LUTON - 5

[LTNman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=III0IYMQB58&mode=related&search=

Is it really that bad?

[Buster the Bear]

SUPERB! Having been stood in a queue just like that fairly recently, I can fully appreciate the 'hell' of it all. Not the airport's fault, but a lack of HM Govt officials.

Whilst I fully condone the need to vet admissions into the UK, the lack of 'official staff' actually doing the job is inexcusable. If you happen to arrive at tea time then queues like in the video clip appear quite rapidly. The rear of the queue is a long wait to ‘freedom’!

[Level bust]

To be fair I arrived recently at Gatwick at 0700, and it was just as bad. About 6 wide bodies all arriving at the same time. It was only a bit quicker because a lot of passegers were non-EC, so used a different queue.

[Buster the Bear]

I understand that easyJet are about to stage a staggered move from the 'shrink wrapped caravans' into Hangar 89 with a bit of media attention thrown in to boost advertising and no doubt some slant on how much this move will make their flights cheaper?

[Level bust]

So what is going to happen to their current premises. I suppose they could always open it as a spectators area or even a domestic terminal!

[hatters united]

I've been told that when Easyjet have moved out of their 'Easyland' then the area is to become a new multi-storey car park :rolleyes:

[jetsetwilly]

Nah, it will be the new Immigration Hall:}

[Powerjet1]

I've been told that when Easyjet have moved out of their 'Easyland' then the area is to become a new multi-storey car park


According to the easy website it happened today. Opened the new HO that is.

[vintage ATCO]

Didn't look very open when I drove home an hour ago . . . :)
But then I was half asleep.

[Buster the Bear]

I think that the move from the 'trailer park' across to H89 will occur over a number of weeks. Rumour has it, that it is very modern inside with the office space built around the service areas for the aircraft?

The building is probably very environmentally friendly and powered by a team of bears chasing honey on a tread mill and their waste product used to warm the cockles of the Town Hall, thus fueling the rumour that the local council is full of ****?

[ezpz]

The move into H89 will take 1 week, with different departments moving each night. First team moves tonight. Inside the offices are massive. The desks are arranged in massive long rows. Rather soul destroying. Glad I am not based inside the hanger.

[Buster the Bear]

Having been witness to the 'open' offices, as you say, so very soul destroying, I am so glad the costs savings will be passed on....!
http://www.ajpotts.fsnet.co.uk/beartumble.gif

[jetsetwilly]

Did anyone spot the ex AmericaWest 737 on the North Side the other day? Anyone know what it was doing there?

JSW.

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Yes, it is going to be G-THOP for what ever they call themselves this year.:ok:

[Buster the Bear]

http://www.uk-airport-news.info/luton-airport-news-030307.htm

[Jan the man]

Interesting stuff. Not sure, though, how much extra revenue cargo arrangements can bring to the bottom line.

By the way, I noticed that there's no LTN-EWR flight today. Has the aircraft gone tech?

Jan

[Stampe]

The 767 in the Silverjet config. with such low zero fuel weights will have enormous freight potential especially on short New York flights.I would guess its a lot more profitable than some of the low end fares carried on the atlantic by the big names.My company carries a lot of freight on its 76 charter flights and its a very good earner.We also earn nicely from carrying a surprising number of domestic animals and human remains as freight all a lot more profitable than low yield passengers I,m told.I,d be amazed ifthe Silverjet hadn,t built freight potential into their costings if not it could be a good earner.Not sure though how good LTN is a cargo I carry most of mine into LGW which is very organised.

[LTNman]

Passing through the back lanes around the airport at 8:30 this morning I noticed a queue of 7 aircraft at the holding point for 26. 3 easyjet’s, 2 Wizz and 2 executive jets. It looked impressive although the executive jet that was 7th in the queue wasn’t too impressed I bet.

[Buster the Bear]

I understand that the MD of Luton airport has been head hunted by the dole office?

[25check]

Yea, a multi storey car park with a spectators area on top - great idea!

[vintage ATCO]

Passing through the back lanes around the airport at 8:30 this morning I noticed a queue of 7 aircraft at the holding point for 26.

We had 7/8/9 often this morning at times. Quite the busiest morning I can remember for a while.

[andyafc]

The MD has indeed resigned and will be leaving in coming months, was she pushed by the spanish revolution, wot does this mean for 2012 plan?

[Buster the Bear]

2012 plan, my guess is that not a lot will happen until sometime after the local Govt elections in May. There maybe a change in local political power which could favour relations with Abertis, but then again.....who knows?

