India Services from Luton?

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18 years 9 months

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"LONDON: The Luton airport, one of London's major airports, is lobbying airlines that operate flights between Britain and the Indian sub-continent, to use the airport more than the Heathrow airport.
In a bid to reduce the deficit in passenger numbers between itself and the rival Stansted airport and consolidate its position as London's fastest-growing airport, Luton is reported to be actively lobbying airlines to capitalise on the large local Anglo-Asian community.
Reports say that Luton is far outstripping Stansted in growth - it increased its passenger numbers by 18 per cent to 2.7 million in the third quarter of the year while Stansted grew by five per cent to 6.4 million.
"With our high-density Asian population locally, we are looking at flights using long-haul, medium-sized aircraft on routes to India and Pakistan. We are in conversation with airlines," a Luton airport spokesman said"

Could be interesting if that ever gets off the ground

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21 years

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Sounds like SweFly again with their recently announced plans to serve India.

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18 years 6 months

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Who do you think would take them up on the offer...Air India, Emirates(?), or would it go to charter operators...?

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19 years

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I doubt it would be Air India or Emirates. It'd be a smaller company with a smaller plane such as a 757 that would do it probably.

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18 years 9 months

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Yep - possibly a 757 configured with ER fuel tanks fitted, though most likely with a stop over somewhere on route. I think it would be a scheduled operation though, not charter

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21 years

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Hmm cant see the Israeli authorities being too keen on this as it would have a considerable impact on their own interest in ElAl.

Also I for one would not like to be stuck in an FR 738 for 5 hours, 1 hour is bad enough.

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19 years 5 months

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The flights could be from Rome, Bergamo or Hahn, which would be less than 5 hours travelling time

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19 years 10 months

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It probably will be, like Mark & tomfellows says, SweFly again.

Swe-fly are to restart operations (soon) is the word. The Indian boeing 737-800 low cost operator Spicejet.com have aquired 50% of the swedish airline. The other 50% is owned by the Ex UK investors who brought them to Leeds and Luton airports in the past. All off the Swedish investors have left the company.

The New company will still have to be a Swedish reg'd company as the swedish CAA it holds its AOC and granted its route licences. Hence the reason to keep the swefly name and not use the spicejet name.

Routes they have been licenced to operate by the Swedish CAA are as follows.

India - Stockholm - UK (UK - India traffic rights have been aquired)
India - Stockholm - New York
India - Stockholm - Toronto

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20 years 10 months

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Ross, know anything of an India - LBA service? Surely would be a good route for them, in the same way Lahore obviously was.

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19 years 10 months

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Ross, know anything of an India - LBA service? Surely would be a good route for them, in the same way Lahore obviously was.

Not heard anything about a return to LBA or LTN. All I know is that they are looking at serving some UK destinations by the looks of things. I do hope they can get it right this time round. Not many airlines get a second chance!

Hope LBA & LTN would or could be included in thier plans? It I'll be nice to see long haul flights start again from LBA.

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Also I for one would not like to be stuck in an FR 738 for 5 hours, 1 hour is bad enough.

Although I take your point FR 738 are not bad aircraft - most are new inside and although basic, the seats aren't uncomfortable. After all, they are in the same config as XLA for example - so I don't really agree with you here.

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21 years

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Although I take your point FR 738 are not bad aircraft - most are new inside and although basic, the seats aren't uncomfortable. After all, they are in the same config as XLA for example - so I don't really agree with you here.

How tall are you? I'm 6'3 and I assure you, an hour is bad enough in those seats for someone my height. They are uncomfortable enough to rival the easyJet A319s which has got to be the most height discriminatory aircraft ever. People whinge about the FlyBe 146s, but give me one of them any day over an easyJet 319 or a Ryanair 738.

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Well, I've got an EZY 319 and Ryanair 737-800 flight coming up in a week or so, so it'll be interesting to see if any seat is more comfortable. I'm 6'3/4 also, and Charter seat pitches are a nightmare, even worse than Low Co's.

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21 years

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I also forgot to add, there is a big difference in Ryanair -800 seat pitches on the old aircraft compared to the new seat designs. The older seat configuration was significantly more comfortable than the new one.

Considering flying First Choice in January, bit worried now!

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18 years 4 months

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I also forgot to add, there is a big difference in Ryanair -800 seat pitches on the old aircraft compared to the new seat designs. The older seat configuration was significantly more comfortable than the new one.

Considering flying First Choice in January, bit worried now!

However the main benefit is that you are unable to recline the seats which is of benefit if you have long legs like me! The number of time I get crippled when the person in front reclines their seat!

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18 years 9 months

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I have to say FCA 757-200 are the worst - high seats and v.v. cramped.