LUTON

[LGS6753]

Are there any?

What has happened to the three promised extra EZY aircraft? (none materialised, most new destinations gone to BAA Stansted Rural or Gatwick)

What has happened about Monarch's promised massive growth in Luton flights (gone to BHX and LGW)? Surely two flights a week to ACE and LPA does not amount to 'massive'?

Why have Ryanair been announcing new Stansted Rural desinations after stating that their London expansion would be Luton based?

As far as I know the pending good news is:

Thomson flights to new destination Hurghada next winter.
4 Wizz flights a week to Poznan from September.
Swe Fly starting this month with 3 flights a week.

So what about:

Additional charters for S06?
New destinations or extra frequencies from FR, EZY, ZB?
New UK-based loco operators (Baby, flybe, now, etc)
New foreign-based loco operations?
Links with under-served or unserved areas like Western France, Prague, Italy, Lisbon, Almeria, former Yugoslavia, Germany, Norway, etc.
Latest news on long-haul projects like Tata Airlines (to India), Fly First (to New York if Eos doesn't get there first), etc?

All replies welcome especially from those who know, rather than those who merely speculate. And of course, friendly bears.

[LTNman]

Wondered how long it would be before we got a Luton happenings thread.

Heard nothing about new services but then these days news appears here first.

Other news:

Executive jet movements seem to be booming at the moment. Yesterday I saw 4 execs in a line all waiting their turn for take off while another 2 were on finals. They seem to be having an impact on the airlines who are getting caught up in the delays.

The easyjet tent is being taken down next week which will free up stand 46.

Easyjet has leased back half of hangar 89 to Britannia for the next 12 to 18 months. Lets hope they don't paint it orange.

New stands 60 and 61 are being used just occasionally for aircraft parking and not for the boarding of passengers. Is it really true that the stands are a tad too small for all of the equipment needed to service a Boeing 737 and that the airport coaches can’t get onto stand safely? These stands should become walk on when the development work is finished but what about the fuel tankers? All should be revealed in the next episode of Luton Airport the TV series.

The airport management still think that all of the development work will be finished in the next 20 days. In my opinion this just won’t happen, as there is just too much work that needs finishing. They might just get the departure lounge, deep search and the pier link to the old terminal finished but that’s it. Certainly arrivals will be using the old facilities for a few more weeks.

A bendy bus has been used on the station run, not sure if they have bought it or just trying it out. The bus certainly cures overcrowding.

The 12th sees the resumption of the full Thameslink service across London except the new full service is now only 6 trains an hour instead of the previous 8. This means it is a half hourly service on the slow metro link to places like Radlett and Hendon instead of the previous 15 minute service, while the fast Flyer service to the south coast is maintained at 15 minute intervals

[CAP670]

Why have Ryanair been announcing new Stansted Rural desinations after stating that their London expansion would be Luton based?

LGS6753 - this may be because RYR and BAA/STAL at STN are rumoured to have settled their differences over fuel levy charges with (according to one report) BAA/STAL reducing its fuel levy from 0.68 pence/litre to 0.41 pence/litre and RYR having paid the amount that BAA/STAL alleged was owing since earlier this year.

However, RYR was never expected to base further aircraft at Luton until (earliest) July 2005 and (more likely) September this year in order to open additional services this winter. But if MOL has 'kissed and made up' with STAL, who knows??

Stands 60 and 61 are not available for self-manoeuvring until the 'Safegate' parking & docking guidance systems are fully operational and the relevant handling agents' ground staff fully trained. The timescale is probably over the next eight weeks.

LTNman's comments regarding completion of the terminal expansion programme seem pretty accurate given the amount of work still to be completed. Six weeks is perhaps, a more realistic timescale.

I have to agree that notwithstanding the terminal developments, the new (allegedly cash-rich) operating company at Luton, and the increasing scarcity of peak-time slots at STN and LGW, it is surprising that Luton's management still hasn't managed a real coup with any major new operator whether charter/IT or lo-co. But Luton still has to contend with its # 1 competitor continuing to use cross-subsidies to undercut charges, and with an albatros in the shape of a totally uncommercial (from the Airport's perspective) concession agreement with Luton Borough Council.

Despite these handicaps, Luton's annual passengers are now above 8m heading towards 9m, figures released by the CAA for April 2005 show a 28% year-on-year rise, corporate flights are up around 25% year-on-year, and the Airport recently had its busiest day ever with 371 movements recorded (remember that around 98% of Luton's daily movements are air transport and corporate aircraft flights).

Maybe things will change after the terminal and stand developments have been completed later this Summer.

If not - expect another 'night of the long knives' shake up of Luton's management!!

:oh:

[Powerjet1]

Just returned from ZRH to LTN with Helvetic. Great flight & service. Even the Capt stands at the door welcoming on and saying goodbye to all pax. Sweeties given out as you go out the door.

Flew out Friday evening on the F100. 46 pax outbound and 55 pax home tonight. Speaking to the cabin crew, the general feeling is the London LTN route is performing quite well. but I have my doubts the route will still be there with the winter timetable, unless loads increase by at least 20/25%. That said, with little advertising so far and now with summer just about here, things should improve. I for one, sincerely hope so.

As far as any new Luton happenings are concerned, it certainly has gone very quiet. Let's just hope things improve when the terminal works are completed in the next few weeks but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Powerjet1]

Coming back through LTN yesterday, It hit me just how bad the baggage reclaim area is. The queque to pass through passport control streatched out of the building towards the apron and took almost 15 minutes to reach one of only three desks. Once inside the baggage reclaim area it looks like cr**p. Dark, dingy, with paint peeling off everywhere with three nackered old belts plus one new. The whole place looked like it hadn't been touched in the last ten years and probably hasn't. Is anything going to happen here as the whole place needs ripping apart and being completely rebuilt and updated. Does this particular area come under the terminal redevelopment ?

This is one of the first things foreign pax & ourselves see on arrival and it gives a terrible "first impression". Indeed, the man behind me was using very colourfull language to describe the place whilst waiting for his luggage to arrive.

[LGS6753]

The First Choice website seems to be showing a reduction in IT flights next summer (20 compared to 23 in '05). Destinations dropped are Alicante Almeria and Reus.

[Powerjet1]

Hurghada is now showing on the Thomson website from LTN for the start of the winter timetable. Bourgas also seems to be a new destination from LTN for S06 but Kos has been dropped. Also slight increase in freq on some S06 flights compared to SO5.


First Choice brochure is showing a weekly SSH from 7 Nov & a weekly flight to Bulgaria starting 12 May 06. Both operated by FCA. I don't know if this has since changed.

[FormerFlyer]

The FCA Sharm flight is a winter only operation - perhaps it then switches to BOJ for the summer.

cheers ;)
FF

[Powerjet1]

Aer Arann seem to be keeping their twice daily GWY-LTN throughout the coming winter timetable. Last winter I think it was daily & 2 x daily on three days each week. Perhaps more surprisingly, WAT-LTN is also staying on 2 x daily for the winter. Normally down to daily in previous winters I believe.

[LGS6753]

Good news about Aer Arann's winter timetable.
I wonder if they will ever add a LTN-Cork? It is an obvious gap, unserved by anyone (since FR in about 1992). RE have infrastructure in both locations too, or is it too close to Waterford?

[LGS6753]

The airport has updated its website, by including both Swe Fly and Thomas Cook in the 'airlines' section.

The TC website (linked) only seems to show the current PMI flights, not the late-summer series operated by a based 757 transferred in from Glasgow (per last year). LLA website lists 17 destinations (some obviously operated by MON/FCA/BY).

Is there any info on the TC flights, either for '05 or '06?

[nickmanl]

Maybe when TUI completes their HQ move from London to Luton more development may come from one of their airlines. I'm sure HLX could give a german route another crack of the whip again, and am quite positive with the right advertising it would be successfull, as I was very surprised when they pulled Cologne a couple of years back.

Also, ThomsonFly, the low cost branch, have been quoted as saying they can't afford not to be in London, so surely LTN would be their natural choice, unless they choose to develop an airport, similar to what they did with Coventry, meaning Biggin Hill perhaps?

[Powerjet1]

Wizz is starting 3 x weekly flights wef 18 Sept between Sofia & Budapest with onward connections to LTN.

[Buster the Bear]

Skylink who were looking to fly from Baltimore to London Luton or London Stansted have changed thier name to Max Jet and will fly to Stansted.

I guess when Bulgaria joins the EU, the Wizz flight will go direct?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Jordan D]

Quick LTN Q: when's the new part of the terminal scheduled to open?

Jordan

[Powerjet1]

Jordan

1st July is meant to be the big day & whilst we are lead to believe it will happen, come hell and highwater, many areas are behind schedule, ie pier work, shops, arrivals etc.

In reality several more weeks are likely to be needed before all the works are completed fully.

[Buster the Bear]

BLIMEY! From the photos, Luton really looks like it is a 'big' airport. Who is paying for it, ADCL/Aena? Or could it be the Council Tax payers of Luton are cost sharing with the owners of the concession?

No way can Luton Borough Council be contributing as the whole idea for letting the airport out to concession originally, was the inability of local councils to borrow money to pay for thier airports development.

Time moves on....Maybe the landlord now is legally able to invest in its asset?

Now I wonder on what, Luton Borough Council will spend their £13 million PLUS income for this current financial year, and what did they spend last years windfall on?

LTNman, a challenge for you. What happens to LBC's airport revenue?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Powerjet1]

Just read a post on free.uk.airports-luton re executive jets, saying yesterday the guy counted some 55 on the ground at LTN, with more still inside the hangers. This seems a huge amount of airframes. I know size-wize, they are smaller but 55!!!!!!. Is that number physically posible or is this a wind-up?

[LTNman]

Apologies to another newsgroup for lifting one of their posts in the heat of the moment. I promise I won't do it again. Aircraft at LTN between 9.45 and 10.00

Eat your heart out Farnborough

North west corner
484 Emb 135 Greek AF
OY-LGI Lear 60
N811AG Fal 2000
N9999M Gulf 4
N827GA Gulf 4
N520E Gulf 4
N56L Gulf 4
N18WF Glo Exp
N346BA Cha 604

Alliads
N317MQ Fal 2000
N343MG Fal 900
N125ZZ 125.

Hanger 125 (HOD)
N134BR Gulf 4
N671LE Gulf 5
N485LT 125
N82GK 125
HZ-OFC4 Fal 900EX
LX-VIP Glo Exp
+ others

By Monarch Hangers
N80AT Gulf 4
N910S Gulf 4

Signatures
N127SF Fal 900EX
EC-IVJ Cit 525
G-IKOS Cit 550

Gulfstream left hand hanger
N18AN Gulf 4
G-EVLN Gulf 4
5N-AGV Gulf 2

Pond
N720ML Fal 900EX
N780SP Fal 900
N910Q Fal 900
N115SK Fal 50
N257H Gulf 4
N73RP Gulf 5
N750BA Gulf 5
N77FK Gulf 4
N934DF Gulf 4
N889NC BBJ
I-FLYV Fal 2000
I-FLYW Fal 900EX

South Stands
N80BR Gulf 4
N225CX Gulf 4
HZ-AFV Gulf 4
CS-DKB Gulf 5
CS-DHC Cit 550
CS-DNL 125
OE-INF Cha 604

Harroads new hanger
N18WZ Glo Exp

Harroads new apron
N441QS Gulf 4
N460QS Gulf 4
N467QS Gulf 4
CS-FFC Fal 2000
VP-CEB Glo Exp
G-YIAN Emb Legacy
+ a Fal 50/900 that i couldn't read

[nickmanl]

Surely Luton is the biggest for private jets nowadays?

When I'm there it seems at least every third aircraft movement is a private jet!

Does anyone know the figures for Farnborough?

[vintage ATCO]

Counted 48 bizjets on the ground last week, not inc stuff in the hangars.

379 movements yesterday, another record.

[LGS6753]

The Wizz flights to Sofia are 3 times a week night flights from Budapest, departing BUD 2345 with return BUD arrival 0600, and a 3hr 45m 'turn-round' at Sofia.

Connections from other points on the network are allowed on the booking system (an unusual feature for locos, who usually only sell point-to-point fares.).

This just seems like a very tentative toe in the water of a new market, with Wizz using otherwise unutilised time.

Hope they are successful, and that direct LTN flights follow, but this is a long way from that. However, for £2 plus tax, it might just work!

[Buster the Bear]

I understood that some of the current infrastucture work was being part paid for by LBC, as an investment in thier asset?

I also understand that another movement record has been broken again this week?

400 is not too far away. AMAZING!

Did the Transwede/FlySwe Lahore happen today?

A close relative who happens to be a (SAD) spotter regularly has logged 50+ Biz Jets at Luton and has done so for a couple of years on and off, so nothing new.

Has a certain Asian airline taken over easyJet maintenance yet?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[LTNman]

I understood that some of the current infrastucture work was being part paid for by LBC, as an investment in thier asset?

Like to know what LBC are paying for then apart from repainting the white lines on the local roads. They send out a nice little pie chart with their yearly rate demands and it shows no airport expenditure.

Did the Transwede/FlySwe Lahore happen today?

Yep a BAE 146 turned up and left on time

[nickmanl]

Are Swefly going to use a MD80 on this route, or have they settled on the BAe?

