monday in late June 2017 with late June this year) easyJet now have 140 daily flights using 21 aircraft in summer 2017, compared to 136 daily flights using 19 aircraft this summer.
Interestingly, easyJet's Canary Island routes from Luton (Tenerife, Lanzarote) are still not bookable beyond the end of June 2017, despite most of the rest of the schedule now bookable to end of October 2017. It doesn't make any sense to me that these new routes are ending, but curious why they are not bookable yet. I wonder if easyJet are hedging their bets in terms of Sharm el Sheikh being restored for winter 2017?
Interestingly, easyJet's Canary Island routes from Luton (Tenerife, Lanzarote) are still not bookable beyond the end of June 2017, despite most of the rest of the schedule now bookable to end of October 2017. It doesn't make any sense to me that these new routes are ending, but curious why they are not bookable yet. I wonder if easyJet are hedging their bets in terms of Sharm el Sheikh being restored for winter 2017?
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I have mentioned this before but all around the airport are various government enterprise zones. including Wigmore Park which is in zone 1B. The council have only admitted to a new road being put in from President Way, which is the road that serves the Cargo Centre that will cross part of Wigmore Park to Century Park which will be located next to runway 26 and that because of this road Wigmore Park will have to be moved further out and a new park established in Hertfordshire which Luton borders onto.
Yesterday I saw soil samples being taken on the edge of the park well away from the route of the road and close to the airport boundary. I don't have much doubt now that this is where the airport will expand to in the future.
Yesterday I saw soil samples being taken on the edge of the park well away from the route of the road and close to the airport boundary. I don't have much doubt now that this is where the airport will expand to in the future.
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The new road basically will follow the northern blue line from the cargo centre to Zone 1A which will be Century Park. That leaves zones 1B, 1C and 1D for possible airport expansion. We know that 1D will be taxiway Foxtrot, not sure about the other 2 zones.
Questions include why does the zone end on the southern edge of taxiway Alpha and not the airport boundary? Why does it cut in towards the 26 turning circle?
Questions include why does the zone end on the southern edge of taxiway Alpha and not the airport boundary? Why does it cut in towards the 26 turning circle?
Last edited by LTNman; 15th Dec 2016 at 16:03.
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If the airport wanted to show some real forward thinking then they could do so in the build of Taxiway Foxtrot. They could build Foxtrot with a cut & cover tunnel which could accommodate a future extension of the MPT people mover or road access network, or both, to the areas identified by LTNman for future expansion - and possibly a second terminal. Once Foxtrot was built, a similar cut and cover tunnel could be built under Taxiway Delta with ground traffic routed via Foxtrot causing minimal impact on ops. The long term car park could be easily turned into a multi-storey and moved towards the northern edge of zone 1B, providing a natural sound barrier.
I assume the zones southern boundary aligns with the taxiway alpha extension east. Nothing can be built in between alpha and the runway.
I assume the zones southern boundary aligns with the taxiway alpha extension east. Nothing can be built in between alpha and the runway.
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Just had a look at the Environmental Agencies historic maps of landfill sites. Both of Harrods hangars and most of the long term car park was part of the tip so it doesn't mean that nothing can be built there. It just means it is more expensive to build there.
http://maps.environment-agency.gov.u...,3,10,&scale=9
http://maps.environment-agency.gov.u...,3,10,&scale=9
Last edited by LTNman; 16th Dec 2016 at 07:59.
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construction update
The embankment being dug out for the duel carriageway hasn't progressed since last week due to a large powered billboard that needs to be removed.
The steelwork for the terminal extension also hasn't been added to since the last set of photos that appeared here last week.
All the exit barrier lanes are now open and the exit route from those barriers have received their final layer of tarmac although the road markings haven't been painted yet as seen in this photo taken early today.
It only took a couple of days for the first lift to breakdown and it is still out of service. The floors have been washed to remove the wet footprints and now looks much better until the next time it rains.
This view is of the 2nd floor lift lobby. To the left of the wall is the plastic windows while to the right of the wall is the standard shell finish. In the odd location wall panels have been installed as can been seen opposite the lift entrance.
The car park remains closed to the general public but as can just be seen passengers will have to cross a little bridge to get into the car park. Also it has been noticed that there is a puddle just above the red barriers. Is the roof really leaking 2 floors above and has managed to penetrate down to the middle floor or hopefully the floor has been recently washed.
Its a shame that the budget didn't stretch to fitting wall panels to all internal walls as this photo shows the panels fitted on one side only.
Work carries on with the foundations of the new pier.
The steelwork for the terminal extension also hasn't been added to since the last set of photos that appeared here last week.
All the exit barrier lanes are now open and the exit route from those barriers have received their final layer of tarmac although the road markings haven't been painted yet as seen in this photo taken early today.
It only took a couple of days for the first lift to breakdown and it is still out of service. The floors have been washed to remove the wet footprints and now looks much better until the next time it rains.
This view is of the 2nd floor lift lobby. To the left of the wall is the plastic windows while to the right of the wall is the standard shell finish. In the odd location wall panels have been installed as can been seen opposite the lift entrance.
The car park remains closed to the general public but as can just be seen passengers will have to cross a little bridge to get into the car park. Also it has been noticed that there is a puddle just above the red barriers. Is the roof really leaking 2 floors above and has managed to penetrate down to the middle floor or hopefully the floor has been recently washed.
Its a shame that the budget didn't stretch to fitting wall panels to all internal walls as this photo shows the panels fitted on one side only.
Work carries on with the foundations of the new pier.
Last edited by LTNman; 8th Feb 2017 at 18:57.
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I am hearing from a couple of pilot sources that the ILS is downgraded to 3A due to reflections from the multi storey. Should that be the case, hopefully a fix is in hand!