Let the mother of all battles commence ! :ok:

First there were soldiers matching through the streets of Luton now the Israeli state airline comes to Luton. Those parading Muslim extremists who see Luton as their town will be somewhat peeved at this news. :}

The bad news is that it will be a certainty that none of the passengers will be prepared to pay a £1 to use the drop off area.

The rumour that easy are in talks with the authorities, to fill the gap on the LTN-TLV, left by Thomson, will now probably stall, due to the arrival of El Al.
A september start was likely if a deal could be reached. Perhaps it will now go to STN instead.

Come on then, Buster, spill the beans! This is a rumour network after all.

Well done, Luton, in attracting a 'flag carrier' offering a full service product. I'm sure the service will do very well; there's a big Jewish community in North London - 20 miles down the M1 - and Thomson were getting good load factors on their LTN-TLV service despite not having the reputation of El Al.

A sweepstake on transfers from Stansted:

Ryanair, EasyJet may transfer 1 or 2 units, but insufficient overnight capacity at LTN and peak slot difficulties make for problems.

Air Asia X and PIA both recently-announced and both long-haul make a transfer unlikely. 50-1

Aegean, Aurigny, Pegasus, Blue Air, THY, Air Malta and Cyprus all operate to destinations already served from Luton 25-1

Thomas Cook will be driven by tour operator decisions 10-1

Air Berlin have a large operation at STN with a number of morning arrivals. May make terminal stand availability critical in the morning wave 5-1

Germanwings, Air Moldova, Atlantic Airways, Norwegian, Iceland Express and Eastern operate small programmes to destinations not served from LTN. Evens.

A number of overseas airlines could make the move.

Was a rumour a while back that ACDL would pull away from the concession agreement and buy Stansted!

Certainly nothing wrong with inducing airlines, but subsidising them via profits from Heathrow was wrong!

How long before Air Asia slip quietly into Gatwick now the established carriers have cut their prices?

Just looked at one day in June, Inbound prices are the same as Heathrow but £13 cheaper outbound.

As if on queue, Luton airport infuriates
 

David Wighton: The Times Business Editor’s commentary

Defenders of market capitalism have enough on their plate already coping with the backlash against bankers. But the bankers look like saints compared with the racketeers who run Luton airport.

In a shameless scam that would make even Ryanair blush, they have just started offering a £3 voucher that allows passengers to jump security queues.

Preferential treatment is not new at airports. Premium passengers have been able to take advantage of fast-track lines to take them through check-in and immigration. Some smaller airports have started to allow economy passengers to buy access to these lanes, with Liverpool and Bristol charging £3 and £5 respectively.

But Luton is offering a pass that takes passengers to the front of an ordinary queue. Its “priority lane” is effectively a permit to barge in ahead of those who are patiently waiting their turn. Luton says that it is merely providing “a choice for those who want to go straight to the search point”. But this choice imposes a direct cost on those behind. If everyone paid the £3, no one would be better off, except, of course, the airport’s Spanish-owned operators, who have a clear incentive to cut back on security staff to make the queues longer.

The audacity is breathtaking. It makes you want to join a demo.

Iceland Express are moving to LGW, and thats meant to be Norweigans long term plan too I think. Eastern have axed STN

Norwegian have already announced that they'll move the entire current STN operation (except for STN-TRD) over to Gatwick as of end of March.

Rumour has it that Air Moldova is eyeing up a move to Gatwick too.

Not sure about Air Asia, I may be wrong, but I thought there was an issue in the UK-MY bilateral which meant that there was no more 'space' within the current frequency limit for a Malaysian carrier to operate any more frequencies from LHR or LGW to KUL.

Does anybody know whos got the handling contract for El Al at LTN then?

Will there be any airlines left at Stansted apart from easyJet and Ryanair. Hardly a case for runway 2 there now!

Noted that a planning application has been submitted, on the old Alteon Pilot Training facility, on Airport Way. Plans for a seven storey, 149 bedroom hotel, to be built on the site, next to the Ibis hotel, after demolition of the present building.

Don't think that building is 10 years old

Before she met her maker!

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../7/1477798.jpg

Easy based A319's at LTN, can anyone confirm the present number. I think it is 6, with 12 737NGs. How many more are expected during 2009?

Following the arrival of EL Al last week, hopefully we can expect another announcement within the next 4 weeks, for 2/3 new routes, from an airline currently not serving LTN. A deal is very close apparently.

Buster The Bear

Was this photo a result of a visit by some Scousers ?

I don't think so, as it still has its wheels.:D

This years Hed Kandi aircraft :oh:

New commuter route to airport
 

WORK has started to provide a complete four-and-a-half mile walking and cycling route from Luton to Harpenden along a former railway line.
Although much of the former Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Railway route, which last saw trains in 1965, is already a public path, thanks to county council funding and a new bridge over the Lower Luton Road at East Hyde, it is about to be extended an extra mile to the Bedfordshire boundary, where the path is planned to continue on to Airport Way in Luton once sufficient cash becomes available.
Councillor Stuart Pile, cabinet member for transport and rural affairs, said: “We’ve long been committed to the provision of safe, signed, convenient cycle and walking routes that enable people to travel in and between our town centres quickly and easily, so we’re delighted to see the finishing stages underway on this major partnership scheme.
“As well as the environmental benefits of cycling and walking, there are also proven health benefits, especially if you do it regularly. We anticipate that the work will be completed later in the spring – when hopefully people will be keen to try leaving the car at home and go by bike.”