Does anyone know the registration? Also, can anyone explain the fokker 100 (?) I'm sure I saw departing whilst I was walking down Park Street yesterday on my lunchbreak?

[ebenezer]

Surely Luton is the biggest for private jets nowadays?

Nickmanl - Luton has for some time been handling more corporate aircraft movements than any other UK airport, and is by far the busiest for corporate flights of any of the 'London' airports, including Biggin Hill, Fanborough and RAF Northolt, not to mention Lydd, Manston, Southend and Hinton-in-the-Hedges.

The main attractions of Luton which IN COMBINATION, none of the other London airports can match are:

- H24 availibility
- Cat. 3b ILS capable (and most US suitably equipped US operators are now FAR compliant for Cat. 3 at Luton)
- H24 Customs
- No runway slot scheduling (yet...)
- Ostensibly, minimal arrival and departure delays
- The protection of Class D controlled airspace
- Two dedicated (and discrete...) executive terminals
- Short taxi times to/from said terminals
- Sufficient runway length to permit unrestricted corporate long-haul ops to the US West Coast, South Amercia, South Africa and the Far East.

The number of corporate flights was always expected to increase significantly when both Harrods and Signature invested heavily in more concrete and hangars - commercial companies don't spend cash unless more business is assured! It's rumoured that Harrods already want to extend their new apron southwards to effectively double its size and Signature would like to take over all the South Apron stands currently utilised by Harrods if ever the latter moved.

The benefit to the Airport Company (LLAO) is that it doesn't have to pay a penny to the scroungers in Luton Council, for corporate aircraft movements or corporate passengers, and so the profit goes directly to LLAO.

As to what Luton Council does with the £11,827,000 it received, who can tell? Certainly, the cr**p state of the town - aptly nicknamed "toilet town" - suggests that it doesn't go in that direction, nor from the hopelessly inadequate roads around the airport would it appear to be spent there.

Perhaps a good question at a Council meeting from some poor sucker who lives in toilet town and so has to pay council tax to Luton Council...??

:hmm:

[nickmanl]

I was quite confident LTN has the biggest private jet ops, but I recall reading a few posts arguing Farnborough was in the lead, and I wasn't too sure on facts and figures to argue my point!

[Powerjet1]

Tried to book another flight to Zurich with Helvetic this morning, only to find that Luton was no longer showing in the booking engine. Might be a fault or some sort of glitch or have they decided to 'pull' the flights already(see my post d/d 12/6)

[LTNman]

The local Sunday rag is running a competition this week for the Helvetic Zurich service.

[Buster the Bear]

London is still not showing for Helvetic via thier on line booking system.

Farnborough is limited to 28,000 movements per year and only 2,500 of these can take place at the weekend or bank holidays. Hours of opening are:
Weekdays 0700-2200
Weekends 0800-2000
Therefore the airport is shut for around 69 hours per week, that is almost 3 days!

An added priviso to the yearly movement rate is that there must be no more than 20,000 movements of the average type of noise distubance generated during 1997. Basically encouraging quiter aircraft to use Farnborough.

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Powerjet1]

Email from Helvetic confirming glitch on booking system. LTN now restored and flights continue as planned. Apparently, even an increase in freq is a possibility in the not too distant future.

[Jordan D]

Have been away recently - thanks for the opening info ... look forward to seeing it on my next passage thru LTN (much better than the hassle at STN - but thats for another place).

Jordan

[Buster the Bear]

According to the local newspaper, Luton Town FC are taking part in a pre season soccer tour of Bulgaria. This tour has come about due to a Bulgarian airline working closely with London Luton airport to launch services in the near future!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Powerjet1]

Would that be Hemus Air who are looking to expand into Western Europe ?.

[nickmanl]

I'd die a happy man if it was Hemus! Regular Tu154 aircraft at Luton would be amazing!

[Buster the Bear]

If it is Hemus, please can we have the TU-154M on the route!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[LTNman]

Nothing about LTN yet but:

The Bulgarian carrier Hemus Air will launch low fare flights from the capital Sofia to Vienna, Leipzig, Stuttgart and Köln, it emerged days after the entry of the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air on the Bulgarian market.

The aviation company is developing the software for the on-line booking, Bulgarian daily 24 Hours reported Monday. The tickets will be sold via Internet and the price of part of the seats will be set up to EUR 20.

Wizz Air is a new European low-cost airline focusing on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. The Hungarian company will execute three Sofia-Budapest flights weekly as of September 2005 and will work separately from the Hungarian Maleev that is already on Bulgaria's market.

Tickets are already being sold online varying from EUR 19.99 to EUR 29.99. As part of a promotion the company will issue 10,000 tickets to Budapest at the price of EUR 1. Together with airport dues, the cost of the flight to Hungary's capital adds up to EUR 25.

Wizz has also declared its interest in launching flights to Bulgaria and Romania after the two countries sign an "Open Sky" agreement.

Bulgarian aviation companies, who are small and mobile, can easily become low-cost carriers, said Mihail Zahariev, Secretary General of DG Civil Aviation Administration. In his words, in two years they will have to prepare for a serious battle with international companies.

Bexx Air, the first low fare air charter company in Bulgaria, was closed in September last year on charges that the firm was operating without license and has never even tried to legitimize its business in Bulgaria.

[LTNman]

I see http://groups-beta.google.com/group/free.uk.airports-luton?hl=en are reporting massive growth for May

[Powerjet1]

802,000 pax for May is certainly rocking. 29% increase on May 04 & 20% annual growth. At this rate LTN might just bust 1m pax for the month of Aug 05.

[Powerjet1]

Easy winter routes ex LTN now available apart from BFS/ GLA & EDI. Everything much as last year with virtually no changes.
Note : At the moment only visable if you enter 'London Airports'

[nickmanl]

Still no further news from Easy on their proposed 3 new aircraft to be based at Luton. Seems to me they were just attempting to urinate on Ryanair's fire when they announced routes from Luton last autumn.

The days are also ticking for their so-called massive June announcment....

[LTNman]

Still no further news from Easy on their proposed 3 new aircraft to be based at Luton.

Looks like easyjet has dropped any plans for more LTN based aircraft as it concentrates on its Gatwick base for London expansion. With LTN’s limited spare stands this might not be a bad thing if it can attract more larger capacity Ryanair 737-800’s to night stop.

[nickmanl]

LTNman,

do you know if there are their any plans to build gates across from the eastern apron on the other side of taxiway delta? Surely this space would be ideal and would only result in a small bus journey for the passengers and may encourage other airlines to start services and see Easy place those more aircraft here?

This must be feasible now considering the cash rich owners of ther airport.

[Buster the Bear]

It was rumoured that some of the new routes recently announced by Ryanair from Stansted were to be operated from Luton, but as Ryanair and the BAA have patched up thier fuel cost issue, the planes will now operate from Stansted?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[LTNman]

do you know if there are their any plans to build gates across from the eastern apron on the other side of taxiway delta

There is an old Seras PDF file that shows 2 aprons of 6 stands each on the other side of Delta. I guess if they used the stands for 737’s then it would be 2 aprons of 8 stands each. I can’t see where else they would put new stands in the short term unless they used the short term car park which on the same document shows a further 6 to 8 stands. Don’t know if anyone saw the interview with the operations manager in the TV series on Luton Airport last week. He said that they were a stand short for summer 2005 which stand 60 was meant to correct on May 1st. The stand has yet to be bought into service for self parking aircraft as it was discovered that aircraft now need to park at a different angle.

[Buster the Bear]

When Britannia...WHOOPS....ThomsonFlyTUIFlights vacate their airport offices for Wigmore, could extra stands be created on the office area on stilts?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Jordan D]

Why is it that us folk that use EZY domestic ex LTN have to wait bloody ages for flights to be released?

Jordan

[LTNman]

When Britannia...WHOOPS....ThomsonFlyTUIFlights vacate their airport offices for Wigmore, could extra stands be created on the office area on stilts?

Haven’t been in their admin buildings since their ops moved to Germany. The buildings are like a tardis and seem a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. I would have thought that the buildings are more valuable to the airport than a couple of stands but then what do I know. The airport’s former petrol station is now under concrete so anything is possible. There was talk last year that the remains of LTN’s first wooden terminal which is still used by Britannia would be demolished.

[Powerjet1]

Maybe one or two things are happening with ryan at LTN this winter so rumour has it. Interesting that SNN flights seem to be operated with a LTN based aircraft. Flights daily ex LTN at 15.10, arriving back into LTN at 18.15.

Also noticed in the timetable section that when you look for flights for Stockholm, apart from Vasteras(VST), it states ' We also fly to Stockholm(Skavsta) from London Luton' . Are we to see flights to both airports from LTN ? or is this just an error.

[nickmanl]

When Britannia leave, bung easyJet in there, bulldoze easyland, concrete it all, whack all the private jets there that are hanging around the main apron and free up some stands there!

Only thing is, dont think Signature will be too happy.

LTNman, where are the remains of the wooden terminal which Britannia uses?

[ebenezer]

Whilst Ryanair may well have decided to start their new routes to Grenoble, Kaunas, Lodz and Poznan from STN instead of LTN, there are according to the runway slot coordinator ACL, virtually no peak-time runway slots left available at STN (stand availability at peak times is also extremely tight).

Therefore, one wonders if Ryanair will be exchanging some STN routes for these new ones and perhaps operating two or three such transferred routes from LTN?

The other option would be to operate them from STN but to utilise off-peak runway slots.

Much as MoL might desire it, you can't get a quart into a pint pot and STN's runway slot availability is just not there at peak times.

Of course, Luton's problem isn't runway slots but stand availability (and as the air traffic guys will tell you, user-friendly airspace).

:hmm:

[LTNman]

LTNman, where are the remains of the wooden terminal which Britannia uses

Drive along the old approach road until you reach the fence that faces taxiway echo by the flying club. Walk along the boundary of the fence by the Britannia building that is on stilts. Where that building ends there is a covered walkway that leads to Britannia’s post room, that’s the old terminal. The building was reduced in size when the old control tower was knocked down a year or two back. The first photo here predates Luton’s first official terminal as it is located on or around stand 11 as seen in photo five and six http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/mk4custompages/custompage.aspx?pageid=%2039258

[Powerjet1]

Re my earlier post this morning about possibe flights to Stockholm skavsta(NYO) from LTN as well as VST, it would appear that flights ex STN to NYO drop from 3 to 1 x daily wef 16/12. Coincidence ?

[Buster the Bear]

Is this Vintage ATCO and his Aldis lamp?

http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/mk4custompages/GetImage.aspx?ImageID=22832

Powerjet1, interesting as Skavsta is a TBI airport!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[vintage ATCO]

Is this Vintage ATCO and his Aldis lamp?

Bu@@er off! :D

I've looked closely and I don't feature in any of those photos. However I was present when the prototype BAC1-11 arrived at Luton (bunked off school :eek: )

[CAP670]

It would be nice to think that Luton gets new services due to its own merits and not just because airlines can’t get into a London BAA airport.

LTNman - you're absolutely right but unfortunately, the Government-backed cross-subsidising monopoly that's BAA has created such an industry mindset over the last 15 years that it'll take as long again to change perceptions. London City has only managed to succeed because it offers a niche product including a London business location that BAA would die for!!

The new facilities at Luton are indeed impressive, given the limitations of the existing site, but the likelihood of the present expanded terminal expanding further is slim. If LTN is enabled to move towards its aspirations (which broadly speaking, accord with the Government's White Paper) then in 12 to 15 years time, the existing facilities i.e. aprons and terminal, will be to Luton as was 'London Airport North' to Heathrow in the 1970s and 1980s.

Meantime, as an interim further improvement, what would make Luton considerably more customer-friendly would be a wider approach road with a smaller roundabout in the Central Terminal Area, linked to full dual carriageways from M1 Junction 10A and from the A505 at Stopsley to the northeast of the Airport.

Whilst improvements to the the roundabout fall firmly within LLAO's remit, the rest is down to a combination of Luton Borough Council, Bedfordshire County Council and the DfT - which going on past performance, means that oil will have run out and hydrogen-cell power taken over, before anyone does anything...

:uhoh:

[Whippersnapper]

I think the LTN owners blew it when they built the new terminal in the wrong place. The airport has grown so hap-hazzardly over the years that th only way to make it efficient was to start afresh. They should have built the new terminal to the south of the r/w, with a full length taxiway and parking stands on 3 sides, while leaving the old terminal operational until the new one was ready. Isntead, we have a layout that causes plenty of congestion on the ramp and indoors, with difficulty getting pax to a/c. Much of the work is easing the problems, but how long before the traffic growth overtakes real capacity again.

Operationally, I think the greatest issue is having to back-track from "A" or "B". A full length t/way would allow twice the number of r/w movements, as well as increase safety.

[easy]

-700's launch quite happily from Alpha with no need to backtrack. Your -800's should be able to do the same.

[CAP670]

A full length t/way would allow twice the number of r/w movements, as well as increase safety.

Whippersnapper - I'm afraid that you're incorrect in this statement.

The current runway hourly movement rate is declared by the Airport operator LLAO at 32; air traffic control at Luton achieves and on occasions, exceeds this figure and does so with air transport and corporate aircraft movements, not light aircraft undertaking 'circuits and bumps'.

