LUTON - 2
 

Have fun.....................

The big problem with these mega threads is that it is impossible to search out old information using the search engine. Much better to limit these airport threads to around 200 posts.

Well that would be a good idea if it were not for those who insist on posting unnecessary stuff and drivel AND......use the thread as a chat line. That is very irritating for us mods who have to have eyes everywhere - if you get my drift.

And what about bandwidth?

Let us start getting useful meaningful posts going and we will all be surprised how easy it is to enjoy.

PPP

2006 events:

Start of M1 link road construction.
Planning application submitted for Phase 1 of Project 2030.
Late realisation by Britannia (Thomsonf:mad: )that their home base has potential.
Massive growth in flights to South-Eastern Europe.
20% increase in easyJet based fleet.
10 million passenger milestone passed.
First scheduled flights outside Europe.

2007 events:

75 scheduled service destinations?
Trans-Atlantic services by Silverjet?
Peak period slot restrictions?
Planning enquiry into Phase 1 Project 2030.
What else?

Apparently, lots more cargo flights are on the agenda once the runway is permanently open at night?

Western airspace extension opened today and as runway 08 has been in use, so has the new airspace :) !

In the local rag (Herald & Post),there is an article about Silverjet but also quoting Fly First commercial director, Keith Campbell saying "We won't be changing our plans and we're very much on track to launch in 2006. It's still going to be Luton''.

Fly First seem to be aiming for the higher spending execs and plan to lease two 757s carrying 48 pax in full flat beds, limo/heli transfers etc. EOS copy ?.

Lets not get carried away about short term expansion. The fact is that the airports policy not to spend money on new facilities until the need is there has caught them out big time.

Phase 1 planning applications should have gone in 2 or 3 years ago. With planning permission gained they could have picked their moment to actually start the work which would no doubt have been last winter.

The fact is that there are no spare stands this year and there won’t be any spare stands next year if the application results in a public enquiry. How many potential new nights stoppers will Luton loose because of a lack of stands? There is also still no sign of the airport getting to grips with traffic congestion at peak times although £1million was set aside in the 2006 budget. Again this should have been sorted out by now. As for the terminal the introduction of 10 new check-in desks running at a right angle to the existing ones is a panic measure because they know that again it will be at least 2 years if not more before the terminal is expanded.

"If Luton lose the extra potential night stoppers", where will they go instead? Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted? Err...no!

Without the financial muscle of someone like the BAA, Luton will always play 'catch up', especially under the current Concession Agreement? Luton Borough Council plunder the profits, good luck to them for coming up with an intuitive business model which pay handsome rewards to the local community.

I see that the airport has finally been able to let another empty shop. The shop fitters have started to fit out a Marks and Spencer simply food outlet in the arrivals area which will also front Burger King in the main terminal. One of the empty retail units in the departure lounge has been swallowed up by an expanded Est Restaurant.

I also see a Monarch airbus has found its way into the Harrods hangar.

Tui FC PA28's have moved to Cranfield due to access to H89 area, not too sure if this is a permanent move? Hotel Romeo has been Luton based for well over 25 years I believe?

Monarch engineering are hopeful that they can pick up some extra work following the hangar fire at Brussels.

Bit of a shame given that even the likes of MAN seem to be able to accommodate a handful of light GA aircraft mixing it with the heavy metal.

The issue is not simply Hangar 89 (which is now leased by easyTech/FLS) but facilitating parking anywhere on the Main Apron when all available space is needed for higher-paying business.

Combined with the fact that Signature will be redeveloping its facilities to create a new-build corporate aviation terminal that will look like a scaled down version of SOU's futeristic terminal building design and that this will effectively remove any possibility of parking in the old Stand 51 area, and the historic prohibition of solo student PPLs at Luton (under the Airport's Conditions of Use and Bylaws), the continued presence of TUI aka BAL F/C at Luton was always going to be doubtful.

The TUI F/C for LGW is based at Redhill and for BHX is based at Wellesbourne Mountford so the F/C for LTN being based at Cranfield shouldn't be too difficult albeit it's less convenient for members who live in or to the south of Luton.

