foreign operators 1981
 

A relatively quiet year for foreign airlines compared to the previous 2 summers. After 5 years AT LTN, Sterling decided to return to Stansted at the end of March. Scanair likewise defected, with the only Scandinavian representative being Kar Air. First MD-80's appeared with Austrian and Inex Adria:-

Sterling Airways until end March then they moved to Stansted, Caravelle 10B Fri evening Arlanda 2030/2125, B727-200 Fri evening Billund 1830/1930

Austrian DC-9-32/51/MD81 Sun evening all year 2000/2045 (summer) 2005/2050 (winter)

Air Malta B720B, B737-200 (Transavia) Mon evening 6/4-26/10 2110/2200, Fri evening 29/5-23/10 2015/2105, Thu evening 2/7-29/10 2035/2125
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432739192
PH-TVE 3/7/81

Tarom 1-11 400/500 Sat Bucharest April only 0920/1020

Kar Air DC-8-50 DC-8-62 (Finnair) Caravelle 10B (Finnair) 15/4-25/8 various days, 13 flights total


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432738534
OH-LSD 23/6/81

J.A.T. DC-9-32 Fri 1/5-30/10, Pula , Dubrovnik, 2 rotations with same aircraft, 1045/1145 and 1715/1815


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432739333
YU-AJL 13/5/83

Inex Adria DC-9-30/727-200 (Yugoslav Govt YU-AKD Jun-Aug pending MD81 delivery), MD81 from 17/8, Mon morning Pula 11/5-5/10 1020/1105

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432736887
YU-AKD 8/6/81, same aircraft operated summer 1979 for J.A.T.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432738787
YU-ANC 6/6/83

Olympic Airways A300B Sat evening Athens 9/5-31/10 2115/2230

Minerve Caravelle 6, 18/5 and 1/6, 3 flights each day, 29/7 2 flights, 19/8 1 flight

Maof B720B Tel Aviv Sun from 1/11, Tue from 10/11, Thu from 12/11 1315/1430
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432740735
4X-BMA 17/1/82

Aer Turas Britannia, CL-44, Sat night newspapers to Dublin plus usual horse flights

Geminair Britannia


Although the planned foreign operators were down on previous years, several days of industrial action by UK air traffic services (N.A.T.S.) between 7/5 and 30/6 brought a large influx of (mainly) Heathrow diversions, during which time I recorded the following airlines and types:-

Sobelair (Sabena flights) B737-200


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432740216
OO-SBQ 21/5/81

Sabena Beech 99, B707-320C, FH-227B, B737-200

K.L.M. DC-9-32, DC-8-63

N.L.M. Fokker F-28

British Caledonian1-11 500

British Airways Trident 3, Tristar 1


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432739601
G-BBAE 19/6/81

Aer Lingus B737-200

Austrian DC-9-32

T.A.P. B707-320B

Finnair DC-9-51

J.A.T. B727-200, DC-9-32

Olympic A300B
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1432739828
SX-BEC 19/6/81

Swissair DC-9-51, DC-8-62, MD81

Icelandair 727-200

Changing faces of the link building
 

Once there was just the original terminal but before the new terminal was built an extension and additional check-in area was built at a right angle. Later when the new terminal was built this area was changed to form a link between the new terminal and the old terminal which was being used as the departure lounge with limited shopping. Later still it became the arrivals hall with security lanes added above it. I don't have any photos of the check-in desks or remember which airlines used them but this is what I do have taken over the years.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psogzfbekd.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psrllprmmm.jpg

With the original extension still visible in the background
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps0t8ttijs.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psswt6qfos.jpg

The final picture was taken a few months ago as ground samples were taken to allow the bus station to be built over as a terminal extension. Last week saw arrivals move to a temporary location to allow yet another use for the ground floor when it will become passenger security as they pass to airside.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psiu60khuf.jpg

Had several pleasant flights on Tristar G-BBAE pictured above when it was in service with British Airtours in the mid 80s.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433196011
G-BBAE 13/2/86
Based for the ski season

Luton Arrivals June 1999
 

Does anyone have a photo of the LTN arrivals gate (viewed from the pick-up side) as it was in June 1999?