Not even Gatwick could achieve "twice the number of runway movements" from a single runway i.e. 64 per hour. The construction of full-length parallel taxiways would facilitate at best, about 46 to 48 movements per hour but the local airspace and London air traffic control infrastructure currently, just couldn't handle that sustained level of runway movements at Luton.

As for increasing safety, your comment implies that there is an element of unsafe practice at Luton owing to the need to backtrack 300 or-so metres on each runway.

This is complete and utter rubbish.

The air traffic control procedures in place at Luton are 100% safe and take account of the need to backtrack most departing aircraft ahead of arrivals. Whilst it might look tight on occasions when busy, it's no tighter than at Gatwick or at Stansted; the guys in the Tower know exactly what they're doing and are trained to finely judge things. If a departure proves to be too slow backtracking and it obviously isn't going to work out as planned, then just as at any busy airport, the landing aircraft flies a missed approach - which is a perfectly standard procedure.

As far as your idea of building on the south side of the runway, whilst in theory it's absolutely correct, the airport (currently....) doesn't own that land and even if it did, there's the issue of planning permission and the inevitable Public Enquiry which as we all know, can take years to be resolved.

I don't know if you operate out of LTN (hopefully, as you've made comment, you do).

If so, why not arrange a visit to air traffic and see for yourself how safely and efficiently things are run? E-mail me.

:ok:

[nickmanl]

Constucting the terminal to the south of the runway would have proved impossible. This is due to the fact the airport is almost right next door to the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire border and this idea would have meant the terminal being built in Hertfordshire. This is something I can assure you Herts council would have fought desperately. Not only that, the land is anything but flat. It would have made no economical sense to flatten the land out, not to mention re-alligning the roads and demolishing people's homes.

The selected location of the terminal meant it wouldn't have proved as expensive in the flattening of the land and the excavted material was put to good use building the exisiting semi full length taxiway.

Also, what do you mean to make the airport efficient? Please define efficient? Surely an airport which has seen its passenger useage rise from around 1.9 million in 1994, to just under 9 million nowadays per annum, and the fact it posts considerable profits proves it's efficient? If something isn't efficient you suggest it doesn't work...

[LTNman]

Constucting the terminal to the south of the runway would have proved impossible. This is due to the fact the airport is almost right next door to the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire border and this idea would have meant the terminal being built in Hertfordshire. This is something I can assure you Herts council would have fought desperately. Not only that, the land is anything but flat. It would have made no economical sense to flatten the land out, not to mention re-alligning the roads and demolishing people's homes.

But that is exactly the plan in project 2030 to be revealed before the years end. The airport are using http://www.urscorp.com/URS_Division/projectsListing.php?service=89&section=0601 for the consultancy

Surely an airport which has seen its passenger useage rise from around 1.9 million in 1994, to just under 9 million nowadays per annum, and the fact it posts considerable profits proves it's efficient?

After tax and after paying Luton council £11.8 m in fees the airport made 16p profit per passenger in 2004

[ebenezer]

After tax and after paying Luton council £11.8 m in fees the airport made 16p profit per passenger in 2004

Agreed - but this still represents a net profit of around £1.2m for 2004/05.

The Concession Agreement with Luton Council is a real moneyspinner for the local worthies and councillors (not that they appear to spend their £11.8m on anything tangible or innovative...) but it's a major handicap for the airport operating company because it prevents effective competition with its main business rival, BAA Stansted which continues to use cross-subsidies to support its Stansted charging regime.

But rest assured, if the Concession hadn't been devised and let, and Luton Council had continued to run (or should that be run down...??) Luton Airport, you wouldn't be seeing the investment that's currently taking place nor the passenger or movement figures.

Given the thoroughly incompetent way in which Luton's councillors and the previous airport management ran the Airport for the twenty years 1980 until 2000, it's probable that had it stayed 'in house' Luton would by now, have become the Lydd of the northern Home Counties.

The present management incumbents are at least commercially-minded and street-wise: but they're running the business - much to the approval of BAA - with 'one hand tied behind their backs'!

:{

[LTNman]

Quote from an old document still on the airports website “ The new terminal building is designed for a passenger throughput of approximately 5 million passengers”

Well the space allocated to each passenger must have been generous in the extreme as the terminal still has plenty of space with its present day 8.3 million passengers or was this “slight” underestimate a way of avoiding a public inquiry in the late 90’s?

So would anyone like to guess what the true capacity of Luton is without the long term prospect of moving south of the runway which must be around 10 years away at a minimum? The next priorities for the airport must be sorting out the drop off zone and bus station, which was already at capacity 2 years ago according to a report. The mowing down of a bus queue yesterday will add urgency to this. No point in adding stands for more aircraft if passengers can’t get to the terminal.

[Jordan D]

A point regarding "a new terminal to the south would have to be built in Herts" - it would not: lets not forget the wonderful example of Gatwick.

Was due to be built on its current site, when the site formed part of the county of Surrey. Surrey said that they could not provide fire cover and West Sussex said they could so the boundary was changed around the airfield and West Sussex now have the world's buisiest single-runway airport within their county.

Its been done before and it can be done again.

Jordan

[nickmanl]

But that is exactly the plan in project 2030 to be revealed before the years end.

Surely this is madness? Granted the current layout isn't ideal but to start afresh is madness.

Think of the infrastructure that needs to be built? It would cost millions. Parkway station is completely the wrong side as well to it and that would render that practically useless.

[LTNman]

It might be madness but the airport can only expand in one direction and that is south. The other option is not to expand beyond say 10- 12 million and to stay within its existing boundary, there are no other choices available. No one is saying that the existing infrastructure will be abandoned but the town could get a major new airport attached to the old airport

This was posted here last month:

ENVIRONMENTALISTS fear a group of developers and landowners have joined with
Luton Airport operators to pressure for building on Green Belt land near
Harpenden.
The group, calling itself the South East Luton Strategic Alliance (Selsa),
owns or has option to buy land stretching from East Hyde to Breachwood Green
and as far as Offley.
London Luton Airport has joined with local landowners and developers to
promote the Selsa concept of planned and phased development linked with
enhanced and new transport infrastructure on land either side of the airport
to the south and east of Luton.
"SELSA is based on the simple idea of using existing transport links and
others which are planned in a combined and co-ordinated fashion".
A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said it was not part of the alliance,
but confirmed that the developers involved are Legal and General, Bloor
Homes, Crown Estates, Newcomb Estates, New Road Limited and Redway

[ebenezer]

Parkway station is completely the wrong side as well to it and that would render that practically useless.

Ah, but....any new terminal(s) to the south of the existing site would be served by a new Luton Airport Station on the adjacent railway line, with a direct covered walkway/people-mover/travelator into the terminal(s).

The existing Parkway Station would no longer serve the Airport.

The platforms of the new station would also be long enough to take all Midland Mainline trains instead of only its 'Meridian' services.

Don't forget also that Abertis (one of Luton's new holding company's partners) builds and operates major roads in Spain and so construction of the required road links - subject to planning approval - would not necessarily have to wait for the local councils or the Dept of Transport to get off their ar**s!

We're not talking Luton Borough Council fag-packet designed piecemeal development here - we're talking big-time strategic thinking by a world-class company whose operations in Spain alone, put BAA firmly in the shade.

What you see at present is only the interim arrangement...

:ok:

[nickmanl]

A new station would surely put Parkway out of the picture. Not many 'locals' use it with I'd say at least 75% of its pax going to/from LTN airport.

There currently is an old station with an overgrown platform on the midland main line, called Chiltern Green. You can see it to the right going towards Harpenden.

Maybe this could make a comeback, although think it only has 1 overgrown platform left.

[LTNman]

There is a report on LTN's new facilities at the bottom of the page at http://www.abtn.co.uk/ The report also states that LTN probably now has Europe’s busiest executive jet operation

[Powerjet1]

Has the easy tent been taken down yet and if so, is stand 46 back in use now for commercial traffic ?

[LTNman]

Almost down with around 20% of the frame left. Should be finished by tomorrow I would have thought. The stand will then need cleaning and maybe touching up.

[nickmanl]

Just read on the net The Shakespeare pub will be closing down and not moving to the new lounge. This is a massive shame, its been there for donkeys years, and I've enjoyed a couple of drinks there passing through.

[FormerFlyer]

what a shame.

don't think I've ever passed through LTN without stopping off in the Shakespeare for one reason or another....even when working for the Orange Order :}

cheers ;)
FF

[CAP670]

Friday 01 July remains the target opening date with Monday 04 July as the reserve opening date.

Monday 04 July currently, looks more likely.

However, the really critical date is the weekend of 22nd/23rd July when the schools break up and a maximum holiday exodus takes place.

;)

[nickmanl]

Teething problems are always to be expected, and surely customers expect this? Only very rarely do these operations go without a glitch.

[Powerjet1]

True, but probably no one outside the business knows it is meant to happen this weekend, and if Joe Public finds he can't buy a beer or someting to eat, or do the things you normally do while waiting for a flight because of the probs, they will not be happy.

[Powerjet1]

LTN seems to be taking several diversions from LHR. Anyone know why?

[Mark Lewis]

Lots of thunderstorms about this evening, probably causing knock on delays at LHR like they usually do.

[egnxema]

Please forgive me if this is a really old question :=

Passed through LTN 2 weeks ago - what is going to happen to all the current DEP lounge when the new one opens?

[LTNman]

The last I heard was that the shopping mall including the duty free shop, bar and food outlets are going to be cleared out and the area is to become landside offices. This area was only built and opened in 2000 after the check-in area was moved to the new terminal in 1999.

The carpeted area beyond the shops will remain open and will receive passengers from the new departure lounge via the existing pier. Costa Coffee and the upstairs coffee shop will remain open.

[Powerjet1]

Well, Mrs P & I are due to leave LTN on our hols at 830am tomorrow, so this could be interesting.

[LTNman]

It is hard to say what will or will not be open tomorrow, as some shops in the old lounge should be closing for good tonight. Shops like Dixons can just move staff on the day as they have a new outlet but talking to a lady who was packing selves in the new lounge she said that stock levels in the old lounge have been run down on the assumption that the lounge is to close tonight.

If the lounge does open then most of the builders will not be able to get in to finish the job as they don’t hold airside passes.

[easy]

Bu%$er!! No chance of my ALC 06:45 pushing back on time then if all my pax are lost in the new tinminal. :cool:

[nickmanl]

So, how did it go? Any news, was it opened on time?

[egnxema]

Luton has seen the light!

After years of darkness and gloom in the check in area at LTN a new age of brightness has burst forth!!

Was at LTN last night between 2200 and 2300 - a flurry of builders pulling down the hordings opposite Burger King. What a sight!

A set of 3 lifts, 2 escalators and a flight of stair absolutely flooded with bright shining halogen light!!!

You could not help but feel sorry for the terminal staff, easyjet ground crew and travelex cashiers, whose eyes have virtually healed over because of years of working in near darkness! With squeals of pain, like creatures that nornally roam around a cellar that dash for cover when the cellar door opens - a swarm of orange T shirts and spiked hair styles ran for cover in the dark shadows behind check-in desks.

I was expecting to hear a blast of angelic chorus and harps as the meet and greet area was bathed in glorious lumination!!

In the end I was so dumb struck all I could do was stand in open mouthed awe and sigh "Halleluton!!!"

Well done!

:ok:

[Avro Arrow]

LTN Man you are obviously not as central to the action as I thought you were. You are someone of little faith.

It looks like the airport opened their facility as they said they would in time for the first wave. Took a look on my way through to GLA. Well what a difference.

EGNXEMA is right - Luton has seen the light and the place was buzzing. You couldn't get near the bar for the mass of drinkers downing copious qunatities of alcohol at 06.10!

Signage was poor, although one of the airport staff said that would be rectified today. Lot's of staff directing people to the gates.

I understand that the main lifts were not working but just on looks alone - Luton has gone from the Wright Brothers to Airbus 21st Centruy in one leap..

Can't wait until arrivals is complete. Now that part does need an upgrade.

[easy]

And the ALC pushed back on time!!!!!:D :D :D

[ebenezer]

The expanded terminal is indeed, an amazing advance for Luton and once the rest is upgraded - rumoured to be by the end of August, it might well start to attract some additional airline business.

Bit odd though, opening it in July without having the air conditioning working.

Was this intentional or just due to the system not being made to work properly?

Some of the "old timers" at Luton might have thought that air conditioning's a bit of an unnecessary luxury. Unfortunately for them, times have moved on since Lorraine Chase and it's what Luton's competition provides!!

As I understand it, the 'shopping mall' concept is exactly as planned. LLAO enagaged a multinational retail marketing consultancy to advise and recommend the optimum layout for what's called "maximum impulse spend". The result is as seen.

As for the lack of WC signange - who the hell forgot it??

Still, despite the minor glitches, on the routes and services that Luton can support, it's certainly going to give BAA at Stansted a run for its money - and about time too!!

:ok:

[nickmanl]

Any links to any photos? I'm not booked to travel through Luton on my holidays this year, going through Heathrow instead, but would like to see the finished result.

[CAP670]

...it's certainly going to give BAA at Stansted a run for its money

Sincerely hope you're right because this latest development - when complete in September - probably represents the last 'Ace' that LTN can play.

