Is LGW baggage reclaim getting worse?
Aug 1, 2014, 1:47 am
#91
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Swissport has made a lot of people redundant over the past few months.
Aug 1, 2014, 1:49 am
#92
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...d-luggage.html
It came as Thomas Cook became the second airline to indicate it could end its contract with Swissport, the baggage handling firm at the centre of severe delays at the airport last weekend.
Aug 1, 2014, 2:03 am
#93
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Aug 1, 2014, 2:04 am
#94
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Aug 1, 2014, 2:38 am
#95
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I don't think the hard cutover from Swissport to Monarch's own staff happened yet. The contract cancellation did not happen with immediate effect, because Monarch require to give them (Swissport) 120 days notice, which they have done now.
Aug 1, 2014, 3:05 am
#96
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The airlines are not blameless here. They all no doubt chose the cheapest tender to provide them with handling services. Swissport want a viable product and need to reduce costs by using zero hours workers. It isn't rocket science. Albeit the airline want passengers to believe it is. If Swissport didn't offer the cheapest tender, one of the other handling companies would have done and would also be in the proverbial.
I have no doubt that Gatwick has a service level agreement in place with handlers (time allowable from parked to last bags on belt) but it does little to encourage them to up their game, which would of course induce cost. Swissport simply won't do it and clearly would rather weather the storm.
It isn't the first time this has happened at Gatwick and it won't be the last.
Swissport have been rubbish for years. I remember arriving in 2005 from a VS flight a waited for 3.5 hours for first bags. The rest of my tribe were home and in bed by that point.
I have no doubt that Gatwick has a service level agreement in place with handlers (time allowable from parked to last bags on belt) but it does little to encourage them to up their game, which would of course induce cost. Swissport simply won't do it and clearly would rather weather the storm.
It isn't the first time this has happened at Gatwick and it won't be the last.
Swissport have been rubbish for years. I remember arriving in 2005 from a VS flight a waited for 3.5 hours for first bags. The rest of my tribe were home and in bed by that point.
However when you read it closely it doesn't say they don't use zero hours contracts, just that they weren't the cause. The usual weazel words you get from these people when things go wrong.
http://www.swissport.com/nc/news-med...on-at-gatwick/
Aug 1, 2014, 4:10 am
#97
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/avia...ling-firm.html
That's about BA.
Aug 1, 2014, 4:16 am
#98
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As a result, 60 staff redundant at Gatwick around three months ago, he said. All were supervisors and assistant supervisors.
"These were people who allocated jobs to people and told them to be in the right place at the right time,” he said. "They imagined that they could do the job with less people and unsurprisingly they can't … I can't see it being resolved any time soon."
"These were people who allocated jobs to people and told them to be in the right place at the right time,” he said. "They imagined that they could do the job with less people and unsurprisingly they can't … I can't see it being resolved any time soon."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...d-luggage.html
Aug 1, 2014, 4:52 am
#99
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Let's hope BA take this as a lesson learned and if they decide to continue on the outsourcing route then make sure it's more closely managed.
Aug 1, 2014, 5:32 am
#100
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Travel experts are recommnending you pack essential items in your hand luggage. Doesn't everyone do that anway? Is c-w-s perhaps an undercover journalist in his spare time:?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28603529
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28603529
Last edited by tuff; Aug 1, 2014 at 5:52 am Reason: Correct link added
Aug 1, 2014, 5:37 am
#101
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Could T5 handle a JER flight? The only terminals set up for CTA style arrivals are T1 and T2 with T5 getting a workaround built to handle DUB but would it be able to cope with more flights without serious modification?
Let's hope BA take this as a lesson learned and if they decide to continue on the outsourcing route then make sure it's more closely managed.
Let's hope BA take this as a lesson learned and if they decide to continue on the outsourcing route then make sure it's more closely managed.
Not that this is likely to happen any time soon, sorry T8191.
Aug 1, 2014, 6:13 am
#102
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There are customs controls though. That said, there's a red phone so that's fine. Hold baggage on JER-LGW-GLA will arrive fully domestic, just as HKG-LHR-MAN does (or indeed JFK-MAN-LHR).
Aug 1, 2014, 6:18 am
#103
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The JER flights soemtimes arrive at the domestic gates (55) at LGW so you mix with passengers arriving from EDI and GLA so it seems that is fine and there is no reason to separate JER passengers and UK originating passengers. So Calchas seems to have a point, why couldn't they go to the domestic gates at T5A if the flights did go to LHR? Sounds like all you would need was a red phone for customs - although I don't remember spotting it at LGW.
Aug 1, 2014, 8:13 am
#104
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Is there a customs inspection area at the T5 domestic reclaim? (Or the EDI/GLA domestic reclaims?) I admit I've never used them. In principle there should be because customs inspections are supposed to be done at your final airport when entering the EU.
At LBA the domestic reclaim is the same as the international reclaim. They just open a door for you to bypass passport controls.
Aug 1, 2014, 8:14 am
#105
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I have done JER-LHR with BMI (in 2008), but I have no recollection of how things were done at the 'other end', or even which Terminal we arrived at.