Luton-9
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I have seen on Linkedin via a post by the company's chief executive who has designed these canopies, the updated designs for the canopies for the exterior of the terminal. From what I can see there will be a downward sloping canopy at the top of each entrance (departures and arrivals) extending out and a canopy which is separate, running all of the way along the curvature of the bus station. There will also be a narrower canopy attached to the end of the bus station canopy on the arrivals side running up to the terminal. Installation is stated to have started this week. These designs are drastically different from the previous designs!
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A screen shot would be nice of the described canopy.
You mean cheaper
I see that apart from a contractors village at Parkway and a few red pegs nothing has been started yet on the Dart project and not even a digger has appeared yet. It is starting to remind me of the terminal extension where for the first year all the work seemed to be done by 2 men and their dog. The published timescale timetable is starting to look like a fantasy document.
I am also hearing that not all of the retail space in the departure lounge have been let. Of the completed units some shops seem to be under performing. I wonder how many wall mounted mirrors and vases one shop has sold as they would be the last thing I would want to carry on board and then squeeze into an overhead locker.
These designs are drastically different from the previous designs!
I see that apart from a contractors village at Parkway and a few red pegs nothing has been started yet on the Dart project and not even a digger has appeared yet. It is starting to remind me of the terminal extension where for the first year all the work seemed to be done by 2 men and their dog. The published timescale timetable is starting to look like a fantasy document.
I am also hearing that not all of the retail space in the departure lounge have been let. Of the completed units some shops seem to be under performing. I wonder how many wall mounted mirrors and vases one shop has sold as they would be the last thing I would want to carry on board and then squeeze into an overhead locker.
Last edited by LTNman; 10th May 2018 at 05:56.
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Shiny stainless steel poles, as I would not call it steelwork, are being erected close to the second entrance while another pile of poles, some angled and others with T shaped tops are waiting to be installed. The waiting is nearly over to discover whether the canopy is made from glass, plastic or canvas.
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Ohrid is a lovely destination by the way. But Ohrid airport does not use digital boarding passes and, even if you have a paper boarding pass, you still have to go to the check in desk to have it verified and swapped for a typical airline boarding pass. No idea why. Only one security lane too so don't go last minute. But the locals are all really friendly and helpful
Seconded, and amongst the last genuinely cheap destinations left in Europe. Two courses and wine for two people for a tenner!
When I travelled in 2016 my outbound and the outbound that came to collect me were pretty empty whereas the return flight was full, mostly Albanians coming over the border. It will be interesting to hear if loads are better balanced now, whether more Brits are discovering Ohrid and whether the route has been impacted at all from Wizz starting Tirana.
Flights were pretty much full both ways. Quite a few Albanians still, a smallish number of Brits and quite a lot of Macedonians
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I also forgot to mention previously, when we flew back from Athens last Thursday, a few other observations I noticed at Luton at around 2.30pm...
Have they shrunk the aircraft parking bays? When we parked in one of the bays which was facing the back of the original pier (behind the 6 pack apron), I noticed how close the wings of our A321 were to a TUI 737 next to us, and was only about four meters clearance from each wing tip on the left side.
I thought the pilot had parked off centre, but when walking across to the terminal he was bang on the centre line. Never seen such close-up parking to other aircraft at other airports, by having such small bays, they are limiting the aircraft they can handle! But I guess when 95% of the traffic is A320 family and 737's, this is not going to be an issue.
Also when we landed on runway 26, we taxi'd off and was held up for at least 15 mins queuing to access the taxiway which goes past the 6 pack apron, and held waiting by the remote stands near to the runway and parallel taxiway. All due to 2-3 aircraft being reversed from the stands on the 6 pack apron, as they now seem to reverse right out on to the taxiway, outside the apron. In the time we was waiting there was aircraft queuing at the old apron access point with 3-4 aircraft trying to go out to runway 26 and 3-4 further aircraft having also landed behind us and stuck waiting on the taxiway too.