If it doesn't lead to some significant additional airline business then they'll have run out of ideas.

Having taken a looksee on Friday lunchtime it's nothing less than a quantum leap for Luton and just goes to show what can be done by a professional airport company run by airport professionals (as opposed to a bunch of amateurish local councillors who think they know all about airport management but who in reality, know not a lot about very little...).

What's now needed is a change of attitude by the neddies in the Dept for Transport (how many I wonder, are shareholders [if indirectly] in BAA...??), the Westminster politicians and the local politicians.

Good luck to the 'new' Luton - but only time will tell...

:uhoh:

[LTNman]

The new finished lounge will be shown on either this Tuesday’s edition of London Luton Airport shown on ITV London at 7:30 or the following Tuesday. ITV London can be seen out of area via Sky on channel 963 or on Sky Travel which is shown on Freeview at various times through the week and weekends.

[ginger_ninja]

LTNman - how quickly you have changed your tune!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happened to:
"Then it will be the 4th as I have just had another walk around the lounge and it isn’t even close to being in an acceptable state for passengers. I would have said another week at the absolute minimum. Someone has got his or her timings wrong as to when the lounge should have been started. The shell has been empty for 6 years and could have been started at any time but it was left too late"??????

the new presentation, central search, departures retail area & new pier all opened for business on 1st July as planned!!

LTNman - oh ye of little faith. Yes, there are some teething problems & plenty of snagging to do & plenty more work to be done on other areas, eg. arrivals, but on the whole LTN now looks - at long last - like a proper airport should.

Hats off to all the staff at Luton for their hard work. Well done.

LTNman - you are normally so vocal with your criticism - can't you give praise where it's due for once?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

[LTNman]

I Really did think it would be the 4th or even longer but I assumed that the lounge, pier and link would not open with so many things unfinished or not working. I congratulate the builders and airport management in having faith that the lounge could open on time and opening it on time.

[Eddie Ginley]

From we should all perhaps learn the important lesson that it's always best to speculate / cast opinion on things that we actually know something about...;)

Luv to all

Fast Eddie XX

[King Pong]

Looks like stand 61 is now operational now that stand 40 has been moved forward as I saw an easyjet aircraft offloading passengers from it yesterday. . Has stand 60 opened yet to self-manoeuvring aircraft? The only aircraft I have seen on it have been towed on and off it?

[nickmanl]

I took a drive to see the new additions to the airport and LTNMan is right, although officially open, part of the airport still has builder rubbish chutes hanging out of it, coming out of windows missing panes of glass.

So they got it open, but it really did need a couple more days to be completely finished....

[nickmanl]

just found a link on a.net with photos of the new departure lounge. It looks brilliant, like a proper, international airport!

[King Pong]

Where is the link to the photos?

[nickmanl]

Will this get deleted? Is it allowed?

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2204257/

[LGS6753]

As mentioned in another thread, the FR Shannon flight will be operated by a LTN based aircraft this winter.

Also, looking at the FR website, it appears that Dinard stops on 29.10.05. After transferring this route from STN in January, a new STN-Dinard flight was started a few months later. It now seems to have reverted to STN.

Also from 30.10.05 the Esbjerg transfers back to STN.

Furthermore, the winter timetable doesn't show any Girona flights, but the Reus page says that Girona is served from LTN.

So is Ryanair committed to its Luton base, or is it gradually withdrawing back to STN? Interestingly, since resolving its dispute with BAA over fuel, all new London services have been announced as from Essex Rural.

And Wizz??

Wizzair are competing head-to-head with Easy on Budapest and Warsaw, but who is winning? From my observations, WZZ are constantly adjusting their schedule, and their prices seem cheaper than EZY. That looks like a couple of points to the orange corner.

Soon after Wizz start Poznan flights (4 per week) in September, Ryanair are starting daily flights there from Stansted.

Are Wizz strong enough to thrive in the face of such competition? I sincerely hope so, but I guess time will tell.

[Buster the Bear]

Rumour has it that a VERY senior manager within London Luton Airport has resigned! Is the Spanish influence beinging to tell?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[nickmanl]

As in Paul Kehoe?

[King Pong]

Also, looking at the FR website, it appears that Dinard stops on 29.10.05. After transferring this route from STN in January, a new STN-Dinard flight was started a few months later. It now seems to have reverted to STN.

Maybe LTN’s new facilities are too posh for the likes of Ryanair.

Maybe Ryanair has realised that LTN is a convenient airport to get to which goes against Ryanair policy of sending its passengers to out of the way airports like Stansted

Maybe BAA has done a deal with Ryanair which blocks Ryanair expansion at LTN.

[nickmanl]

If thats the case, then that must be illegal?

[King Pong]

I see that Swefly’s 767 was at LTN this afternoon.

I see that the airport is going to have another go sorting out the drop off zone if the local rag is to be believed. This will be attempt number 5 since the new terminal opened.

[PAXboy]

If thats the case, then that must be illegal? Not sure. If both parties agree to it and they do not restrict the rights of any third party?

Such as, 'You base all new flights here for NN months and we give you ££ discount'. If such a deal is done, then it would only be similar to deals done every day of the year right across the globe. It is attempting to restrict trade in third parties or outside your jurisdiction that is problematical.

[Buster the Bear]

nickmanl I believe you are correct in naming the departing senior manager?

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[King Pong]

yep confirmed, he goes next month.

So we were all expecting more Ryanair aircraft to be based at LTN now it looks like it might be less despite great loads. So has anyone worked out from their winter timetable how many aircraft will be based at LTN come November?

I would have thought with only 3 or 4 spare stands available for new aircraft to be based at Luton either easyjet or Ryanair would be snapping them up but no. I wonder why?

[LGS6753]

Swe Fly 767 operating WV441/2 again today.
Rumour has it that they will be chartering smaller aircraft for the LTN-Skavsta sector, and using the 767 for the Lahore sector, which has feeds from other airports.

[pwalhx]

If you read the Leeds/Bradford posts they all expect the 767 to operate from there, so maybe the smaller a/c from LTN will be feeding into a LBA originating flight in Sweden.

Oh and they also seem to expect the frequency to step up.

[King Pong]

Was at LTN around 1pm today and was expecting to see some examples of heightened security but didn’t see a thing. Couldn’t find a single policeman inside the terminal or outside it which is unusual even in normal times but it was lunchtime so maybe they had gone to put their feet up. The drop off area was its normal self with unattended cars attracting no attention from airport staff.

[CAP670]

It appears that Dinard stops on 29.10.05. It now seems to have reverted to STN. From 30.10.05 the Esbjerg transfers back to STN

Ah well - this only represents four flights/day. Almost certainly, this is due to MoL having 'kissed and made up' with BAA at Stansted although why (if as we are led to believe) the loads were achieving +/- 80% a move back to STN is considered as being a commercially wise move, goodness knows!

Ditto Esjberg.

Seems like RYR and MoL are not the most reliable of business partners....

Still, x 1 RYR B737 less at Luton frees up a stand and capacity for the other new operators that LLAO are allegedly negotiating with and who it is hoped, will be attracted by the new terminal facilities at Luton.

;)

[ebenezer]

The (Luton) drop off area was its normal self with unattended cars attracting no attention from airport staff.

The situation concerning abandoned cars at Luton is nothing short of disgraceful but the fault is as much with the idiot drivers that leave them all over the place (including on the roundabout, on double yellow lines, and on pavements) as with the airport's management who appear unwilling or unable (or maybe both) to deal with the situation.

After this week's dreadful events, you would have thought that Luton's security staff would have been on the ball.

But instead, they're as usual, obviously busy with more important tasks than security!

:hmm:

[LGS6753]

Girona flights now re-appeared.

Net loss of two flights per day (Esbjerg and Dinard). One of the LTN based aircraft will now be used on SNN, leaving one 'gap' in the schedule. Will that be used to add a destination, add to frequency or allow some slack?

[PAXboy]

After this week's dreadful events, you would have thought that Luton's security staff would have been on the ball. Warning, a politically incorrect view now follows: I might have expected them to be but there was no need.

After the great success of 9/11, the low tech approach (Madrid) has worked very well for them. Also, a photograph of Luton Airport has no value to these people. They want the 'postcard' targets, which is why central London got done. Whilst LHR might be a target, LTN is much safer.

Of course, there may be some wild cards who will try their luck but, I doubt it. If they wanted an airport other than LHR? Gatwick is well known internationally but they would probably want an airport that is closer to a city that is understood by people in the middle of the desert.

I have said since 9/11 that flying continues to be the safest way to travel - for many reasons.

[CAP670]

King Pong, ebenezer & PAXboy - suggest that this is neither an appropriate topic for discussion nor is this thread or forum an appropriate place to gossip and speculate about terrorist targets or security.

I'm surprised that the moderators haven't deleted your three posts.

'Open' comments about the security or otherwise at any airport is just not sensible or acceptable, therefore, please cease.

Thanks.

:suspect:

[King Pong]

Don’t think any comments made here are going to influence madmen. Every passenger and taxi driver in Luton can see what is going on outside the terminal so comments here will make no difference. In fact comments here might shame the airport into doing something as the only people who haven’t a clue what is going on are the people running airport security

[PAXboy]

By that thinking, the speculation by the authorities of London and their preparation for an attack encouraged the events of last Thursday?

The things that I have said in this (and other threads) are no more than is being said in conversations the length and breadth of the land. They are observations made by one who lives and works in this country. I was half a mile from an IRA bomb that killed several people including police officers. I do not believe that it was possible to prevent the IRA bombs any more than we encouraged them.

These folks are no different. They are trying to make us stop what we are doing in the middle east, as much as the IRA was against what we do in Ireland. They are so much further ahead in their thinking, as the agressor always will be.

KP, if I got all semantic, I would point out that they may have behaviour that we do not like but they are not 'mad'. That is, according to the dictionary for they know exactly what they are doing and consider it to be valid. In the same way that Blair and Bush consider that their actions in Afghanistan and Irag are valid.

[ebenezer]

Returning to the theme of this thread...anybody got information on how SweFly is doing on its Luton/Lahore via Skavsta service?

Rumour is that the loads both ways are averaging around 130 which given that there's no intention to fill the aircraft at Luton, seems reasonable.

And any more news about Tara Airlines Luton/Mumbai??

:confused:

[King Pong]

Didn’t think you could squeeze 130 onto a 146 which is the normal aircraft used for the hop to Sweden

[veryEZYboy]

They are using a 767.

[Powerjet1]

Ryanair

Understand LTN-DNR is only withdrawn for the winter and will be back in March, unlike EBJ which seems to have gone for good.

STN-FNI ends 29 Oct but LTN-FNI continues throughout the winter. So are ryan going to reduce LTN to 3 based aircraft or are other routes in the pipeline ?

Noticed LTN's website has been down for over 24 hrs. Is it being revamped or just faulty. Or worse, am I the only one to experience the problem. Needed flight arrival last night when going to pick up a relative. No ceefax as sky.

[King Pong]

Did anyone watch the last episode of the ITV London series London Luton Airport? It was interesting to see the finished new departure lounge and the panic to get it open on time.

[Jordan D]

I missed it. Damn being late work ...

Surprised they didn't pull, it what with "the events that have happened in the UK today" ... that was the reason they pulled CSI on Five ....

Jordan

[Eddie Ginley]

Jordan D

Quote

---------------------------------------------
"Surprised they didn't pull, it what with "the events that have happened in the UK today" ... that was the reason they pulled CSI on Five ...."
---------------------------------------------

Not sure what your point is here.

There would be no reason to withdraw the transmission. A documentary about the opening of an Airport Terminal facility is an entirely different thing from a crime series which majors on (gory) forensic investigation of crime.

Was it the word 'Luton' that might offend?

Love Eddie XX:confused:

[Powerjet1]

Ryan still have four early departures with same timings, one for each based aircraft, bookable for the winter. No change from this summer. Therefore, unless further changes are to take place, it would imply, with the loss of DNR & EBJ in Oct, further new/substitute routes are in the pipeline, with four or more aircraft.

We shall have to wait and see.


Also Helvetic have changed their evening flight to a morning flight.
Arrives LTN @ 08.50 ex ZRH, departs LTN for ZRH @09.30. M-F. wef 31/10/05

[King Pong]

I see that Ryanair have announced yet more new routes from Stansted today. The airline also said it would announce the closure of three to four routes at the end of August. O' Leary said this happens either when loads aren't sufficient and therefore fares aren't viable, or when airports aren't meeting their turnaround targets. The closures will be effective Oct. 31.

[Buster the Bear]

BIMEY! I used to call it the 'Tinminal', it must now be known as 'Plaster Board Land'! If there is a shortage of the stuff, you will find plenty along the faceless walls that are the security check and the LONG winding route to the lowest numbered gates. Remind me to pinch a picnic or two next time I set off from the new retail area en-route to the Ryanair gates! I understand that this trek is likely to become an Olympic sport in time for 2012!

I am a bit confused, and need some help? The new retail area does not appear to be any bigger than the old, is it really larger? It certainly is brighter, but then you leave the light behind walking, and walking and walking to Gate1. Plenty of badly fitting Plaster Board to view on your trek!

