Think they have been losing the plot for several years now judging by all the overruns and delays!

It is surprising how far back this redevelopment work was actually started.

The old arrivals area closed on 31st May 2015 so it will be around 3 years before the new arrivals area is opened and that doesn't include the baggage reclaim area.

The first part of the main terminal to be boarded up for the expansion of security area took place on July 14th 2015. That won't be completed until at least the latter half of 2018.

In the meantime the cost has gone from £100 million to £110 million to £120 million to the latest cost of £150 million with the project now well over a year late.

Been mentioned on the MAN thread that Menzies are losing the EZY ground handling at LGW/LTN and STN in this region
Anybody know who is picking up this work at LTN?, appears Stobart are taking over at STN.

Race to the bottom. Swissport lost their Wizz contract to some Italian mob so have next to no work so maybe they have undercut Menzies.

The airport will not let 1 ground handerler have the WIZZ & EZY contract. It’s just too much work to manage at Luton that’s why swissport couldn’t handle EZY years ago so putting in a bit now makes sense.

A rumour that was running round a few months ago says DLH will put in a bid to handle EZY like they do at LGW, heard it’s been very successful there.

Azzurra also have a clause in the WIZZ contract that they can’t take any new work in the first 12 months. This eliminates any contracts up for renewal this year.

One of the biggest passenger gripes at Luton is the amount of time it takes to get luggage to the belts. Renewing contracts seems to mean less staff to do more work.

It’s all down to cost

The early shift is very well staffed
Late shifts are staffed ok
But the night shifts are staffed to a “skeleton” crew, this means 1 ramp crew, 2 on a good night after 22:00 to meet and offload everything

We see most nights the ramp guys meeting everything then working there way back to the beginning and ofloading, this is where most of the baggage delays happen

Still suffering from the MON effect but still upwards LLA welcomes 1 million passengers in January - London Luton Airport

22.00 seems a bit early to go the skeleton crew. If it was 23.30 much of the problem would go away I would think at least in the winter

From the press release.

A lack of 4 non stop trains an hour won't stop the airport reaching 18 million although it would be nice just like more seating in departures which the airport does have control over. Also it seems that Luton has forgotten about Southend in its press statement.

Interesting flight tomorrow Vueling to GRENOBLE. I did not know Vueling did charters - half-term school ski flight I would imagine.

Almost certainly...
Charters from STN early tomorrow by Smartwings,Ernest & Transavia to the snow resorts.

Vueling 2x Grenoble from STN this PM amongst more than half a dozen airlines operating ski charters ex STN today.

Isn’t this a LTN thread?

I was thinking the same:confused:

With LTN passing 1 million passengers again last month Luton doesn’t feel that busy passing that figure anymore so maybe that is the airport’s sweet spot at the moment as work carries on with the redevelopment.

Reply to c3b with his post he "did not know Vueling did charters"...

A tour of the CTA and multistory before the route changes in May.

Best to right click and copy the URL and open a new window for the option of a full screen

If Meccano made multi-storey car parks.....

The Meet n Greet video is only telling (at best) half the story. It might be helpful to show the signs in arrivals and the route for pax. They do not say if you have to stay with the vehicle - or can go into the terminal (I guess not but they do not say). Further, they do not say how much it costs, or if there is a maximum time of stay.

Far be it from me to suggest that LLA have produced something that is half-baked ...

That video is from a private company that operated from the short term car park but now operates from the multistory. I personally would not trust that company to look after my car as I have seen the type of drivers they use as they take the cars off airport to re-park them. The company has put in a planning application to build a reception centre off Eaton Green Road in a former Vauxhall car park next to the Easyjet staff car park and will bus passengers to the terminal.

The airports in-house meet and greet priority car park operation operates from the floor below. They used to park cars exclusively on the top two floors but with the loss of the short term car park many of the cars are now taken to a piece of waste ground between Airport Way and New Airport Way which is opposite the Ibis. The area isn't even fenced off.