So, with BMI being sold to IAG, how does that affect Menzies?

[Charlie Fish]

....I reckon the BMi work must be about a third of the Menzies workload.

Any news on Menzies at LHR reducing their workforce?

[NutLoose]

One would have thought that as the primary reasons they bought it was for the slots from LHR then the movements would be pretty much covered and hence the need for handling..

[Huyin]

I think the point being made by Charlie Fish is that BA self handle & could be expected to move the current BMI operation into T5 eventually although they do have handling operations in T3 which could be a possibility for some of the European operations. BMI only moved to Menzies at the beginning of 2011 when the Aviance operation shut down.
A parallel case was Iberia in T3 which had been handled in T3 by Aviance/Plane Handling but moved to BA Handling at the beginning of 2011.
I suspect BA would be unwilling to allow a third party to handle its operation at LHR especially considering the transfer traffic involved so it would seem certain that the handling would move to BA if the sale of BMI goes through but there will be TUPE involved as many of the Aviance staff went to Menzies with the BMI handling contract.
Time scale might be interesting though with maybe Menzies retaining the BMI handling in T1 until it moves to T5 or it's T1 slots are used by BA for new flights ex T5??

[STN Ramp Rat]

but there will be TUPE involved as many of the Aviance staff went to Menzies with the BMI handling contract.

maybe, but not in the way you state. they have the terms and conditions of an aviance contract but they now work for Menzies not Aviance.

If BMi is closed down as seems likley then the work would cease to exisit and therefore there would be no TUPE. Once again a good union rep will be essential to convincing everyone that the work still exisits and therefore TUPE would apply.

[LHRKLBD]

Well basically when BMI disappear for LHR Menzies will have to chop between 80 - 100 staff this is what I've heard from a Menzies ramp agent.

[Huyin]

Point well made, STN Ramp Rat.
I had assumed that you couldn't just shut down & dispose of BMI at 2359hrs one night & assume certain of their routes with BA aircraft from the next morning from a different terminal. In turn I therefore assumed that TUPE would apply, at least to a degree, to the Handling Agent's staff.
If TUPE does not apply then Menzies would be faced with some pretty large redundancy payments as there must be ex BD, ex AV staff with around 20 years service & with the size of the BMI operation there must be some specialisation within the handling operation??

[STN Ramp Rat]

If I recall correctly the statutory redundancy payment is one weeks pay for every year worked, to a maximum of 12 weeks. Anything beyond this is a discretionary payment by the employer.

Huyin you make a good point in that Menzies will be working to demonstrate TUPE as well to avoid the redundancy pay.

[gobfa]

Do it Online : directgov (http://www.direct.gov.uk/redundancy.dsb)

[British Grenadier]

think the point being made by Charlie Fish is that BA self handle & could be expected to move the current BMI operation into T5 eventually although they do have handling operations in T3 which could be a possibility for some of the European operations. BMI only moved to Menzies at the beginning of 2011 when the Aviance operation shut down.
A parallel case was Iberia in T3 which had been handled in T3 by Aviance/Plane Handling but moved to BA Handling at the beginning of 2011.
I suspect BA would be unwilling to allow a third party to handle its operation at LHR especially considering the transfer traffic involved so it would seem certain that the handling would move to BA if the sale of BMI goes through but there will be TUPE involved as many of the Aviance staff went to Menzies with the BMI handling contract.
Time scale might be interesting though with maybe Menzies retaining the BMI handling in T1 until it moves to T5 or it's T1 slots are used by BA for new flights ex T5??
Huyin ,have you seen the speed that BA Staff work at??:sad::sad: , if anything BA , should or must be looking at a third party handler !!!!:D:D:D

[Huyin]

British Grenadier
Yes, I am familiar with the BA handling operation,(& also the DNATA & Menzies operations), but would have to respond to your, maybe, "tongue in cheek" comments as follows
I think you may have ignored the practicalities of any merging/takeover of BMI flights by BA.
Bear in mind IB went to BA for the ramp work at T3 & they certainly didn't do it for cost saving reasons. They became, with BA, a part of IAG, so BA were effectively handling their own traffic at LHR when they took IB ramp at T3. The same occurs when they either merge or swallow BMI. They have to meet their own in house MCTs for LHR for what is a BA to BA transfer, regardless of the terminal. The politics from above will probably dictate that they have to handle their own traffic, maybe not initially if part of the operation remains in T1,{ As with IB when PH (now DNATA) retained the ramp} but certainly out of T5 & even T3 if part of the operation were to go there.
So, if cost is not the key issue then BA will staff it as they currently do & the pax will see the aircraft depart as previously & for arrivals the bags will come up within target. The difference is that BA will allocate more staff to the operation than PH/DNATA did for IB or Menzies do for BMI. If BA could overcome the cost differentials for the IB handling then the BMI operation, which will become in one form or another, a part of BA, should be no problem. It's a pity we don't get to see the final figures!