I was hoping for a real step forward and I am sure the remote gates are required, but it aint a nice experience walking from retail to gate with Buster Mum and Buster-Ette. It needs a few pictures, posters, anything that is not PLASTER BOARD! (And automatic fire doors with a push chair!)

Anyway, the loads too and from Shannon were......60 and 50% and if I thought being inside Plaster Board Land was hot, the cheap new gates at Shannon were roasting!

My final impression is that whilst the local football team has been promoted, the revamped 'Tinminal' has been relegated to match the low cost facilities at Stansted......Progress eh! (And lacking the train to the gates!)

Lithuania by Wizz......Sounds interesting. If I start walking now, I might make it to the gate in time for the first flight in December!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[Jordan D]

Eddie - that is exactly my point ... I was (at the time of posting) extremely peeved that they had pulled CSI, especially as this week's ep had nothing to do with bombs or explosives, and was making a rather unsubtle point about the word Luton.

Jordan

[LTNman]

My final impression is that whilst the local football team has been promoted, the revamped 'Tinminal' has been relegated to match the low cost facilities at Stansted

The check-in area would be transformed if the airport just improved the lighting. I can’t think of a public building anywhere where it is so dark. I think the departure lounge is a real improvement despite the lack of seating and the new landside arrivals area for meeters and greeters will be a vast improvement when it opens shortly.

[Buster the Bear]

4 times the size....really, well if you are talking cubic volume I would agree. Actual floor space four times what it previously was, NO WAY!

Actually, I agree, no seats!

My memory of our trip though Luton is:

Am I going though security or entering a prison?
Flippin heck it is hot in here and even hotter near Pret!
Small shops, very few seats. HOT!
Plaster board walk to gate.
Olympic sport. Walk from Retail to Gate 1!

BLIMEY what a disaster baggage re-claim is, no change in the last 15 years!

Overall, I was expecting a positive experience, sadly Luton now resembles Stansted. £35 million..........on Plaster board!

My first ever negative post about Luton, but made as a customer! OUCH this HURTS!

Luton has finally become a low cost airport. YUK!

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[LTNman]

I hear the air conditioning should be working in time for the autumn. If you think the lounge is hot just be thankful that you are not a shop worker working in one of the shops back offices. Now that is real heat.

Baggage reclaim is getting a makeover this year in phase 3. Phase 4 I believe is the drop off area

[Powerjet1]

Have to agree with Buster re the new departure lounge.

Have been through it twice in the last 10 days, the first time at 6.00am on 1 July, the morning it opened. Chaos !!! Whilst the main area has a bright, modern appeal, and is a considerable improvement, lack of seating is a major problem. On my second trip, three days ago, at 6.30am, we simply could not find one spare seat that was not food related. The place was heaving, so had to buy a drink just to grab a seat of about 10 left. The heat was oppressive.

The walk down to gates 1 - 11 was unbelievable although when catching the wizz flight from the new pier, it was very quick. The long walk to the easyjet gates, passing through endless firedoors and grey, faceless plaster board panels was not a pleasant experience. Indeed my wife said, she expected to see airport staff at regular intervals handing out water to assist the passengers on this marathon trek to the gate. Definately not good. Is this always going to be like this. Is no "short cut" possible when all the other works have been finished ?

As for the baggage reclaim, Ugh!. The whole thing needs knocking down and being completely rebuilt, not just a makeover.

To summarize, the new departure lounge is definately an improvement but some extra seating is badly needed. If you are departing from gates 1 - 11, which covers most easy & ryan flights, then you are at a major disadvantage when compared to the old departure lounge.

[LTNman]

One of the problems with painted plasterboard walls is that they get scuffed easily and thus look naff after only a few days use. Would have thought that some sort of plastic type sheeting that is wipe cleanable would be a better solution.

The existing pier, which is only around 3 year old, feels small and narrow compared to the new pier. Also it was not built with the future in mind as gates 15-19 now face the wrong way with passengers having to look over their shoulders to see the gates. This is something that can’t be fixed now without a major rebuild so I guess it will never happen.

As for a lack of seating this could be all part of the master plan to spend passengers money. As Powerjet has already found out he had to buy a drink to get a seat. Cunning plan me thinks.

It’s going to be 90 degrees today at LTN. I wonder what temperature it is going to be under the glass roof. Just hope they can get the air- conditioning online sooner rather than later.

[Buster the Bear]

Bomb attacks hit Ryanair bookings


By Michael Harrison

14 July 2005
The number of passengers booking Ryanair flights to London has fallen dramatically since last week's bomb attacks on the capital's Tube and bus system, the no-frills airline disclosed yesterday.

Reservations are estimated to be down by up to a third since the four suicide bombers struck last Thursday. Ryanair said that at this time of year it normally sold about 100,000 flights a day. Since last Thursday, bookings had fallen by around 8,000 a day. The airline said it believed a large amount of this decline was accounted for by passengers deciding not to book flights to London from mainland Europe and elsewhere in the UK.

The three London airports of Stansted, Gatwick and Luton account for about 35 per cent of Ryanair's total traffic with 15-20 per cent of those passengers originating from other airports.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's chief executive, said that if bookings followed the same pattern as after the Madrid and Bali bombings, then ticket sales would have returned to normal by the end of the week, provided there were no fresh terrorist attacks.

But in an effort to counter any lasting slowdown, Ryanair has brought forward its annual autumn ticket sale by a month, offering 3 million tickets into and out of London at £1 or €1 plus taxes for August, September and October. The 2 million in-bound and 1 million outbound tickets will account for about a third of Ryanair's seats over the period, although with the airline largely booked up for the next month, passengers will not be able to take advantage of the cut-price fares until the last fortnight in August.

Mr O'Leary said: "It's important we keep Britain flying and, more importantly, keep visitors coming to London. Generally, the best time to visit anywhere is after a terrorist attack because the hotels are discounting like mad and the place is crawling with security. I doubt if London has ever been safer than it is today."

The rival low-cost airline EasyJet, which relies on in-bound passengers to London for a quarter of its traffic, said it had decided to take a "long hard look" at the situation before making any public statement, adding that an announcement on bookings would probably have to wait a few days yet.

BAA, the owner of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, is not thought to have experienced any significant drop in passenger numbers since last Thursday. But any decline in bookings would not show through in the form of reduced airport traffic for a number of weeks anyway.

Mr O'Leary said that the ticket offer and the decline in bookings so far witnessed had not led Ryanair to alter its guidance to the market for revenues and profits this year. But he then caused confusion by saying he expected average fares to fall by between 0 and 5 per cent this year, when the previous guidance had been that they would remain flat. Ryanair shares ended the day unchanged at €6.55.

Ryanair also announced that it is starting eight new routes into the UK this winter - four to Liverpool, two into London and one each into Newcastle and Glasgow. At the same time, it is planning to cut three or four routes out of its schedule, either because they are underperforming or because Ryanair cannot get satisfactory deals out of the airports involved. Mr O'Leary refused to say which services were under threat but he said that there were seven candidates, one of which was in the UK.

The airline, which expects to carry 35 million passengers in the 12 months to next April, is also due to announce two new bases in the next month, bringing the total to 16.

[King Pong]

Anyway, the loads too and from Shannon were......60 and 50%

That doesn't sound good seeing that we are in peak season

[Buster the Bear]

Well I am not complaining and we only paid £43 return for Mr Buster, Mrs Buster and Buster-Ette inclusive! GO THERE NOW as it is so cheap!

According to our taxi driver, Ryanair are rumoured to be getting financial assistance to aid re-generation.

A beautiful part of the world, with a golf course right on the climb out.

What really made the trip, was seeing N88ZL on the tarmac at Shannon!

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[pabely]

Should be plenty of material around for new stands, car parks and full parallel taxiway now? ;)

http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=541&ArticleID=1084277

'A big part of the building work will involve recycling as much of the former Vauxhall base as possible.

Concrete will be crushed and re-used, and the acres of tarmac will also be recycled.'

[Powerjet1]

See that a large, rather cheap & tacky looking TUI advert has found its way onto the entrance tunnel adverting space. " Thomsom welcomes you to London Luton Airport"

I thought the airport wanted to distance itself from the old holiday charter airport image which this conveys. Perhaps TUI were the only company prepared to pay the astronomical charges involved. Vodaphone, with their advert over the tunnel exit, in the CTA, at least looks businesslike.

[Powerjet1]

Provisional June stats show 845,674 pax, +24.6%, with a rolling 12 months up to 8,457,422, +21.6%. Not bad.

Should just about bust the 1m monthly pax figure in July.

[LGS6753]

Rumours around the airport suggest that Helvetic will be doubling their services in September to 12 per week, morning and evening rotations.

Also, Wizz have added Kaunas (Lithuania) to their network, to be linked to Luton and Liverpool via Warsaw. Warsaw and Gdansk services will increase in the winter.

Rumours not yet confirmed on the respective airlines' websites.

[LTNman]

Something seems very strange at LTN. A lovely new and allegedly much larger departure lounge opens yet seems to be much more busy and crowded than the old smaller one. The big difference now is that the shopping area and its limited seating is now the holding area as passengers wait for information as to what gate to head for. The old lounge allowed passengers to pass through the shopping area and wait in a central seating area that served all gates. The new lounge does not have this facility.

I did hear that the old shopping area was going to be converted to offices but I have heard from just one person that part of this area will become extra seating for gates 1-9. At the moment I have yet to see more than a few seats occupied in the old lounge as passengers are being kept in the new lounge longer than they need to before being called to these gates. Maybe this is to change to clear some of the passengers out of the new lounge.

[airportman]

I have to say watching you just walking around and around it is no wonder that you have corns. Perhaps if you did a little bit more work rather than walking it may help. Ring,Ring

[Buster the Bear]

Earwigging. I bet a certain ATR flight to Ireland is well delayed tonight, RE508? According to the handling agent on 130.6, many of thier staff were sick and the pax could not get off the inbound flight due to a lack of choks/staff, I bet the pax got a bit hot and bothered!

I saw the Ryanair Shannon flight overfly my lair rather delayed from its normal evening departure time, was this the reason? Or was it because the passengers collapsed due to the incredible heat and the length of walk from the departure lounge, via Plaster Board Land, to the RYR gates?

I understand that Weight Watchers are to introduce the NEW Luton terminal experience as an approved method of weight loss. A sauna & hike! Progress eh!

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[King Pong]

So there we were sitting in the back garden enjoying a few beers last night when the women folk got themselves worked up about a UFO high in the sky. Apparently an airship broke free from Cardington and was at 2000ft north of Luton. Some 20 minutes later Luton radar was reporting that the airship was now at 7300 and heading for London TMA. Anyone know what happened next?

[OLNEY 1 BRAVO]

Buster - the flight was delayed for none of those reasons ... it was about an hour late inbound!

[Powerjet1]

Well used gate 23 from the new pier for my easy flight to INV on saturday, which was great. Just a short stroll from the new departure lounge and your there. Excellent views of the apron and when compared to the usual easy gates 1 - 11, this was bliss.

Interesting to see easy using gates 19,21,23, & 25 that morning. Lack of seats did not seem a problem but the lifts not working was, as families pushing buggies had to carry them down about 3/4 flights of stairs.

[Buster the Bear]

I bet it departed more than an hour late. The crew were not amused at being held, doors closed awaiting the agents!

Families are already used to, when arriving on the lower numbered stands, having no lift to negotiate the walk up over the corridor below, then down again before entry into the terminal, that really is third world design. Carrying bags, babies and buggys up and down stairs is no fun, especially within a busy terminal environment!

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[King Pong]

I have used those easyjet gates in the original pier a few times. None of those gates even has a lift. It is clear compared to the new pier that the old pier was built on the cheap and has no width or height.

[King Pong]

The directors of TBI plc are pleased to announce that Kathryn James, currently the Finance Director of London Luton Airport Operations Limited ("LLAOL"), will be appointed as Managing Director of LLAOL with effect from the close of business on Friday, 5 August 2005. She succeeds Paul Kehoe, who resigned earlier this month.

A Chartered Accountant, specialising in Inward Investments & Grants, a division of corporate finance at Price Waterhouse, Kathryn joined TBI in October 1996 to establish the Group's Internal Audit function and to take a leading part in the acquisitions teams. Since then, she has occupied a number of key roles during the development of TBI as an international airports business, including acting as Finance Director of Orlando Sanford Airport, Florida (1997), Stockholm Skavsta Airport, Sweden (1999) and Airport Group International, Inc., California (2000-01). Latterly, as Finance, Commercial and HR Director of LLAOL, she has been directly responsible for finance, commercial activities, including retail and car parking, and Human Resources.

Kathryn James said: "I am delighted to be taking on the challenge of leading London Luton Airport at such an exciting time in its development. We have just opened the first phase of the enlarged terminal and expect further phases to open within weeks. The airport has a key role to play in the future of air transport in the South East of England, in creating jobs and in economic generation for Luton and the region, and I am thrilled to be centrally involved in it."

Albert Harrison OBE, Chief Operating Officer, said: "Kathryn is an outstanding airport executive and is admired throughout TBI for her intellect and professional ability. With the support of the excellent management teams and staff at London Luton, TBI and abertis, I am confident that the airport will continue to flourish under her leadership."

[ebenezer]

They should have poached someone from BAA - if you can't beat 'em, and you can't join 'em, then import their ideas and strategy by pinching 'em...