A multi story with spotting facilities on the roof level. Bound to happen, just like the second runway is coming!

[hatters united]

It is in the Airport plans for the old Easyjet office area to be redeveloped as a multi storey car park for short term parking. Not sure about the spotters area on top ? It will be needed when the apron gets extended over the currant short term car park.

H.U.

[ebenezer]

The MD has indeed resigned and will be leaving in coming months, was she pushed by the Spanish revolution?Informed sources say not. Equally informed sources say she's not interested in heading up a 'small' regional airport plagued by an intransigent and out-of-touch local council, when she was previously keen to see Project 2030 go ahead (it's now effectively dead in the water) and Luton become established as a major London Airport. It appears that Abertis, because it's unable to negotiate a more realistic concession term with the Town Hall, is now putting the squeeze on investment as the payback is increasingly not viable, and so she's decided to get out whilst the going's good. How easy it'll be to replace her with anyone with similar credibility, stature and track-record remains to be seen, but the previous MD jumped ship because he'd had enough of trying to run a commercial operation whilst suffering the idiots in Luton Borough Council, so it's anyone's guess and I'd say, rather doubtful. :hmm:

[Buster the Bear]

Sadly, the departure of the man that held the unison between LBC and the concession partners together, has also heralded the slow decline in their relationship?

That man bridged the gap between business and local council. He has obviously not been anywhere near adequately replaced by LBC?
Talking to local councilors is not like talking to business partners in a mega industrialised conglomerate used to dealing with Spanish bureaucracy!
I hope there is plenty of conciliation and arbitration going on behind the scenes to bring the partners of Luton and the holders of its Master Plan, more closely together?

LBC might just be suffering form 'Concession Charge Reduction Overload'?
To LBC, the Concession was 'Sold as Seen' back in the last decade with 25 years to run.

This might sound just like I am pro LBC? How far from the truth is that thought, but I do have knowledge of how the Town Hall thinks and it is far from how a multi national conglomerate would conduct its business. The two need to communicate at a level clearly understood by both.

As I keep on saying May is a pivotal month for the future of Luton Airport and for those residents in Luton with a keen interest in the airport, vote for the political party campaigning for airport growth. My guess is, that none of the popular parties will have the increase in pollution that comes from airport development at the top of their manifesto, even though the airport fills the coffers in the Town Hall.

As a politician, LBC has a steady income stream from a concession that has 15+ years to run, so why 'rock' the political boat!

And in the meantime......

[LTNman]

I think you are expecting too much from the local elections. Looking at the councils website there are 4 Tory, 22 Labour, 21 Liberal and 2 independents councillors. The Liberals run the council at the moment but seeing that they have fewer councillors than Labour they must have the support of the independents.

I can’t see any party that takes control in May approving a massive new Luton Airport due to environmental reasons and the fact that the airport would be built on non-council land.

As owners of the airport Luton council seems to be in the unique position of actually being able to stop excessive expansion unlike the councils around Stansted who are fighting the government and the BAA who both see Stansted as the answer to London’s capacity requirements.

[Powerjet1]

Easy will reinstate flights between Luton & Zurich from 18 Sept after a three year break. Basle will reduce from twice daily to daily from the same date.

Apparently despite ZRH being expensive, yields were good, and the decision by Helvetic last year to cease flights, thus reducing competition further, have aided the decision process for the the recommencement of the service.

[22/04]

I understand ACDL will require GA aricraft to have a slot from 25 March. Will this affect the level traffic or will the FBO's be albe to get what they need?

Seems a strange move given that GA is good business for LTN and commercial traffic will not be signficantly higher this summer than last?

[Gulfstreamaviator]

By the very nature of our ops, we are now expected to guess just how late our pax will be...If we miss our departure slot are we then forced to block a valuable stand, whilst the system resolves itsaelf.

Are we also to tell our pax in the USA, that they must depart 1 hour earlier, as the tail winds will force us to miss our slot.

I have also tried to get on to the web site that shows me available slots, but it is down.

So must I tell the handlers that I will arrive sometime on Tuesday, and be slightly more precise: do they them apply for a 5 hour slot window.

GA is being pushed out, this is the first step????

Adios Luton. GA should not invest in any LTN project.

But what is the alternate, North of Thames. where is a GA only airport, close enough to London...???

I am also posting this on Bizz Av, so please do not delete, as the importance to LTN, and GA is of equal value.

