Buster the Bear
7th Nov 2001, 02:47
So what is going on at Luton?
TBI and easyJet do a deal, but still the Barclays fat cat charge is on every booking from Luton. Call me cynical, but is this their profit margin? Why do they add their landing charge for Luton on each and every ticket? I do not see a Peel, or a BAA landing charge on bookings from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gatwick and Aberdeen, or a HIAL Inverness charge. Profiteering or what! Does Luton charge the same as the BAA plus the Barclays charge, I doubt it! A 5 quid tax for flying from Luton, but no such charge from Gatwick where utilisation of their fleet will be reduced compared directly to ops out of Luton and the comparable fares are cheaper from Gatwick! Loss leader?
Euroceltic add Liverpool to its phenomenally successful Waterford route. Monarch Crown was talking strongly about a South Portugal destination not so long ago, are there any more routes to add?
JMC allegedly closed their Luton base today, more consolidation expected in the IT market, so where will the IT axe fall at Luton, probably no one actually knows? If bookings do not pick up by the New Year, could the charter companies face the plight of the scheduled airlines? The media says that bookings for charter holidays are down by 50% year on year. Consolidation could therefore be inevitable. Fewer holidays and higher prices?
TBI and easyJet do a deal, but still the Barclays fat cat charge is on every booking from Luton. Call me cynical, but is this their profit margin? Why do they add their landing charge for Luton on each and every ticket? I do not see a Peel, or a BAA landing charge on bookings from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gatwick and Aberdeen, or a HIAL Inverness charge. Profiteering or what! Does Luton charge the same as the BAA plus the Barclays charge, I doubt it! A 5 quid tax for flying from Luton, but no such charge from Gatwick where utilisation of their fleet will be reduced compared directly to ops out of Luton and the comparable fares are cheaper from Gatwick! Loss leader?
Euroceltic add Liverpool to its phenomenally successful Waterford route. Monarch Crown was talking strongly about a South Portugal destination not so long ago, are there any more routes to add?
JMC allegedly closed their Luton base today, more consolidation expected in the IT market, so where will the IT axe fall at Luton, probably no one actually knows? If bookings do not pick up by the New Year, could the charter companies face the plight of the scheduled airlines? The media says that bookings for charter holidays are down by 50% year on year. Consolidation could therefore be inevitable. Fewer holidays and higher prices?