:(

[CAP670]

Looking ahead to Autumn 2005, reliable information is that on certain days during September (traditionally, a busy month) pre-planned airline slots (presumably known schedules plus some ad-hoc flights) equate to around 360 daily movements.

Considering that corporate flights at Luton now account for about 25% of the total movements and that few of these are arranged more than four weeks in advance, if true, this should see Luton exceed 400 daily movements during September (the previous record earlier this year was 379).

Despite undeniably impressive new terminal facilities (accepting that several finishing touches are still required) one cannot but wonder just how the local (naff) roads and local (congested) airspace can continue to cope satisfactorily with what seems to be an exponential rise in traffic at Luton under the new owners/operators that few industry 'experts' appear to have anticipated or accurately forecast.

Something to do with a pair of pants and being caught with them down, comes to mind...

:O

[Avro Arrow]

As to the new team, can't say that I know the FD (new MD) that well or indeed the rest of them. However, pinching someone from BAA doesn't seem such a good idea. BAA haven't had to cope in a competitive market - therefore their managers probably aren't agressive enough to deliver the tough demands of the TBI shareholders.

I heard that the previous MD resigned precisely because the new owners wouldn't support a large expansion and that they wanted to continue the nickel and dime approach of the previous regime.

This autumn will see the airport pass through 9m given the present growth profile. At some point though, someone is going to call a halt to the growth in GA traffic surely as pax flights seem to be the only game in town. If that is the case it will be a shame really as I was getting used to going into Luton.

At 400 movements a day over the usual 16 hour typical day this represents an average movement rate of 25/hour - not bad for a runway with a peak capacity of 32/hour.

AA

[nickmanl]

As has been mentioned numerous times before, the 'naff' roads are going to be improved, with a dual carriageway planned right up to the airport from junction 10. Also in the planning stage is a rail link from Parkway station. The new owners are experts in roads and construction so I'd expect the rubbish road layout around the terminal to also be improved.

The airspace needs to be drastically reworked - but I doubt this will EVER happen in the next 5 years.

[OLNEY 1 BRAVO]

Avro Arrow

I take your point about the potential of calling a halt to further "GA" movements, but remember, the local council doesn't get a cut of the revenue for those movements ... and we are not talking Cessna 150's and Cherokees ... mostly heavy duty biz jets. GA is potentially as profitable to TBI if not more so!!!!

[King Pong]

The existing terminal will be full when it reaches around 10 or 11 million passengers which could happen in as little as 18 months if growth continues at its present rate. It will then be a very long wait before expansion south of the runway allows a new terminal to be built. The lack of terminal space should safeguard GA traffic at LTN for a number of years.

[Powerjet1]

LGS6753

Looks like you were right about Helvetic increasing to 12 x weekly. From 20 Sept they are going twice daily on the LTN-ZRH, with a 09.10 dep ex LTN, Mon - Fri. The evening departure stays the same and from 31 Oct is 7 x weekly.

[Powerjet1]

Monarch are increasing their LTN-AGP to twice daily on Tue, Thur, Sat & Sun wef 1/11/05. This will give Monarch eleven weekly flights between the two airports.

[LGS6753]

Whilst Monarch have published their new timetables from Malaga to Aberdeen, Blackpool and Newquay on their website (using a Malaga-based A320 with reduced seating capacity), they have not yet uploaded the new Luton schedules.

[Powerjet1]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned before but I came across this snippet mentioned last month, June 10th, in the TTG......

LIVERPOOL and Luton airports are benefiting from Stansted ’s plans to increase airline charges to raise money for a second runway, Ryanair chief executive Michael O ’Leary has claimed.
He said BAA ’s plan to spend £4 billion on a new runway at Stansted was pushing business elsewhere.
O ’Leary said summer bookings for regional airports were strong.
“Stansted is about 25% of our traffic but with increased charges we will grow elsewhere so in a couple of years ’ time it will account for about 15%,” he said.
“Stansted is a rip-off. It is one of the world’s most profitable airports,so does not need to increase charges.
“And there should be no cross-subsidy from passengers at Gatwick and Heathrow.”

Interesting regarding the percentage that MOL envisages for STN in the next couple of years. LPL already know they are getting a fifth based aircraft, and I'm sure even more in near future.

Hopefully LTN will follow likewise, bearing in mind the above statement was made by MOL after settlement of his dispute with the BAA

[King Pong]

MOL likes the sound of his own voice. I would not believe anything he said. He complains about Stansted yet introduces new routes from their almost weekly.

[CAP670]

At some point though, someone is going to call a halt to the growth in GA traffic surely as pax flights seem to be the only game in town

Depends on what you define as 'GA'. If it's light aircraft i.e. Cherokees, Cessna 152s, etc., well Luton sees virtually none apart from the handful occasionally operated by the Britannia Airways' Flying Club and by Eagle Flight Training.

The former is understood to be under close scrutiny by the new management at TUI (not just the LTN-based Club but also its operations at Redhill, Wellesbourne and Liverpool) on the basis that it's being subsidised by the parent airlines.

The latter may soon be subjected to some severe operating restrictions on its training flights which having a lower priority than 'normal' flights, are likely to be the subject of a blanket ban at certain times during each day, because of other traffic.

As for 'GA' in the guise of corporate aircraft, this is a real moneyspinner for LTN's operator (as opposed to LTN's owner Luton Borough Council which - unlike for scheduled and charter passengers - receives nothing for each Corporate passenger).

So it's highly unlikely that corporate movements will be discouraged although at some point in the not-too-distant future, these flights will probably be 'co-ordinated' for runway slots as is practice at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted (currently, they are not co-ordinated at LTN).

As has been mentioned numerous times before, the 'naff' roads are going to be improved, with a dual carriageway planned right up to the airport from junction 10.

It's rumoured that the Department for Transport has withdrawn its funding proposals for this road improvement and if true, unless Abertis is allowed to build it and then run it as a toll road (cf. the M6 Toll) I doubt that this grand plan will ever come to fruition as the local Borough and County councils are not exactly the most dynamic or proactive when it comes to local road improvements.

As for the airspace, seeing how long it took for Terminal 5 to get through public scrutiny and then receive approval, and judging by the CAA's track record, seems probable that you're actually being optimistic!

:hmm:

[nickmanl]

Where did you hear about the funding being removed? As far as I'm aware the plans are pressing ahead to expand the motorway to 4 lanes each at Junction 10 and press ahead with the dual carriageway to the airport. This is a must for the airport and there would be an outcry if it wasn't going ahead.

A football club is also hoping the road improvements go ahead as its vital for their existence that a new stadium is built at junction 10, so any removal or reduction in funding would be fiercely opposed.

[Powerjet1]

The last I heard about the motorway link was a month ago. It seemed that the goverment had tried to pull the funding but after fierce representations from various factions, it seems to be back on. April 2006 is the expected start date with work taking 18 months to complete.

Of course all of the above could still change, so we shall have to wait and see what happens.

[King Pong]

The dual carriageway to the airport is only the first phase of a much bigger project. The road will eventually carry on from the Ibis and will pass between the existing tunnel and the fire station via a new tunnel which will clear the airport boundary close to the junction of taxiway alpha and taxiway delta. This will allow land to be developed next to Wigmore Park just inside the Bedfordshire border which already has planning permission but no vehicular access. The road will continue across open countryside to the A505 close to Lilly.

[LGS6753]

WOT?

Sorry, I think that last post comes firmly under the heading "Rumours".

[Buster the Bear]

CAP670 you wrote: Despite undeniably impressive new terminal facilities (accepting that several finishing touches are still required). This did make Buster chuckle a bit!

I was really expecting an improvement when the Buster's passed through. Sadly, what we saw and experienced was undeniably a shock! The only difference in the sub standard facilities on offer in Essex is a train, not a hike to the gate.

I am trying to think of something within the new terminal development that I liked..........Well I did have a laugh with the guy working at Travelex. He was about to keel over with heat exhaustion. You see on the day we passed through, the first floor of the terminal was a little warm, well it was horribly hot. This was probably done on purpose in order to dry out all the plaster and paint! It was just too hot for a bear in a fur coat!

Anyway, the Buster's are going to be passing through a few times over the next few months, so I eagerly await all the improvements.

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[King Pong]

LGS6753 doubts the bigger picture but:

It’s a fact that a large piece of land bordering the airport, north of runway 26 has had outline planning permission for warehousing/ light industrial use / hotel /retail for around 10 years and is owned by a property company.

It’s a fact that the property company was refused planning permission to serve the site from local roads and that access has to be via the airport.

It’s a fact that the government produced a map last year that shows for the first time a new road running from the Ibis to the A505 at Lilly via the airport.

It’s a fact that the roundabout that will be built opposite the Ibis next year will be the size of the M1 Junction 10A roundabout to allow the new road to be built without the roundabout needing future enlarging.

[LGS6753]

KP

What you refer to as 'outline planning permission' is, I believe, just zoning on Bedfordshire's Structure Plan.

I think you'll find the map was published by LLAOL not Government. They also published a map of a terminal area extending to Harpenden....

I hope...

[King Pong]

Whether it is zoning or outline planning permission the land is reserved for non-housing and it will be accessed via the airport which is the reason why so far it hasn’t been developed due to the cost of the access road. As for the road to Lilly I can’t remember where I saw the map but I think it was on a glossy publication about the East Luton Corridor although I could be wrong. I am sure it was a government publication though and that I have a copy of it somewhere. I do remember it caused a bit of a stink at the time as this was the first time a new road to Lilly had been proposed. (Just found my East Luton Corridor publication and it isn't on there)

[semirigid rotor]

King Pong: You are right about the airship, this though was a model, but about 5 metres long and 2 - 3 metres in diameter! Caused quite a stir as it was heading for the London TMA and was very difficult to see on radar. We chased it for a while before it started to decend and landed in a field just North of St Albans. Landed near to the beast and disabled it :D

I believe the owner is expecting a huge bill :\

[King Pong]

Thanks for the update

[Buster the Bear]

Unsubstantiated rumour from a good source...and this really made me laugh:

The terminal re-development is many £millions OVER budget.

Must have been caused by eliminating the air conditioning and sticking plaster board up everywhere!

Seriously, if this is the case, goodness only knows what will happen next at Luton?

I have always been 100% behind Luton airport, but sadly I have seen enough as a fare paying passenger to realise that spending £millions does not alway equate to improved facilities.

I wont even venture to mention being double charged by NCP having paid in advance and then been charged a larger amount to leave the car park that I had paid in advance for and then having to justify a refund! And yes, I did use the same credit card!

Or the fact that on our way from NCP to the terminal when the OAT was +27, the bus driver could not get out of the car park due to a knackered barrier, nor could he turn the heater off on his bus! I would not have minded so much, but NCP charged me for 3 nights parking almost as much as Ryanair flying return to Shannon for the three of us!

Maybe NCP are charging me for a sauna en-route!

Hopefully, by the time I next fly the plaster board will have some paint on it, the air conditioning will work and the fire doors en-route to the gates will be easier to open with a push chair and not require force and the guys building the facilities will be more careful just where they leave thier equipment!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[King Pong]

I can well believe that the project is over budget but is it the airport or the builders that are picking up the tab? The project was started on September 6th 2004 and was meant to take 9 months and not the now projected 12months. The stripping out and removal of the original link building caused big delays which the builders never recovered from.

[LTNman]

Buster, this is not a criticism but just an observation. You used to criticise me for my occasional negative LTN postings amongst my many positive postings. Funny how the worm has turned as you have now become the airports biggest critic since you became a passenger.:hmm: Lets hope that the arrivals area and baggage reclaim meets with your approval when they are finished.

[Powerjet1]

Anyone know when the new meeters & greeters arrival area is due to open ? Also, what is happening in the long walkway to gate 26(with views over the apron) as it seems to be used as a large storage area for the various retail/food outlets.

How is the Swefly ops to Lahore performing ?. Are they using the RJ or 767 like Leeds.

[King Pong]

I have been told that swefly have been using this aircraft http://doug3658.fotopic.net/p17602651.html photographed at LTN this month. Don't know if the story is true though.

[King Pong]

This is the reply I got from the town hall regarding the new road into the airport.

Can you answer the following questions regarding the East Luton Corridor Improvement Scheme.

1/ What was the outcome of the public enquiry?
2/ Has a start date been pencilled in yet?
3/ Is there still government funding available for the project.
4/ Seeing that it now looks like the M1 widening scheme could well be finished before this project is started will any improvements be made to Junction 10A as part of this project?
5/ Why has this project dragged on for years?

