Luton-9
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Regarding the DHL flights it seems to be a bit hiss and miss, for example an A300 planned to go to Heathrow from Milan last night but diverted to Luton. On the usual Sunday morning from Porto a Cygnus B757 turned up and then went on to Liege.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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With all the extra Cargo flights going to LHR can it cope, how many parking stands does it have 6? Is parking allocated for each Cargo operator so if two DHL are already outside DHL facility they cannot use a stand next to Menzies Cargo? I have no idea but just a thought.
Wizzair seem to have completely removed the Luton-Kutaisi route from their booking system. Is this just a case of a route being quietly dropped following lockdown, or is it likely to return ? I don't imagine Wizz's promise of everything-back-to-normal-in-June-because-tickets-are-on-sale is correct, but the complete removal of a route from the booking engine is a separate step.
Wizz don't seem to fly to Tbilisi at all, and they still offer many other destinations from Kutaisi, so it seems route-specific
Wizz don't seem to fly to Tbilisi at all, and they still offer many other destinations from Kutaisi, so it seems route-specific
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 19th Apr 2020 at 13:58.
Join Date: Jul 2016
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Grassed up by a local residents group and rightly so.
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...ncerns-2542322
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...ncerns-2542322
Join Date: May 2005
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Grassed up by a local residents group and rightly so.
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...ncerns-2542322
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...ncerns-2542322
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Planet no. 3
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What a stupid comment. Have to agree with Spanish Eyes, if the construction workers can't be guaranteed the proper PPE and social distancing, it is only right to suspend the works. Would you risk your own life doing it?
Join Date: Jul 2002
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It was reported a few days ago that Easyjet were considering not using the middle seats to encourage flying again. So what about remote boarding at Luton? The buses are like sardine cans and once the bus doors are open it is a mad rush to the stairs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52306868
Even the departure lounge at 12 million passengers rather then the present 18 million passengers would not allow for social distancing and would have to be kept at around 6-9 million passengers to reduce build-ups around flight monitors and pinch points. With restaurants and bars being the last to reopen this will just add to departure lounge congestion.
Photo by slae
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52306868
EasyJet plans to keep the middle seat on its planes empty to allow for social distancing once the Covid-19 lockdown has been lifted. EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren expects the seating measure will encourage more people to fly.
"That is something that we will do because I think that is something that the customers would like to see," he said.
"That is something that we will do because I think that is something that the customers would like to see," he said.
Photo by slae
Last edited by LTNman; 20th Apr 2020 at 13:17.
Join Date: Jun 2006
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This is the million dollar question of course. Surely all low cost airlines using this pre-boarding sardine concept will have to drastically rethink the whole model.
Join Date: May 2005
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Yes, I do it every day as I'm one of the lucky ones still with the ability to work, and yes, I'm working in an enviroment where social distancing is nigh on impossible just like the situation with the construction workers. The point I'm making is that a society where people feel they have to start snitching on people for laying bricks is the start if a very slippery slope and a society that I'd rather not be a part of.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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So someone around you has it and they give it to you and then you give it to 2.5 people and then they give it to 2.5 people each and then someone dies and you are only worried about being snitched on. Great, let’s hope it isn’t a family member and rather a complete stranger.
Join Date: May 2005
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So someone around you has it and they give it to you and then you give it to 2.5 people and then they give it to 2.5 people each and then someone dies and you are only worried about being snitched on. Great, let’s hope it isn’t a family member and rather a complete stranger.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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Weather you like it of not, society will have to be opened up within the next few weeks. The virus Will NOT be gone within the next few weeks, so you'll have to learn to live with it. If not, try watching some Mad Max films, they're now listed under 'Documentaries and Learning'.
I cannot believe that we will press a reset button and just carry on as before.
As far as aviation is concerned we will see a new normal develop but I have no idea what that will look like yet.
Even if we assume that air travel is unlocked in some form, will governments welcome overseas visitors straight away? Economically they may want to but there are huge health risks.
I would imagine at least 50% of people would initially have no desire to travel overseas anyway. For those who might, what happens if the virus takes hold again. Worst case, we are back here and these people would then no doubt expect the government to bring them home again costing more money that we haven’t got (I say we as “we” are the taxpayers who ultimately pick up the bill.) I’m sure senior leaders in both government and the travel industry are acutely aware of this and factor these risks into their decision making.
I am an optimistic sort (honest!!) and would dearly love this all just to go away as quickly as it arrived but the reality is that I can’t see that happening any time soon. Most people I know in the industry have written off this year and are simply hoping to survive somehow to summer 2021 when we might see better times.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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The lockdown will start to be relaxed when deaths fall to an acceptable level, which will no doubt be a few hundred deaths a day. That might be fine for government but I still won’t feel safe visiting Asda. The last thing I will be doing is increasing my personal risk by flying out of Luton by lining up in endless queues or sitting in the departure lounge .
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...-luton-2542734
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/health/...-luton-2542734
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Social Distancing at the Airport
LTNman - Social distancing is an issue that faces every airport in the UK and moreover the world, I don't see how cramming people on to a bus is the only issue they face.
The departure lounge might get crowded and busy but that would be the least of my issues, as atleast you can find quiet corners.
I see the real pinch points being boarding gates and the security areas, Especially the lines that snake around left and right, and even during more healthier times if you are at a busy boarding gate or in security you probably have at least 10 people within two metres of yourself in the queue. The airport would have to almost close off every other boarding gate to create enough space for just one flight to board, and the security queuing system will need to be dramatically expanded in to floor space they don't have available in that area.
I also see similar issues with Passport Control.
The only likely solution I see is people only being allowed to enter security and departures when flights are called, for example 45-60 mins before departure. I guess with the new automated barriers at Security, they can restrict access to security as you have to have your boarding card scanned.
As I mentioned its not just Luton that faces this issue, airports like Heathrow and Gatwick have boarding gate holding pen areas, where you can easily have 300-500 people all sat/standing and waiting in a tiny area until the aircraft is ready to board, also the enclosed air bridges will be an issue for these airports too.
The departure lounge might get crowded and busy but that would be the least of my issues, as atleast you can find quiet corners.
I see the real pinch points being boarding gates and the security areas, Especially the lines that snake around left and right, and even during more healthier times if you are at a busy boarding gate or in security you probably have at least 10 people within two metres of yourself in the queue. The airport would have to almost close off every other boarding gate to create enough space for just one flight to board, and the security queuing system will need to be dramatically expanded in to floor space they don't have available in that area.
I also see similar issues with Passport Control.
The only likely solution I see is people only being allowed to enter security and departures when flights are called, for example 45-60 mins before departure. I guess with the new automated barriers at Security, they can restrict access to security as you have to have your boarding card scanned.
As I mentioned its not just Luton that faces this issue, airports like Heathrow and Gatwick have boarding gate holding pen areas, where you can easily have 300-500 people all sat/standing and waiting in a tiny area until the aircraft is ready to board, also the enclosed air bridges will be an issue for these airports too.
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My local supermarket has a notice saying how many people are allowed in at any one time, presumably calculated by the floor area. There are two metre marks all over. The same must surely apply to airport terminals. Would make traditional operations impossible, of course.