I can remember when there was a cessna twin in brits colours a 421 i think for crew transfers, was this actually operated by brits or by another company on their behalf?

G-BRIT C421 used as a crew ferry during B737-200 days.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0682851/M/

Er - what 'rewards' are you talking about Buster? Please be specific about anything in the town of Luton that's worthy of note and that is attributed to the vast sums of money leached off from the Concession Agreement. Where exactly has all the money made by the Council from LTN gone???

The Airport is the only 'bright' spot on an otherwise depressing and deprived home-counties landscape. But you're right to point out that unlike BAA which was set up using taxpayers' money and created as a private company via the usual Government 'fudge formula', LTN has to 'pay its way' and so will never be in a position to directly challenge the likes of STN.

As for Luton Borough Council 'rewarding' the residents of Luton, methinks you're overdosing on that honey drink (mead), old chap...

:= ;) :oh:

Have you visited Bury Park lately? A vast sum of money has been spent tidying the place up.

I wonder what the town would be like without the large and regular cash injection? Whilst not wanting to appear to be political, the incumbent council seems to be floundering under Lib Dem control? The previous Labour regime introduced the concession for its airport, the town then seemed to have more direction? I am not a resident of Luton, so as such are just observations.

Tui Flying Club moving the PA28's to Cranfield is due to non airport based members being unable to gain access air side in order to fly the aircraft. They were once allowed access via H89, but that apparently is no longer the case?

Mead, I should be so lucky, more like fermenting fish!

LUTON - 2
 

Probably not much of a surprise, and has been discussed of Airliners.net...

Helvetic look set to discontinue their LTN-ZRH service from the middle of June with the odd few flights in July and August. (Expect these were flights already heavily booked and have honoured these flights.)

From what I have seen the route has been performing very poorly with average loads of of 30-40 passengers.

Helvetics prices are expensive for a LCC and their lead in fares were rarely below 99 Euros with taxes and fuel surcharge to add on top! BA and Swiss' prices were compariable to this and could fly into LHR or LCY for that price.

I feel they personally outpriced themselves to operate into Luton, when Luton is very much a LCC airport!

Air Turquoise
 

Changing the subject slightly.

I noticed that the Air Turquoise flight to Reims didn't operate yesterday.

I hear they have been getting some very bad load factors.

So another 'Luton' airline about to go to the wall? Anybody know anything?

Can't be that shocked of course - they sure pick 'em, remember Ciao Fly, Styrian, SWE? - and I've seen virtually no marketing or publicity to support this route.

Little Minnie.

Zurich is an expensive airport to operate out of which is why Easyjet pulled out of the airport despite good passenger loads. I would have thought that Luton could support at least one full fares airline on a route like this to a major business centre. Is it really the case that full fares passengers would drive past Luton and sit on the M25 in their attempted to get to Heathrow? Maybe a full fares passenger wants the flexibility of a greater frequency and not just two flights a day.

Last week I witnessed a drilling rig taking soil samples close at the side of Signatures hangar near the gatehouse that would explain the talk here of a new Signature terminal. Although it has been a few years since I visited Signatures existing passenger facilities they did look very dated and small compared to what Harrods has to offer. I can’t imagine their new terminal will be as big as Harrods as there is just not the space around stand 51.

Air Turquoise has only been on the Luton route a few weeks so needs time to build up a following.

Luton’s population is around 200,000, which means with an airport income of around £15 million in passenger fees but excluding rates each citizen should receive £75 of benefit from the airport each year. The truth is actually somewhat different. While the local airport school at Wigmore still has around 8 portocabins as classrooms money is being heaped on the so-called deprived areas of Luton. No signs of portocabins at Denbie school, in fact they have just opened their new sports hall to go with the schools large swimming pool.

Was it not the case that Britannia’s flying club paid no airport fees or landing charges?

According to Google map Luton Airport has moved. http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=52.2077...07574,0.016115