Luton-9
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I have noticed recently that Wizz and Easyjet push and then taxi to the Southern Apron and wait for prolonged periods with engines running. I assume they are waiting for their slot but it doesn't help the stats.
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It means they are ready should their slot come forward. Better than waiting on the main apron when your pushback team gets called to attend another aircraft with an earlier slot, then find yourself with no pushback team when your own slot comes forward. Probably it also helps the airlines OTP if not the airports.
Last edited by cj241101; 23rd May 2018 at 19:38.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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I had another butchers at the carbuncle that has been bolted over one of the entrances now that all the panels are up. Seems to be made from stretched canvas in various shades of off white that looks a tad dirty in places already. Aesthetically it would have been better if the colour matched the rest of the building. I have come to the conclusion that LLAOL, who is funding the expansion to 18 million rather than LLAL who is funding MS2 and the DART has run out of money as the project is already 60% over budget. They were probably obliged to fit a canopy so this is their effort to meet their obligation. In reality it will be just used as a smokers shelter so passengers will be fighting their way through a haze as it serves no other purpose.
As for the mystery wall? With a curve now going in by the terminal it would seem that if a passenger walks from the drop off area and keeps right they will go up a slope. If they keep to the left by the bus station they will use stairs. The second entrance with the carbuncle will be initially served by a temporary slope from the bus station until the rest of the wall is complete.
As for the mystery wall? With a curve now going in by the terminal it would seem that if a passenger walks from the drop off area and keeps right they will go up a slope. If they keep to the left by the bus station they will use stairs. The second entrance with the carbuncle will be initially served by a temporary slope from the bus station until the rest of the wall is complete.
It's probably the same now as it was when I was there. But easy, especially, used to push and remote park because it proved to the punters down the back that the delay was not the airlines fault, and the stats then showed that they pushed on schedule.
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Do you have any comment on how taxiway foxtrot will work
It'll also be used for remote holding for CTOT's to allow airlines to say they pushed back on time...
Have you ever wondered why so many clearance calls go out on the wrong freq?
You do make a fair point regarding the order in which the frequencies are opened however it's been like that for a few years now (unless delivery isn't opened). It's worth looking at though.
Auto frequency changes on departure and when exiting the runway on landing work extremely well at numerous far more complex airports than Luton. Try asking a base Captain for a jump seat on a double AMS and see for yourself how it works.
I'd be interested in auto frequency changes however I don't think it's something we'd locally push back on, it would be the LTMA for various reasons.
I’ve been based at Luton a very long time, I’m not holding my breath for any changes.
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The second entrance with its canopy is now open to the public. As predicted the canopy is a magnet for smokers and it isn't even raining despite no smoking signs being taped to the posts holding the canopy up.
Work has started on the demolition of the walkway to what was the short term car park. Inside the walkway the concrete floor is being dug up while outside two large machines are waiting to tear the structure down. Already one machine has had a little poke at the structure as a small piece of the walkway has a gash in it.
Work has started on the demolition of the walkway to what was the short term car park. Inside the walkway the concrete floor is being dug up while outside two large machines are waiting to tear the structure down. Already one machine has had a little poke at the structure as a small piece of the walkway has a gash in it.
Join Date: Nov 2001
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Also cost engineered out was the people mover from the Parkway station and the extensive check in facilities planned for the new station. A cul-de-sac tinminal was effectively the lowest cost option and the central area was not designed to take the huge numbers of passengers that the area currently handles. Oh and the original tinminal should of had vast glass areas, they were replaced by tin sheeting!
However many complaints are raised about the low cost nature of current developments, they only mirror what occurred during the mid 1990s, albeit on a smaller scale. Most of the reasoning back then was an unwillingness by the then Government to permit local authorities from borrowing large sums for infrastructure investments. LBC faced the prospect of needing investment into their airport, but limited by HM Govt on the amount permitted to be borrowed, thus the unique Concession Agreement which has rewarded LBC handsomely since 1997.
Having sat in many meetings between the airport and LBC, Government policy dictated that Luton was not allowed to compete with what back then was a huge financial gamble at Stansted. The monopolistic activities at the time by the BAA would be outlawed today. LBC did an incredible job against a neighbour being subsidised by their operations elsewhere around London. LBC not only had to battle Govt policy in the early 1970s and Gatwick, 20 years later they faced similar from Stansted.
All in all, LBC were correct in not selling, simply as the sustained concession income over the last 21 years completely outweighs the potential one off payment that selling up would have given. For me, the saddest part of the original concession agreement, was watching Frankfurt Airport representatives pack up and leave before the final three potential operators were announced. I had a long conversation with one of the managers sent over and it was clear that what became Fraport would have invested massively from 1998. Duty Free was being abolished and Frankfurt considered Luton to be a potentially long term income stream helping to replace the effects of losing the tax free goods income. Copenhagen did make the last 3, but I was not impressed hugely with their business plans long term, but their senior management were good and honest. They went on to take control of Newcastle.
