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

Cambridge South
 

dont tell Ryanair....

but on a more serious note, where can I see a set of detailed drawing for the future expansions for the airport, Luton that is....



Bumz

ps my goole shows Luton correctly, perhaps the earth did move for me....

www.ltn.aero then try looking for 2030?

HEADS UP!

- or least a short one but it may be informative. Who knows.

PPP

PPop,

There was a series last year, that was only shown on Anglia TV. Is this new, or a repeat? And will it be shown in all TV regions?

Since the purpose of Anglia TV is to fill the gaps between the adverts, I'm not expecting a high-quality offering....

Believe it is a new series but I think it is only being shown on London.

The series made last year was only shown on London ITV and Sky Travel and never made it to Anglia or the regions. This also seems to be on London only although London ITV is available to all via Sky. They were making a second series so I guess this it is.

New airport minutes at http://www.llacc.com/CurrentMeeting.asp which included the following statement about the new check-in desks that were finished last month.

A reference was made to the extra check in desks that are to be constructed at the north end of the terminal building; this will facilitate new technology, accommodate the introduction of home check in facilities and incorporate a quick baggage drop off. Three double checking desks positioned throughout desks 1-60 are to be used as ticketing desks not check in desks.

I take it that with the night time runway closure all the Arsenil charters will use 'other' airports for ferrying their thousands of fans to the Champions League final in Paris?

Edit: I have just found this, most Arsenil supporters must be swimming the channel?

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/paris.airpor...onsleague.html

I heard a rumour that, now that Luton Airport is run by a Spanish company, they have banned any charters carrying supporters of teams playing Spanish opponents.:}

There does appear to be one Jet2 flight to Paris.
It seems unfortunate that most supporters are having to either swim, or fly from that field in deepest Essex. Wet feet or sheer embarrassment, what a choice!!

on a slightly different topic...

what is LTN airport going to do about those massive queues for passport control when flying into LTN??? It is alright to have a larger departures area so you can generate more revenue from it, build a few more gates to increase your capacity, but then happens when these people have to wait for 30 minutes because there are only 2 guys on passport control?

There is a good side in this, as you don’t have to wait too long for your luggage :rolleyes: , but this 30 minutes queue is the last thing you want after a flight!!

Shocking!!!

Sanjo

Nothing to do with the airport but with the government who control staff numbers

I see that Arann have ditched Angers for Nantes (from Manchester and Cork), what are Arann marketing folk on?

Liege ditched
Angers ditched
Nantes instead of Angers

If I am confused, how about their prospective punters, what do they make of any Arann press release?

Only a couple of additional flights operated ex. LTN including the Arsenal team, but there were several from STN where the runway also closes overnight and where STAL also said it wouldn't delay the closure if any flights were running late. So where had you in mind Buster? London/Southend maybe...??
:ugh:
BTW, busiest day for Luton's runway movements this year was last week = 350. By comparison, STN's record so far = 670.
:ok:

378 yesterday although not sure how many helicopters that may include. :eek:

Wow! That's an average of 1 runway movement every 2.8 minutes over the 18-hour period that the runway's currently open. And it's still only mid-May...
:D :D :D

I understand that 50% of these movements were from a Cherokee in the circuit! :O

Seriously, that is amazing, bets on reaching 400 in one day, July?

STN did record 677 movements on Thurs thanks to extra football charters in early morning. The reduced runway distance operation during resurfacing work seems to be paying dividends. Hope both LTN and STN benefit from England world cup flights next month. Wonder if any more movement records will be broken.

I expected to see hoards of Watford fans take to skies from Luton this morning en-route to Cardiff, I guess they must have taken the mini bus instead! :}

Following the public consultation, the final Masterplan document was due to be published this month. With only a week to go in May, has anyone heard of an impending news conference to be given by the airport on the subject?. There was certainly considerable national publicity when the draft Masterplan was made public last october. Also, anyone know if there has been any movement on the submission of a Planning App for Part One of the redevelopment, ie for the additional stands etc. In the draft MP, it was talked up that Part One would be completed by the end of 2007. Looks highly unlikely.

Even at the first hurdle dates are being missed. New terminal and runway by 2012? Someone is having a laugh. Phase one complete by 2007? In yer dreams. With daily grid lock at peak times on the airports roads and drop off area there seems to be no hurry in doing anything about it.