Is congestion on the apron and taxiways now common place and what happened to the one way system on the Apron? I always used to be impressed with the quick runway to gate times.
Have they shrunk the aircraft parking bays? When we parked in one of the bays which was facing the back of the original pier (behind the 6 pack apron), I noticed how close the wings of our A321 were to a TUI 737 next to us, and was only about four meters clearance from each wing tip on the left side.
I thought the pilot had parked off centre, but when walking across to the terminal he was bang on the centre line. Never seen such close-up parking to other aircraft at other airports, by having such small bays, they are limiting the aircraft they can handle! But I guess when 95% of the traffic is A320 family and 737's, this is not going to be an issue.
Also when we landed on runway 26, we taxi'd off and was held up for at least 15 mins queuing to access the taxiway which goes past the 6 pack apron, and held waiting by the remote stands near to the runway and parallel taxiway. All due to 2-3 aircraft being reversed from the stands on the 6 pack apron, as they now seem to reverse right out on to the taxiway, outside the apron. In the time we was waiting there was aircraft queuing at the old apron access point with 3-4 aircraft trying to go out to runway 26 and 3-4 further aircraft having also landed behind us and stuck waiting on the taxiway too.
Is congestion on the apron and taxiways now common place and what happened to the one way system on the Apron? I always used to be impressed with the quick runway to gate times.
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Sounds like you're talking about the East Apron and the that apron was widened to be able to accept 4 aircraft up to A321's (instead of 3). The parking points are offset to allow the aircraft to be parked "so close" together. I don't believe the airport are limiting the aircraft they can handle because the size of the stands suit the operators and I don't believe there's any plans to go into a market where bigger aircraft sizes are needed.
As for congestion 1430 can be a particularly busy time but there's never been a one way system in place as such, aircraft will push and taxi in the most expeditious way whilst balancing the delay against the inbounds. The Ops centre do a good job at stand allocation so that when aircraft are due to be ready they are spread around the airport to limit scenarios where aircraft parked closely together are ready at the same time however as soon as one or two aircraft are delayed that plan can go out the window.
As for congestion 1430 can be a particularly busy time but there's never been a one way system in place as such, aircraft will push and taxi in the most expeditious way whilst balancing the delay against the inbounds. The Ops centre do a good job at stand allocation so that when aircraft are due to be ready they are spread around the airport to limit scenarios where aircraft parked closely together are ready at the same time however as soon as one or two aircraft are delayed that plan can go out the window.
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My apologies for the non-technical description, but yes I was referring to the east apron!
I am sure they always used to reverse within the east apron and not onto the taxiway. Is increasing the east apron to eight aircraft a consequence of this?
I am sure they always used to reverse within the east apron and not onto the taxiway. Is increasing the east apron to eight aircraft a consequence of this?
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43L must push out onto Delta due to the contractors compound on 46 however now we're busier than we were 5 years ago there's more of a chance that when pushing an aircraft from the East Apron there's also an inbound landing to park within it or another aircraft wanting to push too so we try and be flexible whenever we can.
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I have seen on Linkedin via a post by the company's chief executive who has designed these canopies, the updated designs for the canopies for the exterior of the terminal. From what I can see there will be a downward sloping canopy at the top of each entrance (departures and arrivals) extending out and a canopy which is separate, running all of the way along the curvature of the bus station. There will also be a narrower canopy attached to the end of the bus station canopy on the arrivals side running up to the terminal. Installation is stated to have started this week. These designs are drastically different from the previous designs!
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Canopy
looking at those images it obviously isn't anything like the original images of the canopy but it doesn't look too bad considering what they could have done but still looking cheap in comparison to the original images.
