Heard nothing about that...

Are you sure you are not confusing it with the LGW slots, where apparently easyJet, Norwegian and IAG were all fighting for them, and in the news headlines the Luton slots just happened to fall in to the same sentence/paragraph?

I don't think the Luton slots are worth a great deal, and unlikely to get the same news coverage.

I am still confused with the Wizz Air expansion announcement last week and if this was in part, them taking on some of those slots.

With easyJet having to work out a strategy for post-Brexit and them taking over a large chunk of Air Berlin and having to absorb this into their business model. I wonder if they are that bothered about further expansion from Luton and Gatwick for next year, as they seem pretty busy as it is!

In view of their contraction in UK-Europe services for 2018, I can't see Norwegian opening a new base at Luton.

I think this has been noted before, but AirlineRoute are reporting an increase in Wizz LTN-Sibiu from 5 to 7 weekly from 23 Jun18.

The new BRAVO taxiway is not meant for 26 landing aircraft to vacate as a normal procedure. The 130 degree turn off the runway would probably slow vacating down. The low cost taxiway is primarily designed to alleviate holding for 08 departures.

Except that is where all landing traffic will exit the runway as the former exit point will be prohibited from being used by landing traffic unless ATC give permission to use it which has been NOTAMed.

Looking at the angle of the taxiway to the runway it certainly hasn’t been optimised for maximum use of the runway.

At some foreign Airports a preferred exit is given on the ATIS e.g. "landing aircraft should vacate at N7 when possible" could this be introduced when Luton is on 26 and would that meet the ATC requirement

I know Luton needs some divine intervention sometimes but not sure about angels LTMman!

Why a taxiway? Everyone knows angels are capable of VTOL.

Reporting states WZZ have swept up ALL the MON slots at LTN...

More expansion from Wizz, the reports have said that the slots will allow them to base more planes in LTN. This is on top of the original 4 (2 extra based aircraft).

Powdair
 

I understand their main financial backer has pulled out so, unless they get finance from another source very quickly their planned winter schedules won't be happening. Start up date was 11th Dec.

WOW, has been confirmed Wizz air will go to a base with 7 aircraft, yes you just ready that SEVEN!!!!. Where next on the route map for Wizz is the massive question?

Luton airport management should be getting worried at this point about how vulnerable they are now to the whims of just two airlines.
Easyjet should be worrying that they will cease to be the airport's sole 800 lb gorilla compared to all the other airlines and will therefore no longer always be the first airline that Luton contacts when asking for opinions from airlines

For those not familiar with the term (and no I am not suggesting Easyjet do anything illegal - just that as the major player they have probably been able to get their way more often than maybe minor airlines)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800-pound_gorilla

Yes...With the MON slots to WZZ & more importantly the associated night parking,just where does this leave the much anticipated EZY expansion at LTN for next year?.
Have they been out played both at LGW & LTN or is there a general change of strategy concerning London?.

It will be interesting to see if Wizzair maintain their Summer 2017 level of 13 / 14 arrivals between about 7am and 8am when they have 7 based aircraft. Or if they replace some of the existing off-peak rotations with the new early morning departures. Personally I don't think we are going to see total number of daily flights increase by the maximum amount - at least not if they keep to their model of Eastern Europe only. Another question is if they venture into traditional Monarch holiday destinations... and if not, there is a massive gap there for other airlines to fill.

Wow, Wizz are going to be very close to easyJet's percentage of flights at Luton with this expansion. It does make Luton very dependent on both airlines though I guess thats no different to Stansted's reliance on Ryanair, Gatwick's reliance on easyJet and now a resurgent BA?

I wonder what new routes and frequencies will be added as a result of this Wizz expansion?

The first wave arrivals of WZZ suit as the clocks in Eastern Europe are 1 - 2 hours ahead of UK, thereby allowing WZZ to make better utilization of their aircraft. If UK-based aircraft went east at (say) 0630 UK time, they could be losing an hour or two every day.
This could be solved by WZZ serving destinations further west from LTN.

Looking at the S17 start of season report from ACL, market share of the top 10 airlines at Luton by ATM across the 7 month period was:

Easyjet 44.1%
Wizzair 28.9%
Ryanair 8.9%
Monarch 4.9%
Blue Air 3.1%
Vueling 2.7%
Thomson 2.7%
DHL 1.5%
El Al 1.1%
Transavia 0.5% (now left the airport)

A combination of WIzz + Monarch would have been expected to control 33.8% of ATMs at the start of S17. Add Easyjet and we find 77.8% of summer ATMs are in the hands of just 2 airlines.

Note to pedants - yes the percentages don't quite match due to rounding differences

hehe...will all resist starting their posts regarding WZZ with WOW...that is the airline due to commence STN...You are making me jump haha.....Great/fantastic/fan dabby dozy for instance are not airline names at present.

I see LTN airport preparing for it's next faze which is to build a further 15--18 new stands with a satellite building that will provide for the next generation of growth.

The building may have tinted glass with hints of orange and be self efficient.

Don't forget that IAG may use the LGW slots for growth of Iberia, Vuelling, Aer Lingus and British Airways companies.

