LUTON History and Nostalgia

[LTNman]

A trip down memory lane some 25 years ago. I sometimes forget how much the airport has changed and I note that the old departure lounge had more seating that its replacement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INohU3u6-iI

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by LTNman

I note that the old departure lounge had more seating than its replacement.

Passengers need to be walking around the shops, spending money, not sitting on their bottoms.

[Buster the Bear]

Partnair Convair would have been 1988-89. After a fatal crash (not thier fault) during 1989, they soon went out of business sadly.

[ZeBedie]

As a teenager I could not get this Monarch Crew trainer lined up through a small gap in the fence but I share this "half" a photo with you all today as this is the only photo on the net I have seen of this aircraft in its final role. Anyone know its reg?

Later on, there was a Britannia fuselage out on the airfield, in the possession of the airport fire service. I can remember using it for crew fire & smoke training.

Is this the same one?

It seems to have some sort of hook up through a window. Anyone care to speculate why?

Maybe a pipe for synthetic smoke? (or in those days, real smoke )

[LTNman]

The old Britannia used for fire training is still at the airport and can be seen on Google map and Bing. It used to belong to Redcoat before ending up on the training ground. After being dragged into the long grass on a small hill it was abandoned.


Bing Maps

[cj241101]

ex-Redcoat Brit

see my post 771 for a bit more info on this aircraft

[boeing_eng]

LN-BWG was August 1988 (according to the site where the original pic is hosted!)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cooke1/16187987185

My pic of this has already been posted some months ago....message #893

[LTNman]

Thanks Boeing_eng. I have corrected the photos credit from unknown source.

[LTNman]

Luton's transformation started 20 years ago today but the vision didn't come initially from anyone at the airport that for years was going nowhere but from a Greek citizen who started an airline.

[l.garey]

That brings back some memories. I have been a faithful customer of easyJet since my first flight with them as EZY902 on 6.11.1996 in borrowed BAC 111 G-AVMH from Luton to Edinburgh. The return flight was memorable (737 G-EZYB) as the captain let me sit at the sharp end for the whole flight. Those were the days.

Laurence

[LTNman]

What is sad is that I can remember the first day of operations. I watched a man meeting members of his family as though he hadn't seen them for 20 years and all for the price of a pair of jeans.

[Level bust]

I can to!

Initially the 2 x 737s were flown by Air Foyle pilots.

[LTNman]

Were they a couple of ex-Britannia Airways aircraft? Seem to remember that some of the plates screwed to the aircraft had Britannia Airways on them.

[compton3bravo]

I thought the two B737s came from GB Airways even though they operated on Air Foyle´s AOC with GB Airways flight deck crew but maybe I´m wrong - again! The chap on the far right on the front row (crouched) was one of the Captains. Brings back happy memories being allowed on the jump seat a number of times - happy memories.

[Level bust]

You're right, except the pilots were employed by Air Foyle, certainly the crew I flew with were. Britannia had the 737s until 1994. GB had them until 96, before going to EZY/Air Foyle in 96.

I can't remember But I should imagine EZY got their AOC when they got their first 737-300.

[squeaker]

G-BECG & CH, ex Britannia B737-200s.

[Wageslave]

LTMman, what is sad is the Contrast that with today when that man is quite likely to have paid at the level of a bespoke suit for his flight, each way.

[compton3bravo]

Nope Wageslave, still plenty of ´´cheap´´ fares around, if you plan carefully. Recently flew Gib-Luton and return for just over 100 pounds all in (with Monarch) and did not book months in advance - five weeks to be exact; one sector was actually in half-term which I usually avoid like the plague. I don´t think I could get a bespoke suit for that in the UK maybe Hong Kong or Vietnam!

[jumpseater]

I can't remember But I should imagine EZY got their AOC when they got their first 737-300.

The first two were operated by GB airways until Foyle took over, that was a short time of about six months, cant recall the exact details. Air Foyle then got the contract and ran the -200/300's and the 'Topswiss' aircraft operated by TEA, which became part of the easy family of airlines operated within the Easy AOC, though Swiss registered. eJ got their AOC (Oct97) after the arrival of the -300's. YA (ex Monarch, LTN turning circle brick carrier?) arrived spring/summer 96 and I think were up to either 6 or 8 aircraft by the time they got the AOC. A good number of the Foyle ops crewing guys were recruited by easy when the AOC was awarded. YF the infamous tech/hangar queen, was one of the aircraft operated by Air Foyle. The -300's were an eclectic mix to start with, clockwork and digital cockpits and different galley layouts, making allocating crews to them a bit challenging and sometimes meaning that catering couldn't be carried if the right tart carts weren't available!

[oxenos]

To clarify a few details.
Over the winter of 93-94, Britannia got rid of their remaining 737-200s, replacing them with a smaller number of 757s - hence needing fewer pilots. About 100 pilots left on a redundancy deal, I think all voluntarily.(Me included)
G-BECG and H were taken on a 4 year lease by IAG (Not THAT IAG, this was a company whose core business was seat broking. They considered that they could find enough work to justify taking on the aircraft) The aircraft were placed on G.B.'s AOC and G.B. recruited extra pilots, many of them ex Britannia. (Me included).
The extra pilots did not just operate the two "Charlies", but all pilots operated on both the work that IAG found for them and on G.B.'s regular routes, using BA type aircraft.
In November 95 Easyjet started with the two Charlies on lease. G.B. provide the pilots and one cabin crew, EJ provided the remaining cabin crew. This meant a lot of travelling between Gatwick, G.B.'s base,and Luton, and putting crews into hotels at Luton. This was not too popular (except with me. I lived nearer Luton than Gatwick, drove straight to work, and went home every night)
In July 96, the aircraft were switched to Air Foyle's AOC. ( I suspect the cost of transport and hotac were part of the reason). A few pilots transferred with the aircraft (Me included), the rest stayed with G.B., which was by then a B.A. franchise, expanding, and switching to -400s. IAG/AIR Foyle recruited pilots, to make up the numbers, most of them ex Britannia.
Once it was clear that EJ was going to work, they started to get their own aircraft and recruit their own pilots. Initially, these were on Air Foyle's AOC as well, but while they were employed by EJ, we were still employed by IAG. There was little contact, as we were operating 200s and they had 300s, so the operations were run seperately
At the end of April, our contract with EJ ended ( I operated the last flight, EDI-LTN) and we then worked for Virgin Express for 6 months, based at Heathrow.
When that finished, IAG's lease on the aircraft expired, and we all had to look for jobs.
Surprise, surprise, within a month I was once again based at Luton, once again flying ex Britannia 732s, this time for Ryanair.