LTN, LGW or STN, which airport is the true winner for easyjet fast turnarounds?

[LTNman]

Just been plodding though easyjet’s results and old news bulletins. The airline states that Gatwick is easyjet’s largest base but looking at page 20 of their PDF document http://www.easyjet.co.uk/common/img/2004-11-23-Presentation.pdf it shows Luton has over 100 more departures a week than Gatwick while Stansted has around 50 departures a week more than Gatwick. The ranking is base on 15 November 2004. Is this just down to slower turnarounds so less work per aircraft or am I missing something?

[In trim]

LGW certainly has more slack built into the programme......there are handling issues in relation to boarding via jetty, etc. but much of the slack is nothing to do with the turnrounds themselves, simply the increase congestion / taxi / holding time required at LGW compared with the others.

In many respects LTN certainly has the best gate and stand infrastructure......it is far from perfect, but the 'pre-board zones' and boarding via 2 sets of steps, with no cul-de-sac issue (now the through taxiway is in operation) are far better than some of the other facilities in supporting the eJ model.

[ebenezer]

...and at peak times the arrival delays at Luton are minimal compared to Gatwick.

Unfortunately, the departure delays at Luton - due to ATC and congestion in the adjacent airspace to the southeast - sometimes create the same outbound holding delay as at Gatwick, due to traffic.

This is where Stansted beats both airports.

Gawd knows what things'll be like after the end of next month, when Ryanair moves into Luton big time.

:confused:

[Jordan D]

Only have EZY experiences at STN/LTN .... LTN beats the pants of STN. Inbound, I've been from sitting in the aircraft to sitting in my dad's car within 20minutes, whereas the quickest at STN is around 30.

Outbound, I simply won't fly from STN anymore, due to massive delays with ATC and taxi time. LTN wins hands down.

Jordan

[CAP670]

With the Spanish BAA (AENA) now in charge, my money is on Luton everytime.

BAA's manipulative London monopoly at last looks like being properly challenged!

:ok:

[CaptJ]

For what its worth I have flown a lot out of all three. Final destination is always Central London

LTN has the shortest airport related delays
LGW has the longest.

However,

I will fly Gatwick in preference everytime, followed by STN and closely by LTN.
The LTN travel experience for London passengers is just Horrid. The kids just hate it.
As for STN, the express seems to be on a downer again. Despite all the money spent and disruption suffered during the signalling upgrade.

[ebenezer]

The LTN travel experience for London passengers is just Horrid. The kids just hate it.

CaptJ, you don't say from where in 'Central' London you travel, and admittedly, until late Spring 2005 when the re-development of St Pancras has moved into its final stage and the Station is fully open again, and Thameslink trains again run through from Bedford to Brighton and vice-versa, things aren't brilliant for rail travellers to Luton Airport from London, but...the fastest journey remains 24 minutes by Midland Mainline from/to Luton Airport Parkway to/from St Pancras and this is only bettered by the Heathrow Express to Heathrow Central for Terminals 1, 2 and 3, at 15 minutes.

The Gatwick Express is due to cease running as a dedicated train service, and Thameslink to/from Gatwick is no less crowded at peak times than to/from Luton, whilst the best journey is around 32 minutes. Other train services are just 'normal' trains.

As for the so-called Stansted Express, take a good book to read and some food to eat the train journey...

I'd agree that Luton and Gatwick by train from Central London are 'neck and neck' (although Luton's slightly quicker) but Stansted is only 18 minutes shorter than the fastest train from Waterloo to Southampton Airport Parkway station!

So why is the travel experience by train to Luton "horrid"??

:confused:

[LTNman]

Luton’s public transport weak spot is the free shuttle bus service between the station and the airport. The busses are now often packed out due to the sheer number of passengers using the rail links. A bendy bus service would double the capacity at a stroke. The other issue is the frequency of the service. While the service is generally every 10 minutes it seems a long 10 minutes if you have just missed a bus and a seamless service it you board just before the bus departs.

The advantage with Luton is that normally it has direct services without changing trains to 32 London Stations with the majority of those south of the Thames like London Bridge, Wimbledon and Elephant and Castle.

[CaptJ]

ebenezer,

There is no comparison between LGW and LTN.
(nearly everywhere I go in London is via the Victoiria Line so there is not much difference for any of them on that)

I don't use the Gatwick Express that much. If there is a South-West Trains I take that, its cheaper and maybe takes all of 2 minutes more.

No, what makes LTN a bind is the ****ty bus service, the poor station design and the less frequent trains, especially in the evening. Thanks for the tip on the Midland Mainline, but its not very frequent is it?

The Stansted Express is a better overall service, despite the 50-odd minutes. - Get on the train, get off, up the escalator, bingo! Check-in.

Thats what the kids want and what Gatwick, Stansted deliver.
Shame they made such a balls of the station and the link to the airport. It could have been a lot better.

I could also mention the ****ty Thameslink Station and the long walk in crowded passages at rush hour. The kids hate that too.

Shame really, as everyone agrees that LTN has the least delays.

regards

[outofsynch]

geez I dunno which STN Express you guys catch... the true express gets me to LPL Sreet in 40 mins when I catch it. Only stop is Totty Hale.