Glf

[Dartania]

Luton needs to be very careful about driving corporate aviation away,there,s not much value to be had out of a loco airliner full of low-net worth indivuals paying peanuts and not much in the way of airfield revenue other than what the punters spend in the shops.Gulfstream consider Cambridge or Southend which are not (and are unlikely to be) bunged up with the plague of the loco airlines.Your bespoke service to passengers of real worth can continue unabated and most probably with less hassle to your clients.:ok:

[pabely]

This slot regulation has been public knowledge for quite a while now. It is just a fact of having an airfield below such a congested airspace. GA still operates out of LHR, LGW & STN. Harrods are investing more into Luton this year so at doesn't look like a major issue. It's life and just has to be worked with at a busy 24x7 airport.

[Buster the Bear]

I was told that the new Zurich service was using an A319? How can this be true as Luton is not an Airbus base and the first departure is at 07:00, well before the domestic A319's arrive.

I doubt if executive flights needing slots will be too much of an issue especially as the airport is likely to suffer negative passenger growth for the next financial year.

If Wizz get to like Stansted, there might be even more slot availability?

[ebenezer]

Luton needs to be very careful about driving corporate aviation away...Gulfstream consider Cambridge or Southend which are not (and are unlikely to be) bunged up with the plague of the loco airlines
LTN is not "...driving corporate aviation away", the stage of coordination to be adopted for GA is still voluntary in that there's no penalty for operating outside the agreed slot. Neither Cambridge nor Southend are viable alternatives to LTN (or STN), both of which are 24/7 Category 3 equipped airfields.:=

[Buster the Bear]

I know that I am a bit daft, but what is the purpose of a 'voluntary' slot application, if the allocated time is of no actual significance?

[Expressflight]

Ebenezer

Southend is certainly H24/7 and, although only Category 1 ILS, has a far better Wx record than Luton which offsets that disadvantage somewhat.

There is rumour that NetJets are looking to set up a base at SEN, perhaps with engineering, so I don't think it's quite the non-starter that you suggest.

[CAP493]

I know that I am a bit daft, but what is the purpose of a 'voluntary' slot application?An interesting and valid question - presumably, the corporate operators will be monitored for runway slot compliance and if it's proved to be poor, then the next stage of Coordination i.e. compulsory, will be adopted?;)
There is rumour that NetJets are looking to set up a base at SEN, perhaps with engineering, so I don't think it's quite the non-starter that you suggest.Interesting - since Netjets' company policy is always to operate inside controlled airspace where this is available (even to the extent of routeing between London/City or Northolt and Stansted or Luton)...
As for engineering, what's this got to do with the choice of destination that the punter wants to fly to? :hmm:

[Expressflight]

I wasn't suggesting that the possibility of a NetJets engineering base at SEN has anything to do with "the choice of destination that the punter wants to fly to." They may simply be looking for an engineering base in the London area and would position aircraft to and from there. That would make sense surely.

By the way, I believe that NetJets do operate revenue sectors out of SEN at the moment so I don't believe that it being outside controlled airspace would be necessarily a negative factor.

[25check]

>I know that I am a bit daft, but what is the purpose of a 'voluntary' slot application?


If indeed this is more to do with parking space then the slot may be to control the number of aircraft, not the operating time so much.

[LTNman]

Based Aircraft for this summer
easyJet 17 x B737
Monarch 2 x A320, 2 x A321
Ryanair 4 x B738
Thomsonfly 2 x B757, 1 x B738
Silverjet 1x B762 (another 2 added later this year)
First Choice 1x A320

[CAP493]

Based Aircraft for this summer...
Wizzair is still looking to base x 2 A320s overnight for early morning departures. The second of Silverjet's B767-200s is due in the first week of July.
As expected, pax figures for Feb continued in the negative at 616,291.This was down 2.6% on Feb 2005. The fall however, was not as shocking as the 5% fall experienced in January but still makes for dismal reading.
Unless Luton Borough Council comes to its senses over the negotiations with ACDL/LLAO, it's looking like investment in LTN will drop to a mere 'care and maintenance' level, any further expansion of services will cease, and gradually passenger throughput will decline as the operators go elsewhere. The only saving grace at present is STN's delayed development - but once this is given the go-ahead and peak-time capacity there begins to increase, the writing will be on the wall for LBC and its airport...

[Powerjet1]

LTN-JER to continue throughout W07/W08 @ 3x wky with Thomsonfly.

[Level bust]

Apparently Silverjets new B767 may not be ready in time. Thomson have found a lot of corrosion. Boeing's engineers have looked at it and it could cost up to £3 million to repair!

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Boeing Team over l am told, Check will over run by about 5 weeks, so looks like it will be late.:uhoh:





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