Just maybe, Easy will now be looking for continued growth from it's spiritual home base...

The head of Wizzair has already said it would be silly to operate to the Western Med from the UK. Central and Eastern Europe is their territory. As I have said before there are still plenty of destinations still to be served in those areas.

I would love to know where you got that snippet of information from particularly its location. Any new development now firmly seems to be within the airport boundary. The 2012 masterplan did state that the capacity of the airport within its own boundary was 18 million passengers but there are now plans to extend and not replace the long term car park onto Wigmore Park which is being challenged.

It seems that any plans for terminal 2 on Wigmore Park have been dropped which would leave just the existing long term car park open for development. The airport plan is to build part of a business park on part of this car park behind the Harrods hangars though.

As I said a while ago the airport were allegedly looking at a plan to build terminal 2 within the CTA by I assume the second multi-storey car park on the new location for the car hire centre. This would mean a remote apron on what was left of the existing long term car park I would have thought. Not a great place on the wrong side of 2 taxiways unless a tunnel or bridge was put in for passenger access.

The only place that has ever seemed feasible to me for a T2 is the hangar line. Saying that though, that would require relocation of the hangars which could be along the engine run up bay of course with it being extended into an apron. As we know, that is never going to happen. The airport management team will some how find a way to fit a T2 into the sardine can CTA.

Funny you should mention that but I had a deep conversation with someone working for TUI who attended a meeting with the airport about shifting the TUI hangar. The meeting was last year but as I could not get my head around why the hangar would need to be moved I dismissed the conversation.

You're right about the morning but a UK base makes up for it in the evening. E.g. Depart Riga at 23:00 and arrive into LTN before midnight.

Wizz have confirmed they have taken over the slots of Monarch after the demise of the airline. An additional two aircraft will be based making a total of seven aircraft. New routes will be announced in the near future with an additional 70 jobs being created.

IR Solutions, Euroinvestor

Exciting and less discovered destinations!

Funny how Wizz create 35 jobs per based aircraft and Ryanair thousands... :-D

Ryanair support everyone in the airport whereas bad Wizzair on support the people they directly pay! :(

Construction update
 

The framework for the immigration hall minor extension, the first floor extension and new walkway are all in place.
https://i.imgur.com/eFDqSq0.jpg

The brick frontage of the old terminal has finally all but disappeared from view. The cladding is actually individual vented slats as there is machinery on the balcony.
https://i.imgur.com/OgtQa8T.jpg

Soil samples are being taken for the second multistory car park.
https://i.imgur.com/eopkmlW.jpg

The last vent has been put in place on the new pier making the building externally complete.
https://i.imgur.com/1g17Utt.jpg

Taxiway Bravo extension is all but complete
https://i.imgur.com/1fdQkHM.jpg

While what will become Taxiway Hotel can be seen with the Wizz in the background.
https://i.imgur.com/jSQGLlE.jpg

Other news

Two crossover points have been put in either side of the tunnel to allow traffic to use the airport if one of the tunnels had to be closed.

This week sees the signing of the DART contract.

Thanks, as always, LTNman. How much longer for the terrible drop/collect zone?

Another year until the new multistory is built and opened as the new drop off zone will be on the ground floor. No modifications have taken place to the existing drop off zone to date so I expect more of the same carnage next summer.

Fabulous pics as always LTNman. Always makes me wonder whether they'll have to dismantle half the cladding if one of those generators on the roof needs replacing in years to come.

What a shame they insist on building a second multi-storey car park within the CTA. That land would be better used for an additional 6-8 parking stands and terminal extension with 3rd pier for the South Apron.
The second multi-storey would be better placed in the mid-term car park, adjacent to a DART station for quick transit to the CTA.

More aircraft parking, more terminal capacity in a single terminal and less road traffic entering the CTA. Win, win, win.

There is no roof above the equipment on either balcony just side cladding at this end only. While replacing machinery should present no problems at the this end the other end will be somewhat challenging as the plant was put in before work started on the terminal infill.

As seen last year the CTA could not cope with traffic levels for one terminal let alone two. With the drop off area moving to inside the new multistory the jury will be out to see if it makes any difference to the traffic flows.

The airport has a very long history of poor designs of drop off areas that have needed constant modifications to keep the traffic moving. It will be somewhat harder to correct once the next move is completed.

Ex Monarch A320 G-ZBAU currently holding north of Luton. Expected by MAEL, but for some reason the airport management are not letting it land.

Landed 16.07

What do you mean with this? 2nd biggest airport in the Wizz network is BUD and don't think they have 5 times more flights to/from LTN than BUD?

My mistake, sorry I was taking the light blue as Luton:\

https://i.imgur.com/5BY7K1x.jpg

LTNman,
The east side of the airfield holds the Long term car park. Build 3 multi-storey car parks to hold more cars than at present and relase30-50 + acreas for new development.

Build a satelite building that is connected to the main terminal via a tunnel,which incorporates a travelator and service road and then build 15 to 18 stands and growth is accomodated.

No increase in land is required, just imagination and more importantly investment!

I won't say why I think it will happen, but am certain it will...

LTN is on a path of continued growth, and rightly so, for it was neglected for decades and is now being taken serious by investors.