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Originally Posted by cj241101
(Post 10366987)
Aircraft above a certain size are not allowed to taxi under their own power along Echo and have to be towed. Hence the Tui 757's departing from outside the hangar always route via Bravo (Alpha became Bravo between the main apron and the intersection when the Bravo extension opened, end of 2017 IIRC). Not sure if the 787 would be permitted even under tow. Wouldn't affect 738/A319/A320/A321 as far as I am aware (i.e. 99% of commercial traffic).
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EGGW LONDON LUTON A0077/19 - TWY BRAVO DOWNGRADED TO CODE D ACFT TAXILANE BTN B7 AND B8 DUE WIP. FOLLOW ME AVAILABLE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. 10 JAN 18:00 2019 UNTIL 31 MAR 06:00 2019. CREATED: 10 JAN 17:59 2019 This NOTAM is current for that section |
No that wont happen as it would cause an aircraft traffic jam. It's bad enough with the 8 stand eastern apron, which only has one exit/entrance. Echo was put in to allow two way traffic onto the main apron.
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On Tuesday 22 Jan, there was snow in Hertfordshire - and (being on top of a hill) presumably also at Luton airport. Oddly enough FR24 shows relatively few delays/cancellations despite Luton in the past tending to succumb to snow more often than other London airports.
Was the snow a rather brief dusting, or has Luton become more robust recently to winter weather ? |
More than a dusting but nothing compared to what I saw in photos of Watford. I guess Luton just caught the edge of the snow shower. |
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Looking at Google Earth shows the remains of the then Taxiway Alpha when it had to be moved south and then north before being put back along its present position for tunnel work.
https://i.imgur.com/6S0pZYG.jpg This 1998 photo shows the southern taxiway position in use with the northern part started for completion at a later date before being moved back into the middle. https://i.imgur.com/PSNkba4.jpg They must be planning night time closures for what must be 3 moves of the taxiway as the cut and cover Dart tunnel is put in. |
Tarom Looks like Tarom are leaving LTN at the end of January. Can anybody confirm as nothing seems bookable from Feb onwards? |
Not really surprised really but still a shame. Three different airlines flying to Iasi from Luton, something had to give.
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I have pointed this out before but for a long time no new airline has started services into or out of Luton. So when and which airline was it? Don’t think there was a single one in 2018 and I am struggling to remember any in 2017. I am thinking that with the airport capped to 18 million by its planning permission the airport is reserving spare capacity for its existing airlines by not offering discounts.. If that is not the case clearly Luton’s finished terminal has not impressed any new carriers except in places the terminal isn’t finished and it seems the builders have gone home. In the check-in area the airline help desks are still in temporary structures while the space behind them remains empty. The outsize baggage area sits behind temporary hoardings with green netting sitting above it. Airside in arrivals isn’t finish with hoardings still in place and the same applies to the landslide arrivals waiting area. Add to that the missing ceiling and for those who notice these things the terminal is still not finished. Also has anyone else noticed the rubbish Saturday train service, which still hasn’t recovered from the May 2018 timetable changes. Only 2 trains an hour now run through London from Parkway, the Sunday service, which is still bad with bunched up trains and then long gaps, actually has more trains. If a train is now cancelled passengers are now having to wait up to an hour for the next one. It used to be the case that I never needed to look at a timetable, as it was never more than a 15 minute wait. If I used a slow train, trains would run what seemed like every few minutes at the weekends but that has now all changed. With more passengers using the airport, passenger numbers arriving by train is actually dropping. |
It is not in the interests for the airport to have overly dominant airlines. Luton clearly has no plans to be a connecting hub. Luton will do better financially if there is a wide diversity of carriers who are not part of the same holding company
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Possibly telling that the CEO who oversaw the growth to near the present maximum capacity has moved on...
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Originally Posted by LTNman
(Post 10371151)
I have pointed this out before but for a long time no new airline has started services into or out of Luton. So when and which airline was it? . |
Worse than I thought then at it would seem that 2016 was that last year a new airline came to Luton while airlines pile into Stansted and Southend. Wonder why that is the case as it is only this year that Luton is heading for capacity?
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There have been considerable increases in traffic from Ryanair (+2 aircraft), WizzAir UK (9, or is it 11 new aircraft based) and easyJet (significant increase in based fleet). Blue Air have also increased their presence. That goes to show that Luton is a desirable base, and money can be made in the low cost sector with based aircraft.
However, it squeezes the capacity available for new entrants. More based aircraft are really out of the question, so foreign- or away-based carriers operating limited services off-peak will be the target for new growth. Whilst Heathrow is at capacity, Luton has gained some overflow from there (Tarom and El Al). More could follow. However, Gatwick seems to be able to accommodate growth, and has gained numerous operators in recent years. Stansted too has attracted some new carriers, but tends to attract those who are financially weak (Primera, Cobalt, Wow to name but three). North-of-London ops will be contested with Stansted, which has greater capacity, better terminal facilities, but a smaller catchment population, and worse surface connections. Hopefully, T2 proposals will emerge soon, and ways will be found to increase runway capacity. Anyone looking for lots of new carriers is likely to be disappointed over the next few years. |
Originally Posted by LTNman
(Post 10371151)
Also has anyone else noticed the rubbish Saturday train service, which still hasn’t recovered from the May 2018 timetable changes. Only 2 trains an hour now run through London from Parkway, the Sunday service, which is still bad with bunched up trains and then long gaps, actually has more trains. If a train is now cancelled passengers are now having to wait up to an hour for the next one. It used to be the case that I never needed to look at a timetable, as it was never more than a 15 minute wait. If I used a slow train, trains would run what seemed like every few minutes at the weekends but that has now all changed. Actually the rail operator is in complete breach of their franchise agreement that states: "Between and including the Early and Late Services 50 services shall be provided at 15 minute intervals from Bedford to London Blackfriars, calling at the stations in paragraph 1.1. After 18:00 intervals of 20 minutes may be permitted. Two services per hour at 30 minute intervals shall call additionally at West Hampstead Thameslink." |
Yes, the Saturday return service is much worse than it used to be. 25 mins wait last Saturday.
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Ooops...LGS6753 omitted Emirates in his discussion & list of new carriers attracted to STN.
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LTN has become a victim of it`s own undoubted success within it`s very constrained site in recent times so North of London ops to be contested with STN (as always) will indeed be interesting.
The assertion above that STN has a "smaller catchment population & worse surface connections" has evidently not hampered STN in breaking now thru the 28m barrier. With MAG/STN predicting to capture 60% of capacity growth within the London area & with planning permission & work commencing on the facilities to drive growth to 43m,STN would appear to be several steps ahead. With tentative plans viewed here for further development at LTN one may wonder who would finance it? Reading here it appears the DART is being financed by the local taxpayer & with all Councils nationwide in financial extremis one wonders how that is & will be managed. As stated previously did perhaps the departing CEO who oversaw growth to near capacity read any runes? |
Originally Posted by southside bobby
(Post 10371712)
Ooops...LGS6753 omitted Emirates in his discussion & list of new carriers attracted to STN.
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