Is LGW baggage reclaim getting worse?
Jul 27, 2014, 2:22 am
#31
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Landed at Gatwick this morning at 01:40 with kids on tow already an hour delayed. Then the plane couldn't be offloaded for 45 minutes due to the following... Absolute farce!
1. Waiting for ground staff to switch pilot system on.
2. Ground staff configured system for A320 not A319.
3. Waiting for steps.
4. Waiting in for Buses.
Eventually arrived at baggage reclaim, now 02:30 hours. Bedlam. At 03:00 there was an announcement to go home without filling forms and bags would be sent on. Assume this was because there were too many people/forms to fill in.
It was complete melt down. Currently have no bags.
1. Waiting for ground staff to switch pilot system on.
2. Ground staff configured system for A320 not A319.
3. Waiting for steps.
4. Waiting in for Buses.
Eventually arrived at baggage reclaim, now 02:30 hours. Bedlam. At 03:00 there was an announcement to go home without filling forms and bags would be sent on. Assume this was because there were too many people/forms to fill in.
It was complete melt down. Currently have no bags.
Jul 27, 2014, 2:43 am
#32
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I was going to say "and there are calls for BA to move more flight from LHR to LGW?", but then I realised that someone might say "well, when things go haywire at LHR, you're just as screwed". And that person will be right but, by balancing things out, I feel better about saying that I would still not want to use LGW unless it can't be helped (which is a rarity).
Last edited by techie; Jul 27, 2014 at 2:56 am
Jul 27, 2014, 2:44 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2004
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The Gatwick Swissport operation is a complete joke. BA have known about these issues for quite some time, heaven knows why they haven't been given the boot.
It's a real shame because BA passengers probably won't realise it is a third party that causes the delays and so blame the BA staff who are exasperated (in my experience) by the whole farce.
It's a real shame because BA passengers probably won't realise it is a third party that causes the delays and so blame the BA staff who are exasperated (in my experience) by the whole farce.
Jul 27, 2014, 2:49 am
#34
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It clears the airports for more passengers to come in but it will leave a mountain of bags at the airport. How will the airport go about sorting this out without the forms. They will have to work with each airline to match the luggage tag with the booking reference and then look for a contact via the airline booking reference. This will require Swissport to work with each airline; its fraught with issues.
Jul 27, 2014, 2:51 am
#35
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Agree strongly with others - LGW is becoming a "best avoided airport" thanks to Swissport. As discussed in other similar threads, and a very lucid outline of the problem by (I believe) C-W-S, there's no easily solution in sight.
It's a shame that the knock-on effect is that BA gets the blame, when the fault lies elsewhere.
It's a shame that the knock-on effect is that BA gets the blame, when the fault lies elsewhere.
Jul 27, 2014, 2:53 am
#36
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Luggage deliveryat LGW is already so appalling when "everything works" that I am struggling to imagine how bad it is in a case like today!
Jul 27, 2014, 2:57 am
#37
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Agree strongly with others - LGW is becoming a "best avoided airport" thanks to Swissport. As discussed in other similar threads, and a very lucid outline of the problem by (I believe) C-W-S, there's no easily solution in sight.
It's a shame that the knock-on effect is that BA gets the blame, when the fault lies elsewhere.
It's a shame that the knock-on effect is that BA gets the blame, when the fault lies elsewhere.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...yesterday.html
I can't see any Mods on duty so I'll repost these two photos from there, firstly BA's friendly customer service desk in LGW:
[My strong suspicion is that the staff don't want to be harranged for Swissport's resourcing issues!]
Jul 27, 2014, 3:06 am
#38
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Berlin
Posts: 1,533
This is what Gatwick says on baggage reclaim performance:
Palmer
Airline Service Standards: This covers baggage delivery standards. We report how airlines at Gatwick perform against a target of delivering the last bag within 35 minutes for small and medium sized aircraft (such as a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320) and 50 minutes for large aircraft (such as a Boeing 777 or Airbus A330).
Jul 27, 2014, 3:39 am
#41
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If Gatwick can't cope with a busy weekend, why should it be allowed to expand? Can't cope with the traffic it has it would seem.
£17 an hour for weekend working /nights isn't great IMHO.
£17 an hour for weekend working /nights isn't great IMHO.
Jul 27, 2014, 3:42 am
#42
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BA is not blameless despite the best attempts of people on here to exonerate them.
Jul 27, 2014, 3:57 am
#44
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Do BA have a contract with Swissport or do BA have a contract with LGW who, in turn, have a contract with Swissport? In reality, it does not matter much, but I am curious with whom BA should be having a stern conversation with. Probably both, I suppose.
Jul 27, 2014, 4:03 am
#45
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