LUTON - 3
 

The ILS was out of action yesterday as it was being calibrated with SRA’s the only option. With visibility decreasing some aircraft were asking for a NDB approach. These requests were turned down with one aircraft being told in detail that NDB approaches were no longer allowed at Luton and that permission given earlier was given in error. Anyone know why or were my ears playing tricks?

The straight in (Direct NDB) approach was removed from operation a number of years ago! The procedural NDB approach for a non radar environment still exists.

Rumour has it, over 500 movements at Luton yesterday! Not bad considering the lack of infrastructure!

Buster has it - over 500 in one day.

Some 54 arrived from Berlin:confused:

I quote: "Buster has it - over 500 in one day." I hope those female bears really appreciate me!

500+ movements from a runway with a back track issue, no high speed exits, an appalling lack of taxiway and passing areas! AWESOME! Well done to all those in the tower and all the ground staff looking after those flights!

This must be some kind of UK record from a single runway with all the inherent lack of infrastructure that Luton enjoys :eek: !

LTN delays due VIP Northolt
 

I was on a MON PM departure on Monday, Capt said sorry for the delay 20mins on taxi way...due to VIP minister movement ex Northolt.

Is this a Blair Purple Airway....Not Notamed.?????


Bumz

I see that Ryanair have announced a (partial?) withdrawal from the Swedish market, so the flights by Ryanair to Västerås will cease at some stage soon. Ryanair are blaming an increase in Aviation Tax within Sweden.

Buster the Bear

Wef 28 Oct. So, will we see a couple of new routes to fill the 4 daily rotations to/from VST or will LTN go down to 3 based ryans from Nov ?.

Ryanair are claiming that the reduction in its flying to Sweden will lower its passenger forecasts by 350,000 overall, so one could assume a reduction in the Luton base perhaps?

My money is on two new routes:

Luton to Wroclaw (in the morning)
Luton to Krakow (in the evening)

Both Polish destinations popular with Ryanair, and not served by Wizzair from Luton. More or less the same flying time as Luton to Vasteras.

Charlie Roy

Educated Guess ?
I agree that it would seem silly for them to give up departure times for someone else to pick them up and for one less based aeroplane overnight, never!

Ryanair 'head to head' with easyJet from Luton to Krakow, now that would be rather entertaining!

After easyJet's embarrassing foray and eventual retreat from Gatwick into the Irish Republic, Ryanair would certainly be punching hard again, this time at the home base of easyJet!

http://www.itmworld.com/cat_images/p...m/easyjet1.jpghttp://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Spor...Arts/Punch.gif

Ryanair Aircraft staying put
 

Ryanair have 4 aircraft based at Luton. All the destinations they serve from Luton are done so exclusively using these aircraft.

i.e. Luton - Dublin is done entirely using Luton aircraft. No Dublin aircraft are used. The same is true for every Luton route.

The winter timetable for all destinations is virtually unchanged (just time changes of 5 minutes here and there), EXCEPT of course the Vasteras service which will be stopped.

So, THREE of the Ryanair aircraft at Luton will do exactly the same work/routes in the winter as they do now.

Let's consider the FOURTH aircraft.
Currently it does:

Luton - Vasteras
Luton - Dublin (1-3-5-7) / Brest (-2-4-6-)
Luton - Shannon
Luton - Vasteras

In the winter this aircraft will do:

Luton - New Destination(s)
Luton - Dublin / Brest
Luton - Shannon
Luton - New Destination(s)

So I guess between 2 and 4 new destinations. Possibly:

Luton - Treviso (1-3-5-7) / Wroclaw (-2-4-6-)
Luton - Dublin / Brest
Luton - Shannon
Luton - Krakow (1-3-5-7) / Oslo (-2-4-6-)

I could be totally wrong. What do ye all think are likely routes? I wouldn't mind having the job of Ryanair's route planner though... :p

(PS - Ryanair would have no qualms in going head to head in competition with Easyjet on Krakow. They already compete with Easyjet on Liverpool - Krakow. Easyjet have made a very lack lustre entry to the eastern markets and their brand is not known. Ryanair would be counting on Poles recognising their brand and choosing their lower fares. Easyjet really missed the boat on Poland. Ryanair were late starters too, but they're making up now for lost time. Expect a lot of new routes to Poland from their existing bases, and another route explosion later this year when they announce their first Polish base.)

Charlie Roy - you mention Treviso as a possible replacement destination but Ryanair only stopped flying there from Luton in February. Granted the original flight was in the evening but even so I would have thought a relaunch unlikely.

Indeed. You may be correct in saying that a relaunch of Treviso seems unlikely. However, in winter there will be 2 flights less per week to Treviso from Stansted, despite it being a highly profitable route.

Easy increasing Luton-Dortmund flights from 2 to 3 x daily wef 6 Nov 06.

Hi all.

I am a FO at LTN with Tfly and am AOG at the moment for a two wheel change on our 738!

I would be very grateful if you could advise me of the airline setting up at LTN (?) flying a 75/6 to the states in a VIP config. One of our senior crew is taking early retirement and was intrigued.

Many thanks and thankyou for all your hard work around the airport to keep us in the air, it is appreciated, although it may not seem like it sometimes!

The airline is "Silverjet", intending to fly 767s towards the end of the year.

So any truth in the rumour relating to Luton, Thomsonfly and South Africa?

Edit. Here is the link: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...=227670&page=4

Where did that one come from then or have I missed something ?

June (provisional)
 

ATM’s
7075 up 5.1%
year on year 77,975 up 10.8%
Passengers
881,773 up 4.3%
year on year 9,305,719 up 10%

It’s now starting to look unlikely that 10m will be reached this year.

Maybe not a bad thing, as the dual carriageway section of the A505 to the M1 has been reduced to single file due to the road works with the queue at 2pm disappearing into the tunnel.

So not only is it a challenge to get to the terminal at peak times, once there you can’t get away. As for the queues to join the M1, less said the better.