Is there a change to ground handling company at TXL?
Mar 27, 2017, 10:20 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Koala Lemur
Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)
Posts: 2,447
Is there a change to ground handling company at TXL?
Today ground handling on my arrival in TXL has been seriously delayed. The pilot says it is because they are changes to ground handling. Are there any?
The captains got so annoyed by the delays that at some point they left the cockpit and helped unloading the hand luggage themselves (this was spectacular, I mean).
The captains got so annoyed by the delays that at some point they left the cockpit and helped unloading the hand luggage themselves (this was spectacular, I mean).
Mar 27, 2017, 12:59 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Flying between BER, ZRH, EZE, COR
Programs: LH SEN, UA 1K, A3*G, AR Platino, BA Gold
Posts: 113
Yes!
airberlin changed their contractor from WISAG to AeroGround (which is a company of the Airport of Munich btw).
Right now, nothing is running.
Some highlights include AeroGround personnel needing 30 minutes to adjust a A330 bridge
airberlin changed their contractor from WISAG to AeroGround (which is a company of the Airport of Munich btw).
Right now, nothing is running.
Some highlights include AeroGround personnel needing 30 minutes to adjust a A330 bridge
Mar 28, 2017, 1:28 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 256
WISAG was not much better either. Beginning of March I waited for my luggage 55 mins (longer than flight time) and when I afterwards went to the so called "Service Desk" they just said we are not from airberlin - actually nobody here at TXL is from airberlin. Not even a word of apology or thanks for letting us know. All contractors with no oversight and authority. When I departed two days later we waited for a crew swap 90 mins and then there were no busses to be driven out to the aircraft. Massive delay. And then they do not even serve a glass of water to 180 overtired guests in the middle of the night. Disgusting.
All of this is purely due to bad bad bad management for years. Let's see what shiny Job Pichler gets next. His predecessor is despite his complete failure at AB now CEO of an Indian LCC.
All of this is purely due to bad bad bad management for years. Let's see what shiny Job Pichler gets next. His predecessor is despite his complete failure at AB now CEO of an Indian LCC.
Mar 28, 2017, 8:52 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Koala Lemur
Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)
Posts: 2,447
Well, on a recent 1h delay (due to computer problems) the captain made sure to apologize in person (from the cabin, not from the flight deck) and we were served an extra chocolate heart while waiting. I do not really expect more on a cheap 30 min flight intra Europe.
Given that on my previous sorry flight same day the captain unloaded our hand luggage to speed up deplaning, I can't really complain. I think this is good service.
However the model with almost everything outsourced is terrible. I agree. Unfortunately increasingly many airlines do this.
Right now we are seeing the birth-giving pains for this new service arrangement in txl. We will see soon whether the idea was to increase quality (or to decrease the quality and louwer cost). I'm afraid that the days it is rarely about quality...
Given that on my previous sorry flight same day the captain unloaded our hand luggage to speed up deplaning, I can't really complain. I think this is good service.
However the model with almost everything outsourced is terrible. I agree. Unfortunately increasingly many airlines do this.
Right now we are seeing the birth-giving pains for this new service arrangement in txl. We will see soon whether the idea was to increase quality (or to decrease the quality and louwer cost). I'm afraid that the days it is rarely about quality...
Mar 31, 2017, 1:17 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AC, A3*G AB-G
Posts: 155
Does anyone know when exactly they changed? I noticed flying ORD-TXL, landing on the 25th, that the fellow driving up the A330 with the stairs in front took about 5 minutes to get the position and height right before they could open the door. He just kept backing up and pulling forward, stairs up and down, over and over again.
Apr 1, 2017, 2:04 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Koala Lemur
Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)
Posts: 2,447
They seem to have changed all ground staff starting from buses to aircraft handling. It appears that the gate attendants are the same as they were.
It actually looks like a major operation, a change of this scale. I wonder how the ground service companies handle so abrupt scaling up/down.
It actually looks like a major operation, a change of this scale. I wonder how the ground service companies handle so abrupt scaling up/down.
Apr 29, 2017, 4:46 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN, SQ Gold
Posts: 479
Fast forward 4 weeks - and the delays resulting from the horrific inaptitude of the new ground handling contractor are still massive every day.
I have been monitoring the TXL departures quite closely, and most days 3 out of 4 flights are delayed. This is such a joke.
To add insult to injury most of the (also contracted) other ground staff has gone completely tone deaf - for them a delay of an hour isn't even a "real" delay any more. Disgusting.
I have been monitoring the TXL departures quite closely, and most days 3 out of 4 flights are delayed. This is such a joke.
To add insult to injury most of the (also contracted) other ground staff has gone completely tone deaf - for them a delay of an hour isn't even a "real" delay any more. Disgusting.
May 5, 2017, 2:17 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Koala Lemur
Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)
Posts: 2,447
The delays are epic again in TXL tonight. Essentially everything is delayed. But I noticed some Wisag buses and other equipment around some of the AB machines, and also met some people in Wisag vests in the terminal. Is the change being reverted? Or Areaoground took over some staff and equipment, and did not manage to rebrand them yet?
May 6, 2017, 1:53 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
The change to AeroGround is one reason. In April Aeroground had a lack of 40 staff members. Unlikely that they have enough employees now. Also the transition from WISAG to AeroGround were rudimentary only.
But there are also a lot of internal changes. I.e. the ramp agents were responsible for up to two plane before. Now they have to handle up to seven planes.
It's all about cost cutting. LH wants to take over a much more beautiful bride and it's not easy to make a beautiful wife out of dead body, which was buried under tons of petrodollars for long time.
But there are also a lot of internal changes. I.e. the ramp agents were responsible for up to two plane before. Now they have to handle up to seven planes.
It's all about cost cutting. LH wants to take over a much more beautiful bride and it's not easy to make a beautiful wife out of dead body, which was buried under tons of petrodollars for long time.