With Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group group moving to Cranfield do we think there will be a spin-off benefits for Luton Airport?

Tui will be restarting some flight again end of this month , ACE TFS and from December, INN.

Flew out of LTN a few days ago, it was a pleasant experience. Security was a breeze (less than 3 mins all in, unlike the airport at the other end), masks on for everyone, plane was probably 30-40% full so plenty of space to move around in case someone sat next to you (with permission of course).

On the way back passport control was quick too. Out of airport in record time.

The trouble is that 30-40% load factors are not economically sustainable.

Construction update
 

There are 3 stages to the Dart Parkway interchange. Stage 1 is the main Dart building. Stage 2a is the new passenger footbridge across the existing railway platforms, which is a Network Rail project. Stage 2b is the addition of 2 "parasol" roof sections, which again will be built by Network Rail. The contractor is hopeful that stage 2 will be complete when the Dart commences operations in the summer but stage 1 allows for the connection of the existing footbridge to the Dart station if Network Rail are slow to deliver Stage 2

https://i.imgur.com/11sGlBW.png

The ceiling when it was under construction with the Dart tracks in the distance.
https://i.imgur.com/wRbIQW9.jpg

The parasol ceiling is now almost complete.
https://i.imgur.com/pvigjpa.jpg

The photo shows the existing footbridge, which can be connected to the Dart station if Stage 2 is not completed in time with a glimpse of the new footbridge on the right. I am not sure if a permanent connection will be made to the existing footbridge if Stage 2 is finished on time.
https://i.imgur.com/iOQv5Xh.jpg

Work continues on the Gateway Bridge, as viewed heading from the airport
https://i.imgur.com/m237s0U.jpg

One of the two tracks with an emergency track side walkway. Careful examinations shows 2 of the pulley wheels that will guide the cable that pulls the Dart. Note this photo is a little out of date.
https://i.imgur.com/mRNaydn.jpg

Central Station now has more of the roof metalwork in place.
https://i.imgur.com/y7qaNPe.jpg

A few changes to W6/W9 shedules around 15/16 Nov, not a great increase but does show a little more capacity being added.

Wizz, like other Luton airlines need passengers who are prepared to travel against government advice which is not good as I doubt many will bother to quarantine. I would say they are acting against the national interest as they try to undermine the message.

Could say that about any airline or airport...

Meanwhile, moving holding patterns https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...herts-54572593

Not so much moving them as giving Luton one of its very own.

...& even more about separating LTN & STN holding patterns/traffic providing enhanced safety & a more streamlined continuous flow into both.

Where that hold is proposed conflicts with EGBB/EGNX arrivals and departures. EGSS CPT and northbound deps. City and Heathrow departures to the north. No description of the PBN arrival routes either in geographical terms. I thought at first, that it was a school project. I am sure Mildenhall and Lakenheath are happy.

EGSS doesn't have CPT departures. NUGBO is the one, changed about 5 years ago, and won't be affected while UTAVAs will probably jump it. Mildenhall and Lakenheath aren't affected as they will still go via LOREL and so don't get involved. Heathrow again no issue.

Confirmed that Luton's August passenger figures were indeed 835,000. Luton was saved by Eastern Europe with very high passenger loads. Polish airports up to 92%, Bulgarian airports up to 86%, Romania 88% while Spain was as low as 19% (Palma). Busiest route I can see was Bucharest at 8 flights a day with 37,636 passengers on 236 flights with a load of 88%. Even Albania, which isn't even in the EU had a load factor of 80%

With Wizzair stats on the web about Luton being it's most profitable base and Romania there best route profit wise, I can see why Blue Air stick around but for how long, Wizzair could afford to slash prices and drive Blue Air off their routes or is there good yield for both?

Only being 66% down for the month vs 2019 actually looks good when compared with other airports!

56% actually for August.

Presumably the East European numbers are falling as the seasoned workers return home?

Numbers...
Press release from the CEO Alberto Martin quoted 575,000 passengers for September down 66% stating "although we saw some recovery in passengers in the Summer numbers are beginning to tumble once again".

TUI
 

What are TUI's plans at Luton moving forward? I see there are some TUI holidays to book this winter and next summer with flights from Luton

Without being fully in the know, its impossible to predict what TUI's intentions are when it comes to LTN. Bear in mind that LTN was the only UK TUI base which did not re-start flying in July and pre-Covid only 1 x 737-800 was due to based at LTN this Summer anyway!

Ironically, the first TUI passenger flight since the March shutdown departed this morning with G-FDZD operating to ACE

I said pre Covid that I heard from someone at TUI HQ that they were closing their Luton base, which understandably didn’t go down too well so don’t shoot the messenger. I don’t think anyone can dispute the base has been in decline for years.

Not true, flights didn’t restart from EDI, ABZ, NWI or BFS. Albeit, the latter three are normally only summer bases but ABZ and NWI do have occasional flights in winter, not too many fewer than LTN which has hardly even been a base in winter in recent years.