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They look somewhat disappointing to me with the canopies covering the entrances looking like something my local greengrocer has and rolls back when the sun come out. Why gaps between the entrances and the canopy covering the front of the bus station and what are these canopies meant to achieve when there is no way to avoid getting wet? I will tell you now what is going to happen, people will pour out of the terminal and find it is raining and then stop in their tracks under cover to do their coats up and to get out their umbrellas so blocking the way. They will also be full of smokers using it as a smokers shelter. At the moment despite no smoking signs covering the yellow recess entrances vast crowds of Eastern Europeans just stand there puffing away as passengers push their way out of a single fire exit door ignoring the automatic doors. It is a joy to watch people queuing up to get in and out of a 3 feet wide fire exit door while just feet away are the automatic doors sitting there closed awaiting for someone to activate the doors.
Last edited by LTNman; 10th May 2018 at 18:56.
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Seems the bean counters have had the final say. The covers all seem too narrow to afford any protection and there are gaps. Many a time I have got soaked legs waiting for the shuttle buses when the rain falls even in a moderate wind. Waiting passengers also means walking passengers can’t get under cover so have to walk by the side of the walkways.
It will be interesting to see how they build the shelters by the bus bays, as it is difficult now to push past people and that is without setions being closed off.
It seems the airport have lost an opportunity to make a visual statement about the front of their terminal.
It will be interesting to see how they build the shelters by the bus bays, as it is difficult now to push past people and that is without setions being closed off.
It seems the airport have lost an opportunity to make a visual statement about the front of their terminal.
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Oh dear. Why does the airport waste so much and then opt for a cheap finish ? Instead of the originally planned large glass sweeping frontage, we get wavy roofed bus shelters. Do these architects which are obviously being paid handsomely for their services not realise that disconnected canopies with open sides aren't compatible with horizontal rain blowing at Luton for 6 months of the year ? The white canopies will look filthy in no time.
Paxing All Over The World
Jolly good idea to ensure that the canopy does not extend over the front of the buses. This will ensure that Pax get wet and annoyed, lowering their enjoyment of LTN from the moment they arrive...
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Luton strike over the bank holiday
The airport workers have been screwed for years with TUPE and zero hour contracts
Luton Airport workers vote to strike over May Bank Holiday weekend | Daily Mail Online
Luton Airport workers vote to strike over May Bank Holiday weekend | Daily Mail Online
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I am guessing Unite was once the TGWU? If that is the case, the damage started a long time ago to terms and conditions, but good to see staff prepared to fight against the ’race to the bottom’.
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Working at Luton as I do it is a fact of life that mass immigration has held wages down. Why pay more than the minimum wage and put people on zero hour contracts when there are constant new arrivals from ever poorer European nations who think earning £7.50 an hour is like winning the lottery. I work with many of these people who live 10 to a house and who get a wage boost by claiming every entitlement they qualify for.
I would say at least 50% of Luton’s passengers and nearly all of its growth has come from Eastern Europe. I don’t blame anyone for wanting a better life but it is a fact that companies bid for contracts based on offering the lowest pay and zero hour contracts in the knowledge that they will always find staff who would work for £3 an hour if there was no minimum wage.
I can remember when the minimum wage was introduced and industry said it would cost a million jobs. In fact it cost no jobs, the same way as we would survive outside the EU and with less migrants to rely on wages would have to increase if companies wanted to recruit at Luton.
If this means less passengers passing through Luton then so what. People who post to these airport threads on pprune are fixated with passenger growth and nothing else and can't see or don't want to see the bigger picture.
I would say at least 50% of Luton’s passengers and nearly all of its growth has come from Eastern Europe. I don’t blame anyone for wanting a better life but it is a fact that companies bid for contracts based on offering the lowest pay and zero hour contracts in the knowledge that they will always find staff who would work for £3 an hour if there was no minimum wage.
I can remember when the minimum wage was introduced and industry said it would cost a million jobs. In fact it cost no jobs, the same way as we would survive outside the EU and with less migrants to rely on wages would have to increase if companies wanted to recruit at Luton.
If this means less passengers passing through Luton then so what. People who post to these airport threads on pprune are fixated with passenger growth and nothing else and can't see or don't want to see the bigger picture.
Last edited by Spanish eyes; 13th May 2018 at 06:54.