Work has started on expanding the cargo apron, which will become Harrods new apron. The work does not appear to be on a NORTAM but it looks like the cargo apron might be closed as there are no aircraft on it and there is mud everywhere.

I would have thought that the new mini cargo apron would have been built first????

I see that Monarch had 5 aircraft on the Eastern and Northern aprons at the same time this afternoon plus 1 on the hangar line. Are these 5 aircraft all Luton based?

Monarch have 4 aircraft based at LTN , 2 A321 AND 2 A320 and a A300 visits on a Saturday

Monarch at this moment in time has 5 aircraft based at Luton, 1 extra A320 minus an engine is in and out of the hangar for at least this week.
I also believe a 5th aircraft comes in on a "W" some days of the week, like the A300 does on a Saturday.:ok:

Gd news tegarding the new Transylvannia route from wizz air, any new routes on the agenda? easy's winter timetable not out yet ao hopefully some new routes there, can see salzburg goin down well if thomsonfly are ready to risk it

In what direction is the cargo apron being expanded? Will the height difference between the current cargo apron and Hanger 129 still be maintained. Or is it somehow being taken down to the same level?

Seems like they are cutting into the grass embankment and heading in a southerly direction at the moment towards the North apron. A ramp will lead to the apron because as you point out hangar 129 is at a different height.

So when this is completed, am I correct in thinking that this will free up the south stands, which will then be reconfigured for larger aircraft, such as the 767s of Silverjet and/or others. What will be the net gain in stands overall if any ?

Looking at a Satellite image on Google map and using a ruler, the present South stands are the same width at the North Apron so that would be 3 x 767 types or 4 x 737’s. Looking at the image there is room to make the south stands a little wider. Did I not read it on here a few months ago that indeed this would happen?

Two aircraft on it today so it is still open

BLIMEY parking them on the mud! Stand numbers must be tight!

Didn't see any mud today. Someone must have a big brush

runway closure
 

Last night a SunExpress 737NG landed hard on runway 26 and had some sort of gear trouble, not sure if it was a burst tires or a break fire. The runway was closed for about 20 mins while ops cleared any debris. Lotta' delays!

Silverjet daily Luton-Chicago starting in November!
 

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...cle1926059.ece

BLIMEY!

I think Chicago was always expected to be Silverjet's second route, and will no doubt be using the third 767(second from Thomsonfly)when it joins Silverjet in October. Note they are looking to start daily flights from 7 November, assuming the necessary approvals are obtained in time.

nice one, i reckon chicago will be a big hit

Chicago is the first of many additional routes. Chicago is not quite a 'minted tourist' route. Surprised Dubai is not the second?

So how long will it be before Silverjet outgrows Luton due to a lack of stands? Can Silverjet really fly to LA from Luton without a stop?

Citing 'huge demand', UK all business class airline Silverjet's CEO Lawrence Hunt told website ATWOnline that it is preparing to announce new US destinations just six months after launching its maiden flights between Luton Airport and New York (Newark). The website says that he mentioned Chicago and Los Angeles as potential new markets.

Silverjet features lie-flat beds, in-seat entertainment systems and reduced check-in times from a private terminal at Luton Airport. Some 70% of tickets are purchased online, while travel agents book the remainder.
Mr Hunt told the website that Silverjet is on target to have 10 aircraft operating by March 2010, adding: 'we have the first five in the bank,' referring to the five 767-200s it has contracted to acquire.

With the new plane due to take to the skies next month to be used to provide a double daily frequency on the New York route, and the next plane to be delivered next spring, a single new route to start next year is the most likely announcement.

EZY ramper

Funny you should mention the Sun Express 737NG.

Could be the same one that was surrounded by fire crews at HUY was it Sunday or Monday can not remember. But there were pools of water around the landing gear when we arrived.

New EZY Route?
 

Reuters Reporting that Vienna Airport will have a new EZY route to LTN.

June 14 (Reuters) - Passenger traffic at Vienna International Airport rose 8.0 percent in May compared with a year ago as the popularity of routes to eastern Europe and the Middle East continued to rise.
Operator Flughafen Wien added on Thursday that British low-cost airline easyJet would offer a daily flight between Vienna and London Luton from Oct. 29.

Now that would be good. One of my favourite european cities. It is certainly announced on the VIE airport website but have they jumped the gun a bit, as easy does not start to announce winter flights for about 3/4 weeks.