In response to your email please see answers below:-

1) We have not yet heard the result of the Public Inquiry, this is due about August/ September. However, there were only 7 objections left going into the PI (1 statutory + 6 non-statutory), 3 of the non-statutory objectors appeared at the PI and as such the PI was concluded in 3 days.
2) Yes, we anticipate a start date on site in May/June 2006, this is assuming approval of the Orders and Funding is granted.
3) The Department for Transport (DfT) & the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) have indicated that they will fund the scheme from the Community Infrastructure Fund (£5m) & the Growth Area Fund (£17m) for the £22m project. However, we are just in the process of submitting final bids for these funds and expect to get a decision on the full funding approval in the Autumn.
4) The M1 widening scheme Junction 6a-10 is due to commence in January 2006 and due for completion mid 2008. The East Luton Corridor Scheme is due to start in May/June 2006 and complete March 2008, as such the ELC will be complete before the M1 scheme. Due to the scheme conflicts over the proposed improvements to Junction 10a no works to this junction will be carried out as part of the ELC scheme. This will have to be brought forward as a separate project.
5) The scheme first received provisional funding support in December 2002 and it has taken approximately 3 years to develop the scheme to the stage that it is ready to implement on site. It is not unusual for a scheme of this type to take a number of years to get on to site, the ELC has taken time to develop a workable scheme and to secure the necessary planning permissions & statutory orders. We have also encountered problems with funding which has caused difficulties.

Page two of the link is a map of what will happen

http://www.luton.gov.uk/Media%20Library/Pdf/Environment%20&%20regeneration/Engineering%20&%20Transportation%20/ELC%20Public%20Information.pdf (2 meg pdf file)

[Buster the Bear]

A sad day!

Merv the Rover 1 (Marshaller) died suddenly today.

Rest In Peace Merv.

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[vintage ATCO]

Bloody hell, that's terrible news. :( What a tradegy for his family.

Please let me have funeral details when known.

[busters brother]

Met Merv a couple of years ago when working for some contractors. Nice guy.
If you inform of funeral date
RIP

[bacardi walla]

LATEST - man arrested at LTN under anti terrorist law. No further news as yet.

UPDATE said man released after being highlighted as possibly one of the London bombers. His ID was checked over and has been released by police.

[teachin]

With the new developments at Luton and Luton now being a really large airport, surely capacity is not reached yet. Time to resurrect Now Airlines? What has happenned to those at Now? Anyone know what the Now managers are doing now? They looked promising but they seemed to just fizzle away and no be heard of again.

[Powerjet1]

NOW, Oh no, not that name again.

Luton needs new business from established airlines, currently not serving the airport, both UK & european based, plus increased freqs from the likes of easy, ryan, Monarch etc.

The airport has had enough in the past of high risk, short-lived operators. It does not need yet another.

[nickmanl]

Ok PowerJet, what about EuroCeltic of CiaoFly? They were all respected airlines! ;) ;) :D ;) ;)

[King Pong]

I took a ride up to the airport the other day and spotted a well dodgy character who I would not like to sit next to on the Underground. He was on foot and about to enter the tunnel and appeared to be heading for the terminal. He was straight out of one of those mug shots seen on our TV screens and was carrying some sort of black bag.

Thinking that it wasn’t his fault that he looks like a potential suicide bomber I still felt uneasy and thought I would report him anyway once I got to the terminal myself so I quickened my pace to give myself a 60 second lead.

Once inside the terminal all I had to do was report my suspicions except that I couldn’t find any police, security staff or even staff at the portable information desk. There was absolutely no one to talk to so I went outside and tried my luck there. Again there was no one apart from a NCP man in the drop off zone who was doing nothing despite abandoned cars parked everywhere. I then decided I was probably being silly and gave up my quest to be a good citizen. Well nothing did happen but that’s not the point. So why is there no visible security at the airport? Why are unattended cars still parking in the drop off zone with no attempt being made to stop them? Why can someone who gets hold of a disabled badge be allowed to park 20ft from the terminal for up to an hour?

[egnxema]

Things couldn't be more different at STN.

A couple of years ago I did something that I now see was totally stupid.

I pulled up at the drop off zone in front of the terminal, couldn't see my friend. It was late at night, after 2300, so I thought "Oh I'll nip inside, quick look on the arrivals board and run back out again"

(YES YES I know I should not have done it)

Anyway - in the time it took to walk to the domestic arrivals, spot the flight number, and nip back to the car there were 2 Police officers, one each end of my car :eek:, and as I walked up to them with a friendly "Sorry, sorry!" I was pulled to one side and read the riot act!!!! :uhoh:

I fully deserved it. And felt almost terrified to go near the terminal building again for the next week in case the same Plod should happen to eyeball me again.

As I say again.....sorry. :(


The un attended cars littering LTN's drop off area are a shame to both the drivers, and I would say even more so to the airport authorities.:sad:

[Buster the Bear]

Ref Merv. Once I know more I will let folk know. For the last 15 years he was a well known character, especially when I found out he liked to Morris Dance and once looked after sheep!

I hope to see Barry, Paul, Martin and Ray at Merv's final departure. Hopefully Luton Wrelic will arrive from his siesta, but prices this time of year are rather expensive. The 'Real' Buster told me of this horrible news earlier this week!

Luton airport's current foundations are built through the hard work and dedication of the few like Merv.

I know of quite a few folk who lurk on these pages. They would like, through me, to express thier thanks for having a friend called Merv.

Sleep well Merv. You can Morris dance to you hearts content without me splitting my sides! Baa Baa Baa!

The famous F27 registered after Merv. D-AISY!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[CAP670]

Although more services from established carriers would be welcome at Luton, runway capacity is at times now beginning to bite.

Once again this month there have been several occasions when the airport company's declared hourly runway movement rate (32/hour) has been reached because of a combination of airline schedules and charters (passenger & cargo) which are all 'coordinated' and a large number of corporate aircraft movements which currently, are not.

LLAO's FBOs (Signature Flight Support & Harrods Business Aviation) are continually bringing in more corporate business which is gradually taking up any slack that's available during the airport's 'busy' hours. Whilst it's a long way from being in the situation that LGW and STN are in for peak-time slots, at the present growth rate (movements - not passengers) runway availability at peak times may not for much longer, be freely available.

Then there's the issue of the adjacent airspace capacity and the unhelpful interaction of many of Luton's departure routes with routes from some other London airports/airfields for which there are no improvements on the horizon for at least two-and-a-half to three years.

In reality therefore, whilst there's scope for perhaps a 10% overall increase in business i.e. runway movements, until changes to the airspace and the addition of full-length parallel taxiways, holding areas and other surface improvements are in place, it's doubtful that Luton could efficiently cope with a dramatic increase such as might occur if another airline operator decided to base several aircraft at the Airport.

;)

[vintage ATCO]

The funeral will take place on Friday 5th August at 1345 hours at the Vale Crematorium, Luton.

There will be family flowers only; however donations will be accepted for a charity to be nominated by Mervyn’s daughter Kimberley and son Gregory in the next couple of days.

[King Pong]

Does anyone know if the stands on the North Apron can still handle 747’s since the completion of the new pier? The reason I ask is that yesterday a Monarch 757 was parked on stand 41. I noticed that its tail was only just clear of the new road markings that have been painted at the rear of the stands.

[Jordan D]

King Pong - more importantly, can the runway handle a 747?

Jordan

[easy]

two years ago there were two Corsair 747's, a -200 and a -300 on what is now the bizjet apron. Flew in a football charter if I remember correctly.;)

[ebenezer]

More importantly, can the runway handle a 747?

Yes - it can and does, albeit infrequently. The most common 747s are Corsair's which being part of TUI, sometimes provide a sub for Britannia. Cargolux occasionally visits on freight charters.

Although it doesn't have 7 metre hard shoulders, the runway is a standard 46-metre width and the taxiways are all standard 23-metres wide. Runway length is not a factor because these aircraft operate to European destinations unless positioning out empty and thus, light.

The stands now usually allocated to 747s are on the East Apron e.g. 48.

:ok:

[LGS6753]

Wizz have now opened their winter bookings, although timetables are not yet uploaded on their website.

Taking Nov/Dec dates, there appear to be 44 flights per week to 5 destinations: Katowice, Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan and Budapest. Connections to Sofia and Kaunas. Budapest is down to one daily (presumably due to EZY competition/overcapacity).

[King Pong]

Stand 48 hasn’t been used for a 747 since the north apron was built. The eastern apron doesn’t have the depth to park 747’s nose in so they have to park at an angle. The northern apron was built to allow 747’s to park nose in which they have done quite successfully. When the builder’s village was erected the stands were shortened for aircraft no bigger than a 737 but now the stands have been remarked for bigger aircraft since the village was removed and the pier opened. Not sure if the service road that now sits at the rear of the stands was there before the pier was built. The last photo in the link below doesn't seem to show a service road.

http://www.stevelevien.com/boeing747.htm

What’s happening to stand 60? Still doesn’t seem to be in use despite being finished nearly 4 months ago. Is it a white elephant that can’t be used for self parking aircraft as it is too small for 737 aircraft and the vehicles needed to service 737’s

[CAP670]

The fact that Stand 48 can't take a Boeing 747 unless it's parked at an angle and can push-back onto Taxiway Delta to face south for tug disengagement doesn't mean it's not available for use again if required.

Not sure if the service road that runs at the foot of stands 41 and 42 would preclude a 747 parking nose-in but maybe the airport company would temporarily close it under these circumstances?

The service road that runs around the east end of the new pier is due to be withdrawn from use shortly.

Stands 60 & 61 are both designed to take the Boeing 737-800 (the design type) and both were subjected to swept-path analyses during the design phase. One airline has submitted an objection to using Stand 60 because it claims that the spacing is too tight. However, this may change when the electronic docking and parking guidance system ('Safedock' see: http://www.safegate.se/reference.asp) on stands 60 & 61 is up and running.

This system is in use extensively in the US, at other UK locations such as Birmingham and will be used for some of Heathrow's T5 stands.

:)

[King Pong]

Did anyone see the London Luton Airport TV program when the airport authority towed an easyjet aircraft on to stand for the first time? The stand was already painted up but when the aircraft front wheels reached the supposed correct stopping point the tug was hard against the barrier. The aircraft was then pushed back a few feet to allow free movement of service vehicles in front of the stand but the aircraft was then too close to the service road at the back of the stand. The airport authority then kept changing the angle at which the aircraft would come onto stand until they were sort of happy. The operations manager said to camera that it was vital that this stand became operational on May 1st yet it has not. Can’t see a Boeing 737-800 ever parking on this stand.

[Jordan D]

Thanks ebenezer et al for the B747 @ Luton info ... I didn't realise they could handle one that size, but alls well and good.

Jordan

[jumpseater]

Merv
So long mate, always a good laugh and a mine of information, I'll miss 'waving' through the fence at ya!. Will be there for the final departure.
PMP

[LTNman]

Many airlines have flown 747’s into Luton including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

[CAP670]

King Pong - Although Stand 60 isn't used by 'live' aircraft it is used by 'dead' ones i.e. not required immediately into service, and which therefore, are towed onto this stand.

Until the electronic docking and parking guidance is operational, it's unlikely to be used for 'live' aircraft.

One of the criticisms is that the angle at which aircraft park combined with the retaining wall built on the east side (owing to adverse topography) causes a visual perception problem when 'eyeballing' it onto the stand. In other words, the pilot's instinct is to hang further right with the result that the aircraft gets too close to Stand 9L. The 'Safedock' system should address this problem and give the necessary guidance and confidence to use the stand with the aircraft parked at the correct angle and up to the 'stop line' so that the service road is not infringed.

Can't comment on the programme featuring Luton Airport but my comments are based on facts from sources rather more expert and knowledgable than reality TV programme producers...

:hmm:

[Powerjet1]

A snippet taken from ABTN.........



'EasyJet has left Luton (Town Football Club). For whatever reasons the Luton-based budget airline has abandoned its massive pitch side advertising at the League One winners and new Championship team. With the soccer club expecting far more TV exposure than ever, one would have expected the local airline to be even more supportive of its hometown club'. This is not so!

Crawley Town FC ?

[King Pong]

Made a quick trip out of LTN yesterday and was interested to see whether the departure lounge had been finished. As I entered the lounge my eyes were immediately drawn to the ground as a sea of yellow and black duck tape as well as silver duck tape covered huge swathes of broken floor tiles. The tape is everywhere and makes the new lounge look like it is 20 years old and run down. Purely by chance I came across a guy who was carrying some tiles. He said that 1600 floor tiles had been broken but a team of workers will start to replace the lounge tiles at night starting next week. I guess the 1600 quoted broken tiles must cover all areas and includes those that have already been replaced.

The departure lounge was busy but seating was available but only in pairs. A larger group of people who wanted to be together were sitting on the floor.

Around a 100 passengers were gathered around the departure board by the entrance to the gates waiting for information to appear as to which gate to head for. Only one of the two boards were working. This was causing quite a bit of congestion as passengers with gates to go to had to squeeze past waiting passengers.

I had a quick look at the new pier which looked good but the escalator was not working. Walking in the other direction walls were still waiting to be painted in the new build. Also noticed that someone had kicked a hole in the new plasterboard wall.

One bit of information, according to the tiler who has to fix some tiles in the new arrivals waiting area the building will open next Monday but not the new shop which is still waiting to be built.

[LTNman]

A good up to date aerial photo of Luton Airport can be found at http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=506910

Interesting to see the land to the south of the runway which the airport authority would like to develop. It seems to be quite undulating.

[Buster the Bear]

As I have said before, the senior management were hell bent on opening the first floor of the tinminal, for whatever reason?

Did Mr Keyhole leave as a result of creating a blinkered blunder?

If the development was £35m+, it was a shocking waste of money having sampled the delights of the 'new facilities'.

I approve of the holding gate areas, Lo-Co's need them for rapid turn arounds. They are not pretty but serve a purpose.