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I never know about a second tunnel connecting to a new road through the back of the airport.
Next month the airport will put out for consultation a selection of plans and ideas to expand the airport outside its boundary for up to 38 million passengers both to the north and south of the runway. As I have mentioned on many occasions there is a large chunk of land south of the runway that is inside the Luton town boundary that is flat and level with the runway by Someries Castle.
Next month the airport will put out for consultation a selection of plans and ideas to expand the airport outside its boundary for up to 38 million passengers both to the north and south of the runway. As I have mentioned on many occasions there is a large chunk of land south of the runway that is inside the Luton town boundary that is flat and level with the runway by Someries Castle.
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The trouble with VVIP though is the amount of money it generated for the airport, a couple of G650s sitting on a stand all day vs one being used 7 / 8 times by a A320.
BTW Northolt runway now to be closed July to November/December, will it be OXD, FAB or Luton who picks all that traffic up?
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Ideal to move the FBOs if nothing else but SIG have just spend a huge amount of money redeveloping their facilities but we are used to spending large somes then only tearing it down a few years later! They themselves buy facilities all over the world and redevelop. It could also help to keep more of the Gulfstream business at Luton. If Harrods was moved their customers would have better access and it could enable Foxtrot to go full length which would remove the pushback problem from the 8 pack and then make better use of land to the East.
The trouble with VVIP though is the amount of money it generated for the airport, a couple of G650s sitting on a stand all day vs one being used 7 / 8 times by a A320.
BTW Northolt runway now to be closed July to November/December, will it be OXD, FAB or Luton who picks all that traffic up?
The trouble with VVIP though is the amount of money it generated for the airport, a couple of G650s sitting on a stand all day vs one being used 7 / 8 times by a A320.
BTW Northolt runway now to be closed July to November/December, will it be OXD, FAB or Luton who picks all that traffic up?
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Now let me think, the reason I currently fly NHT is because my customers want to go to West London/Middlesex or the Tech corridor M4/A4, what is the best alternative, oh yes, somewhere in Essex! Sorry mate, no!
From an article in today's Telegraph based on an interview with Josef Varadi, Wizz Air's CEO:
"Wizz Air now occupies nearly 40pc of Luton Airport’s capacity after launching a base there last year with seven planes. The carrier has its sights set on overtaking EasyJet at Luton, the only airline to have a larger presence at the airport."
"Wizz Air now occupies nearly 40pc of Luton Airport’s capacity after launching a base there last year with seven planes. The carrier has its sights set on overtaking EasyJet at Luton, the only airline to have a larger presence at the airport."
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The trouble with VVIP though is the amount of money it generated for the airport, a couple of G650s sitting on a stand all day vs one being used 7 / 8 times by a A320.
BTW Northolt runway now to be closed July to November/December, will it be OXD, FAB or Luton who picks all that traffic up?
BTW Northolt runway now to be closed July to November/December, will it be OXD, FAB or Luton who picks all that traffic up?
The long term future for Signature and Harrods is not rosy at Luton with the airport always looking to expand its passenger operations over biz jet movements. Issues over parking, slots and now limited hours are all taking their toll.
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Will certainly be interesting to see the plans when they come out.
What are the feelings about some of the Hangars disappearing or being relocated?
If they want to expand to the North I can see, with the exception of maybe Hangar 125 , the rest going and the land being used up to the perimeter of the new road if and when it is built.
i really can't see the south of the runway being used for passenger operations, just extra concrete, Hangars and maybe cargo but then there is the problem of access and a new road being built.
But heh what do I know!!
What are the feelings about some of the Hangars disappearing or being relocated?
If they want to expand to the North I can see, with the exception of maybe Hangar 125 , the rest going and the land being used up to the perimeter of the new road if and when it is built.
i really can't see the south of the runway being used for passenger operations, just extra concrete, Hangars and maybe cargo but then there is the problem of access and a new road being built.
But heh what do I know!!
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Auto frequency changes. Have you ever wondered why so many clearance calls go out on the wrong freq? It’s a genuine question. Part of the problem is that pre 0600L ground is closed so everything is done on Twr. Then ground opens and twr tells everybody to go to ground for ATC clearances and push, start. Then at some point delivery opens and ground tells everybody to go there. Is it a surprise that at some point somebody hasn’t kept up with the rearranging of the deck chairs? How about opening delivery at 0530L? I know that will never happen because of staffing levels and costs. That is a Luton problem
I have wondered this many many times. When I fly I check the ATIS to ensure I've got the latest information just before making initial contact. It is always possible for the ATIS to have changed just after having listened to it but this would be a pretty infrequent circumstance and I wouldn't have thought it would explain the amount of incorrect calls you refer to.
Maybe a change of custom and practice / SOPs to get aircrew to get the latest info before initial contract could be a more practical solution than manning frequencies for longer periods (when there may not necessarily be the traffic demand to do so)?