I'd much appreciate seeing it.

Perhaps it's already been posted in the many pages of this thread but I couldn't find it.

Thanks,

DeepC

The new terminal opened in 1999 and used for a few years the link building which had the arrivals hall in the old check-in area. The picture I posted a couple of posts back with the large crowd and the Whistlestop shop was taken there but I am not sure if this is what you are after when you refer to the arrivals gate?

Lovely picture of G-BBAE cj241101.

As a yoof, our next door neighbour (a CAA flight ops inspector) arranged for me to ride on her the jump seat to FAO when my family travelled on our summer holidays in 1984.

From that moment I wanted to fly airliners for a living......

I love seeing all these old photos from a time when LTN had such a diverse mix of airlines and planes visiting. Takes me right back to my childhood days as a spotter there.

more from 1980
 

here's a couple of ad-hocs then
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433281913
I-TIGI 12/4/80


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433282167
HA-MOI 14/8/80


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433282460
OO-ABB 3/4/80. This aircraft spent 1979 on lease from Gulf Air to Britannia as A4O-BG


http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433282848
A4O-BG 18/4/79. Identified from the rest of the fleet by a pale grey painted underside rather than the usual polished metal

Hi LTNman,

Your picture, I believe, is inside the ground floor link building which led to arrivals/departure gates once the new terminal building was opened.

I am looking for a photo of the arrivals gate just before the new terminal opened. So it was in the building opposite the new terminal entrance I believe.

Thanks and kind regards,

DeepC

How about this. I can only remember that after this photo was taken the extra check in area was built so passengers passed through Arrivals to get back into the terminal. It was only when the new terminal opened that arrivals moved into the link building. Originally for arriving passengers to get back into the old terminal they had to go outside. There were green chairs and carpets in here if I remember correctly.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps3mtadrvq.jpg

Hi LTNman,

Thanks for this photo LTNman!

Yes that is how I remember it, if anyone has a photo showing further into the arrivals exit then this would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

DeepC

Very interesting read this thread. I was particularly interested in the photo of the Autair Herald G-APWC in post 177, since it was the first aircraft I ever flew in, when it was operated by BEA. The flight was from Turnhouse to Renfrew and cost 13/-.

I have passed through Luton flying 'Smith Air' a few times. The last time I flew from there was in 1995 on an ex-Brittania 737, flown by Sabre Airways. They were transporting an ATC Summer Camp's-worth of cadets and staff to Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri. I found it strange that we didn't fly direct to Akrotiri but instead refuelled at Athens. They never came back for us and a Monarch 757 did the honours instead. I do recall one one flight seeing the IL-76 referred to here, parked up.

In 1974 I was based at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire and used to watch with interest the Monarch Britannias from Luton seemingly staggering across the sky loaded with holidaymakers. The unit was involved with radio engineering and I was selected to complete a course on the Plessey AR-15 airfield radar which the RAF had just ordered. By lucky chance, Luton had just had an AR-15 installed, the first in UK if I remember correctly, and we were invited along to the airport to see it in operation.

I have a vivid memory of our group being briefed at the radar head and one curious (or bored) individual deciding to see what was inside one of the cabinets. Unfortunately he chose one which had an interlock on it and when he pulled the door open, that radar ran down. The engineer who was briefing us went crazy, he shouted "This isn't the bl**dy RAF, there are thousands of real people up there!".:uhoh:

If the Sabre 737 was a Basic model (as opposed to Advanced) with JT8D-9 engines (as opposed to -15) its max range would have been inadequate for LTN to AKT.

Gulf Air 737's
 

All the Gulf Air 737's were delivered through Luton, starting with A4O-BC on 1/7/77, ending with A4O-BK on 20/4/79. I believe they all night stopped.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1433360142
A4O-BK 21/4/79

Hi LTNman,

Thanks for the second photo of the arrivals area.

Kind regards,

DeepC

Hope it was what you was looking for. In the days before digital cameras sometimes I have to dig out old airport year books and these are the only photos I can find.

Re Post 31


Date....


Photo was taken before July 3rd 1939 as L8259 written on this date

World's Highest Plane - British Pathé

World record set at Luton in 1957