I do not approve of removing the excellent departure lounge. It could have been refurbished. Anyway, part of it is still in use over by the low numbered gates. It even has the horrid blue carpet (and smells) laid during the last centuary!

The new departure lounge discourages dwelling. You cannot sit within the enclave as there are few seats. You pick up a quick snack and head for the gate. A concept proven by graphic displays by marketing guru, but hideous for the traveller!

Then if you have the unfortune of flying with a certain Lo-Co, you need Sherpa Tenzing to bring your supplies whilst you hike to the gate!

Congratulations TBI. By virtue of your quest to open the first floor of the tinminal you have spent £35m+ on exactly what additional passenger facilities apart from holding gates?

Rant over. You pay peanuts, you get 'New Luton Airport', I prefer the old!

Has the single lift failed yet from adjacent to the escalator, to the new security check in yet? What fun when it does!

1600 tiles being replaced over a month since opening. JOKE!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[King Pong]

I did notice on my visit that passengers were being called to the gates with only minutes left before the scheduled departure time. This resulted in a rather full departure lounge with passengers waiting to be called to the gates with the old departure lounge that contains 11 gates being left empty despite having twice as many seats as the new lounge.

I also had a look at the eastern apron as I passed by. A walkway made out of portable control barriers now snakes its way from stands 47 and 48 which borders the short term car park around the rear of the temporary builders compound and ends up close to the exit of the staircase that descends from the new lounge. The staircase is still land side as a fence needs to be moved so is not in use yet. I wouldn’t like to walk to these stands if it was raining as it is quite a walk in the open.

I try to be pro Luton but sometimes it is hard. First impressions for many passengers is the bombsite which is called the short term car park. This car park is in an appalling state of repair. Next comes the check –in area. A good 25%-30% of the ceiling lights were broken when I passed through. Even when they all work the area is semi-dark but with this many lights busted I thought there had been a power cut.

[Powerjet1]

The new, big, powerful spanish owners(as we are led to believe) who took over TBI in January, and who might offer some real competition to BAA, seem to be very quiet. Nothing new, in any shape or form has happened so far. Let's hope things improve. They could at least try and expedite correction of some the current probs within the airport facility.

[LTNman]

The master plan will be revealed before Christmas. By then the drop off area should have received another design change.

I see the entry barriers to the service road have been re-instated. This road is now much busier than it used to be due to the shops in the new departure lounge. The problem is if two lorries arrive at the same time the entrance and exit to the drop off area is completely blocked.

[busters brother]

Perhaps they should go back to using the tent like they did a few years ago. More spacious and air conditioned

[Eddie Ginley]

"A few years ago" ???

32 years ago actually - 1973.

Hey you know what? - SNORE ZZZZZZ

[Powerjet1]

Anyone know if Thomas Cook airlines are doing their 4/5 week stint at LTN this month, like last year. If my memory serves me correctly, it was a 757 operating Ws from GLA. Or was that a one-off?.

[pabely]

Looking at the Helvitec booking engine the increase appears to be double daily weekdays plus a Sun Eve rotation.
Link on London-Luton web site news section

[The Greaser]

Luton - Bremen announced today with easyJet

[Powerjet1]

Bremen- is that the best, new german route easy can come up with?. Hardly a destination that instantly springs to mind in connection with all things german. However, if ryan can fill their planes to the most obscure places, i'm sure it will do very well.

[ATNotts]

Bremen, on the contrary, seems a wise choice.

Bremen, alongside Hamburg, is one of Germany's major port cities, and in terms of market size could be compared with Nürnberg, which Air Berlin serves successfully to Stansted.

Add to that that the only other UK connection is from LGW by BACX, and EZY would seem to have an excellent chance to make a go of the route.

[airhumberside]

Add to that that the only other UK connection is from LGW by BACX, and EZY would seem to have an excellent chance to make a go of the route.
OLT fly from Bremen to London City

[LTNman]

Luton - Bremen announced today with easyJet

So does this mean another aircraft based at LTN or the cutback of an existing service to fit this in?

[The Greaser]

I suspect that a return to flying Geneva - Luton with GVA based or indeed LTN - Basle with Basle based aircraft will free up enough capacity to operate the Bremen without requiring an additional aircraft.

[Powerjet1]

Both GVA & BSL seem to be flown by LTN based aircraft in the winter

[The Greaser]

In that case it will probably be done by squeezing block times as much as possible and rostering duties to within 5 minutes of discretion like the bad old days.

[King Pong]

Wonder why easyjet won’t base another aircraft at LTN after promising 3 last year?

[jumpseater]

Eddie, you obviously are'nt aware they used a tent a few years ago then actually.....

[King Pong]

Quote from Ryanair

"Our new routes and bases have developed well over the Summer. Both our Luton and
Liverpool bases are performing strongly and traffic at our Shannon base is running ahead of
expectations, although yields continue to be slightly lower than expected"

[Powerjet1]

Despite the loss of Esbjerg & Dinard at the end of Oct back to STN, ryan still have four, bookable, early deps to DUB, BGY,CIA & VST, from four based units. Assuming this doesn't change, it would not be unreasonable to assume a couple of new routes to replace those lost.

Ironically both routes moving to STN have on many days, been sold out for the last three/four weeks

I read something in June,(I can't remember where) from an interview with MOL, when LTN was being discussed, he stated that two more based aircraft would be in LTN to kick off the summer schedules in Mar 06. Of course you could take this with a pinch of salt and only time will tell. Hopefully it will happen.

[Eddie Ginley]

Jumpseater.

Re Tent: When and for what?

From my Bingo Hall here in the 'Pool I may be slightly out of touch but have no recollection of any passenger use of a tent or a marquee in at least the last decade...

... or define 'a few years'

Gumshoe Ginley XXX

[interested irish]

hey guys
any one heard of anything new starting up at LTN? i hear fly first's financing could be in trouble, but eos and maxjet look pretty solid.
are there any others lurking round there?

[Buster the Bear]

A tent was created airside about where the Ryanair hub is currently around 1995? Alan Bartram, a local indie travel agent used it used it when my parents flew on a Barty Party flight.

http://www223.pair.com/girlymag/072838.jpg

[LTNman]

A Marquee or tent if you like was erected when major refurbishment work was taking place airside around 1996. The building work involved the adding of a floor between the existing ground floor and the high ceiling of the departure lounge. This new level was then used as the domestic departure lounge for easyjet. Before that date a sliding set of doors was used to divide the lounge. I think the tent also contained temporary catering but after all these years I could be wrong. As far as I am aware that was the last tent to be used at Luton for passengers.

[IB4138]

When was the last time the tent was used for the extra capacity required in departures then? I'm sure it has been used since 1996.

[jumpseater]

Eddie 'slightly out of touch' Ginley

See above from other contributors whom are slightly 'more in touch' , and have better memory retention than you appear to have.

Me, I've been around Luton since the late 80's and LLA or LIA as it was in those 'halcyon days' when I started. Common consent appears to be mid 90's which I concur with, course we could all be mistaken...

jumpseater XXXx

[LTNman]

When was the last time the tent was used for the extra capacity required in departures then? I'm sure it has been used since 1996.

The tent wasn’t used to provide extra capacity but alternate capacity as most of the lounge was closed around 1996 due to the new floor being added. I think it was something like a 12 week project that took 20 weeks. In those days the duty free shop was still located in the round building that now contains gates 5 –8? When built the duty free shop had a vaulted quality wooden ceiling which was covered up with a false ceiling when the shop moved and the area became seating. There definitely hasn’t been a tent used since around 1996.

Gates 1-4, which is now the Ryanair lounge is still basically a large portacabin complete with wooden floor and was built I would say around 1998.

The last time a tent was used to proved extra capacity was around 1972-3 in the days of the Courtline Tristars. This tent can still be seen in one of the episodes of the Professionals that was filmed at LTN which is still being repeated now.

[King Pong]

Seeing we are now in nostalgia mode I can still remember the aircraft crossing that crossed the approach road close to the base of the old tower. One set of traffic lights is still in place by the flying club even though they haven’t been used for around 15 years.

[LGS6753]

Luton Airport has announced that First Choice holidays will be serving Eilat, Israel from 20th December.

Doesn't say whether this is an additional flight, or just a new destination for this tour operator. Nor is the airline mentioned.

[egnxema]

King Pong

Thanks!! I was parked out front of Thomsonfly's building on Thursday afternoon last week and looked at that one set of traffic lights standing doing nothing - now I know what they were for!

:ok:

[codpiece face]

I can remember aircraft taxiing across the road, normally when the grass runway was boggy !!, can remember dhc 6s of spacegrand using it and saw a citation use once as well. Happy days!!.

[King Pong]

I see that the new arrivals waiting area is now open. It is around 3 times the size of the old one and looks very nice despite the shop that is yet to be built.

When standing in the new waiting area I looked into the main terminal and wondered why there was a power cut affecting only the main terminal. Walking into that area from arrivals I found that the lights were in fact on. It struck me then just how poor the lighting is in the terminal. Go and have a look and you will see what I mean!

For a picture of the road crossing in use go to http://www.jetphotos.net and do a search for Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander and Luton airport from the drop down lists for aircraft type and airports

[Buster the Bear]

I have seen a Jetstar under tow, wings just squeezed through the gates!

Nice to hear part of the development is of a good standard!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

[LTNman]

This is the direct link to the photo http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=100659 Apart from the single traffic light the view has now completely changed

I noticed that the blue information direction signage inside the new arrivals waiting area shows a sign for catering pointing towards the old terminal. The sign has been covered up now but I recon that the old security screening area is going to become some sort of café for people waiting for arriving passengers.

[LGS6753]

Two BA aircraft just diverted in due to the Gate Gourmet/Heathrow industrial dispute.

[Powerjet1]

Yep. Seems to be BA879 from St. Petersburg & BA254 from Lusaka.

[LGS6753]

5 BA aircraft at LTN earlier today, 2x767, 2xA320, 1xA319.

[King Pong]

BBC said Luton took 7 BA aircraft but I counted only 6 this morning. 1 in the run up bay, 2 on the south stands, 2 on the east apron, 1 on the north apron and 1 on stand 60

[Buster the Bear]

Great to see so many BA jets at Luton, but not for the reason they arrived!

http://i19.ebayimg.com/02/i/04/9f/23/56_1_b.JPG

[King Pong]

Anyone else noticed the appalling signage for motorists at the airport?

On either side of the tunnel there are large road signs indicating that a roundabout is being approached with each exit point carrying direction information. The signs were put up when the drop off zone was moved to the short term car park for 7 days before being put back in haste as motorists were using the roundabout as the new unofficial drop off point. This signage was never replaced so the signs still indicate that the exit point to the present drop off area is a no entry road and that cars are banned as the exit only leads to service road 2. Once motorists have ignored those signs and ventured through the barriers into the drop off area each and every left turn lane carries no entry signs that are attached to the lamp posts even though the road markings are indicating a left turn. Bizarre
:confused:

[Powerjet1]

Anyone know if any redevelopment work has, or is due to start shortly, on the current c**p baggage reclaim area. The present facility is awful and creates an unfavourable welcome to all arriving passengers.

Any truth in the rumour that ryanair are holding a press conference at the airport next week. About what ?

[King Pong]

I reckon that two new belts are being or have been put in. One enters the new enlarged baggage hall by the side of the old passenger entrance doors, which used to lead to passport control via a large hole knocked through the outside wall. The belt then disappears off outside into the distance to I assume the loading dock.

The other baggage belt has been installed in the service road in-between the new terminal and the new passport control/ immigration building which opened around a week ago. It looks like the belt will be loaded in the open unless work has yet to be finished in this area. It is then enclosed inside a large lid and climbs around 40ft before entering the baggage hall from the opposite end.

Looking from the new meeters and greeters area the baggage hall looks far from finished although all development work is meant to be finished by September which probably means Christmas.

I have noticed that a new dry lined wall now runs the full length down the middle of the old shopping area. I guess that the baggage area could be extended out to here.

[CAP670]

Anyone know if any redevelopment work has, or is due to start shortly, on the current c**p baggage reclaim area

The ongoing redevelopment work is due to be completed by 8th September when the expanded facilities will be 'officially' opened.

The next stage of development is likely to be a second pier to serve stands 46, 47 & 48 - this is allowed for within the current permitted development.


Any truth in the rumour that Ryanair are holding a press conference at the airport next week. About what ?

Since MoL has stated that Liverpool and Luton are Ryanair's best performing bases after Stansted and Dublin, no doubt there are additional services being planned for 2006. The Airport has already identified a peak-time need for four or five additional stands from the Spring/Summer 2006 season and so may shortly submit a planning application.

:ok:

[LTNman]

The ongoing redevelopment work is due to be completed by 8th September when the expanded facilities will be 'officially' opened.

The facilities might be officially opened on September 8th but in reality finishing off work will continue well past that date.

[Powerjet1]

Heard on the lunchtime news that Helios have grounded their entire fleet as a result of yesterday's terrible tragedy. Their daily flight into LTN from LCA , seems to have landed at LTN this morning at 11.17, some 90 Mins later than scheduled. Anyone know what aircraft operated this service in view of the above.

Deepest sympathy to all those who have lost loved ones in the accident.