Wizz
 

If Wizz get the big expansion they want at Gatwick, could that risk the Luton operation scaling back a bit?

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...Do11VjCD7Sd31g

Not true, flights didn’t restart from EDI, ABZ, NWI or BFS. Albeit, the latter three are normally only summer bases but ABZ and NWI do have occasional flights in winter, not too many fewer than LTN which has hardly even been a base in winter in recent years.

To clarify, LTN was the only year round fully crewed UK base that did not re-start in July.......EDI, ABZ, NWI and BFS are all normally operated by seconded Sunwing aircraft in the Summer (but with Covid this clearly was not going to happen anyway!)

Management are denying a full base closure is on the cards but in reality anything is possible! The decline in TUI ops at LTN seemed to coincide with reports of many passengers complaining about the poor terminal experience a few years back when there was also huge queues of cars trying to access the drop off area. Since then, TUI have constantly increased the number of holidays using EZY from LTN (which seems now to be the preferred option)

EDI is normally a fully-crewed year-round base with a based TUI (not Sunwing) aircraft and often has more weekly flights in winter than LTN, with a similar amount in summer. And yes, as I mentioned, the other three are summer-only bases which usually use Sunwing aircraft (ABZ has had TUI in the past). But yes, as you say the LTN base has certainly shrunk significantly over the last few years, although it is still TUI’s official HQ.

Can see some of the old 4x daily routes being scaled back but that would free up aircraft & slots for other opportunities.

When is the next Tui departure from Luton, next Sunday?

When is the next Tui departure from Luton, next Sunday?

Its impossible to be 100% sure as things are constantly changing with flights being amalgamated etc....It seems November should have a weekly TFS flight on Fridays but a lot will depend on demand and obviously the Canaries staying off the quarantine list.

ROC10 - your obsessional interest with TUI never fails to impress but I think its safe to say that LTN is now not a priority base and the fact that it remains the HQ clearly makes no difference!

As above WZZ now increase to 11 routes ex LGW.

With Luton lucky to handle 6 million passengers this year and the Council already agreeing to bail out the airport next year I don’t see there being a long queue.

Wizzair might suprise you, publicly stated that this crisis is an opportunity, even if they scoop up some more slots at LGW they would not give up their #1 position at LUT, their most profitable base and routes.

Shhh, no one is meant to know this so you didn’t hear this from me but the Dart, which was meant to open in the spring of 2021, that became the summer of 2021 and is now just 2021, should now open in around a year’s time, give or take a month.

Thanks for the update but are you correct? Lets rewind a few years when I said the airport was going to expand east and you implied I was wrong. Well I have another prediction but SHHH you never heard it from me: 01 10 00 01 11 11 01 11 !

Make a note in your diary of that Dart delay post then so you can savage me next summer while quoting my post.

Also I think you will find I said that LLAL would not build aprons on Wigmore Park, which is what I was told by planning due to the Council tip sitting underneath it but I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong. Wigmore was always a prime contender for airport expansion.

My post from 12th May 2017

Meanwhile you still haven’t said if you have posted off your reply to LLAL informing them who owns the land your home sits on, as they want an update to their blighted home list.

Provided you get the design right there is no reason why an apron cannot be built on a council tip. IMO that is.

La Guardia NYC built on landfill from a municipal garbage dump back in the day albeit with a metal reinforcing framework that interferes with aircraft compasses on taxy out.:eek:

Yes I have no doubt I was fed bs from the planning officer at the council. In those days I still didn’t know how dishonest they could be. Terminal 2 on piles but the aprons are within the existing boundary according to LLAL. Saying that the plan is to dig out the tip which is up to 20m deep.

The choice between the dig out and dispose off site or construct the apron ,with an appropriate design, would probably be commercial. A cost comparison between the two options would be needed.

Spanish eyes what's your take on what is happening in town, let allown the airport in social distancing? Taxi anyone?

The consultation says they will dig it all out and process the waste on site. The really nasty stuff will be taken away. This was the last time they dug into the unregulated waste tip on the local park. The tip was capped with a 1metre clay layer which has done a great job. Maybe the plan is to transport the toxic waste to Lee Baker Street’s back garden, which is why LLAL have taken an interest in his property?

https://i.imgur.com/hXw98R9.jpg

Don’t try and wind me up. For those that don’t know, Luton has an issue with one community that seems to have an issue with Covid rules. First it was the mayor and two councillors attending a Covid party when it was banned. Now it is an issue at a religious establishment that only came to light after a major punch up involving 250 people.

I often look through the multi faith room at the terminal which is meant to be for all religions but caters for just one as there are no chairs but only prayer mats and somewhere to wash ones feet. No social distancing in there either but at least they are all facing the same direction. And no I would not catch a Luton Airport taxi.

https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/pe...people-3015255