[mkcol74]

Swissport have drafted in 40 extra workers – they could be staff who weren’t due to work but have taken up overtime/worked at different locations.

Gatwick have brought in 60 extra themselves – they could already have had airside clearance, just operating in different areas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28603529

[canucklad]

I’ll add this thought into the mix….and I’m only using BA as an example, I’m not BAshing….

Let’s say I book a flight from EDI – LHR …

Book online…. BA’s website, probably managed in-house, but maintained in India ?
Print off my own boarding pass….No involvement, actually it’s my paper & electricity
Bag Drop …… Servisair/Swissport
Security ……EDI responsibility
Lounge staff & grub…….Servisair /Swissport
My EDI Baggage handlers…… Servisair/Swissport
Gate Agent ….. Servisair/Swissport

In-Flight Crew……BRITISH AIRWAYS : )

My delicious breakfast…..alpha
My LHR Baggage handlers…… Servisair/Swissport

So , the only interaction me or my bags have actually had with authentic BA employees is on the aircraft.

Oh, and if you’re flying Wee Red, its worse, it’s not even a Virgin aircraft!

[AMcWhirter]

Hello canucklad

Not sure whether or not the Little Red cabin staff are employed by Virgin Atlantic.

It seems they’re recruited by a firm called McGinley Aviation.

http://www.mcginleyhr.co.uk/h/news/mcginley-sees-a-little-red/bp5/

[MrMichael]

It is probably no coincidence that the problems for Swindleport are mainly at weekends, and in the summer. When employing people on zero hour contracts you are relying on the goodwill of people to work a weekend. Easy perhaps in winter, harder with our recent glorious weather. Imagine getting up a Saturday morning, glorious day, wife in a good mood, bit of shopping and home to relax in the garden. Then the phone rings……”need you tonight at 8pm”. “I will not be shifting your bags tonight” comes the reply.

Was it last summer that Midlands Trains could not run a weekend service because they were relying on the goodwill of staff to work o/t at weekends.

Staff I require at weekends are contracted to do so and paid accordingly, it is the only way I can know for certain my customers will get the consistent excellent service they deserve, and most importantly pay for.

The problem here is contracts, and trying to scrimp on paying people more for unsociable hours. Nobody wins in the end, pax lose, airline loses, Swindleport loses, staff lose and of course the biggest loser….LGW as it’s reputation is once again kicked in the proverbials.

[Andrew66]

Openfly , they are not just taking 60 people off the street and letting them work airside and turning a blind eye to security , how would doing that improve their reputation ?? !! The agencies that companies can go to have people who have airside clearance , they have sourced staff from agencies .
In fact staff can work on escorted passes , they must be supervised at all times though
Following on from MrMichael post many of the staff employed are likely to be on fixed term contracts , how wonderful it must be to be employed on low wages and with no job security either , it has to be apparent how problems occur in the race to the bottom .
I also find it quite ironic that the MPs who queue up to take swipes at the failure to deliver , but then being experts at this they would recognise it easily .

[LuganoPirate]

Hi Canucklad, I do think the name should have been changed, but I guess the value was also in the brand.

[IanFromHKG]

Canucklad, in your scenario which assumes baggage handlers, don’t you interact with someone at baggage drop-off?

[canucklad]

HI Ian….yes at EDI London Airways employs Servisair ,now owned by Swissport

[Author]

Posts