Flight/Ground Ops, Crewing and DispatchA forum for the people who are engaged in operational control/flight dispatch/crewing and their colleagues airside in ramp dispatch, load control and ground handling, to discuss issues directly related to keeping their aircrew and aircraft operational.
Alba are indepenent Gerry Rodden and his wife Morag own most of the company. (he is ex Logainair/BMI/MAS/Aviance/Groundstar/Swissport). 2 other backers TD and An Other (they wish to remain silent)
Seems they have the balls to take on the big boys . Menzie lost to them in EDI Aviance lost to them twice in GLA Servisair lost to them in GLA seems more bad news coming for aviance and servisair in the winter.
They work hard, have a different approach , have new equipment and keep the staff sweet (I hear with Champagne).
seems your in the know about this company are they expanding there wings up north abz in particuliar as we could do with a good new handling agent also down south??
Whats the 'bad news' comming this winter for Aviance...
Is it to do with the 'alleged' takeover by Menzies? Things in the west (and probably the east) seem to be running very smoothly from an AVI point of view... No problems, and no talk re above.
I think your info on a takeover may just be a little wide of the mark...
Alba heading North and Menzies taking over Aviance...
Whatever next. Etihad Airways operating out of Dundee!
Being honest, I think theres more chance of TWA resurecting themselves, buying the A380 and using it on the JFK-KTM route, than Aviance being bought by Menzies.
As per my previous post, there is NO talk of any takeover at all at GLA or EDI, and all systems are go, as normal at Aviance. Doing a grand job actually and getting great reviews from passengers and crews alike. FACT.
Of course there is money worries - for all GHAs, but with a 4 year contract still to run, Aviance are taking it as it comes and getting on with their business and providing a top-class service to BA and their other customer airlines.
Davy Day and Silverstreak your taking life too serious remember why its called PPRuNe!
Alba are not heading anywhere (at the moment). and yes you hear all sorts about aviance,alba,menzies,servisair and all the airlines as well.dont forget that`s what this site is for.
If there is any news I will post it when its ready to go out.
AlanTracey - I dont get the red green and black thing?
Yes a very interesting winter-to quote a GLA station manager "Only the strong will survive" - well B*ll*cks to that . The smart will survive.....
Keep the stories coming its fun hahahahahahahaha!!!!.
All the best in the future to all the Aviance guys at Gatwick. You've been a great team.
Already you guys were being missed last night, as we had several diverts from LHR, including an Austrian A321 and a Bangladeshi DC10, both of which were refused ground handling from the remaining agencies at Gatwick. Those being Swissport, Menzies and Servisair. The Bangladeshi landed at 2041z and remained unattended until 2350z when after a lot of pleading to the ground handling agencies, BA said that they would assist with some steps. All the others refused help. The passengers had remained "trapped" on the DC10 for over 3 hours after a long flight from Dakar. A similar thing happened with the Austrian which landed at 2051 and again was left to its own devices until Menzies decided that it would help, but only after 2 hours waiting on a remote stand. Appalling treatment by all concerned. You wouldn't treat a dog like that. They have rights. Seems that passengers do not. Very 3rd world.
If Aviance had still been around I am sure that the above wouldn't have happened. With all my experience at LGW and working with the excellent teams in Aviance, Gatwick Handling and formerly Dan-Air ground Handling, they have always been very efficient and co-operative, especially with diverts.
Doesn't paint Gatwick in a good light. Why would anyone want to fly into LGW when they could be treated badly. I just hope we get it right for the olympics. Remember, the whole world will be watching.
In respect to the " Appauling Treatment " passed out by the ground handlers at Gatwick i feel that i do have to put the record straight for Servisair at least !!! . You fail to mention in your " report " the other diverts that all arrived within half an hour of each other ?. Them being a Emirites B777-300 and 2 Iberia A321 / A320s .These aircraft were met by Servisair on arrival and offloaded as soon as staff became available . As you look / seem like you are at least someone with an ounce of sense , you tell me what handling agent in the UK would have enough staff sitting around to cover that lot inbound at the same time ? And all extra to what you had planned for during the day as the programme slipped ?
The only people sitting around i suspect were the " Handlers " at Heathrow who probable ended up getting an early trap instead !!!!
Credit i feel where credit is due to Servisair for doing what they could and covering there own inbound / outbound flying programme at the same time !!!
I fully respect what you have said and maybe my posting may have been read out of context. I wasn't suggesting that people were sitting around. I believe that the way the industry is going we are all working harder with less staff and resources and the likes of Ryanair/Easyjet keep squeezing the agencies harder and harder and are expecting a gold plated service for even less payment. Its a situation that has not been helped by the CAA's open skies policy which also allows more handling agents into LGW to cover the same number of flights. Something was going to give and this may have been the final nail in the coffin for Aviance and its very sad to see those guys go. Hopefully they have managed to find positions elsewhere.
I did observe that when the Emirates had parked on 173 (I think) it was crawling with activity from Servisair and shortly followed by the Iberia on 160L and then the other on 180 ( or was it the other way round). I say, well done Servisair. It can't be easy to suddenly take on these extra flights totally unplanned and all of them on remote stands. But what about the other agencies? Could they not help? Servisair had done 3 diverts very quickly, a couple of others were met by Interflight as they were execs and I was told that the Singapore only needed fuel. It wasn't until after airfield ops put some pressure on that anything happened with the Austrian and then much later with the Bangladeshi. At the very least maybe some steps could have been provided so that the passengers could disembark, especially the Bangladeshi who had been on stand for 3 and a half hours before some steps had arrived.
The time has now come, where airlines are squeezing the GHAs for everything - and then some more... AND all for peanuts.
The low-cos are leading the way, with their minimal turnarounds. They can only offer 'low-ish' prices, IF they can secure even lower handling costs at their airports. They make deals with airport authorities on parking and landing fees too and get subsidies from certain local governments. The internet has greatly reduced their costs with on-line booking and checkin, as well as self checking in at some airports on automated checkin machines.
The majors are now waking up and smelling the coffee... They can contract out for a fraction of the cost to a GHA, and let them deal with the operation. BUT there is only so-far a GHA can go before they end up doing the job for nothing - at best in some cases...
The GHAs do a great job in most instances, under the circumstances... The airlines agree a fee over a fixed term, which is fine, however more and more demands creep in as time goes on, and before you know it, its running at a loss.
If airlines are feeling the pinch, beleive me, the GHAs are too, and if its good for an airline to merge, consolodate or join forces, then its good enough for the GHAs - survival of the fittest, evolution etc etc...
There is a balance to be struck here and whilst having absolute sympathy for the passengers involved on the 2 diverted flights metioned that had to wait for handling there is a responsibility at the airlines concerned to have diversion contracts in place.
They were operating scheduled services into LHR, they will have nominated diversion points.
GHAs, at many airports, hold diversion handling contracts for just this scenario.
This thread started in February, if they were Aviance diversion customers they would have been notified of their planned closure and they should/could have agreed a diversion contract with one of the remaining agents.
If they had no diversion handling contract in place then they have to shoulder the blame. Would you expect to 'drop' into a garage and have your car serviced there and then?
If they did have a contract in place and that GHA failed them then that is between the airline and their agent.
I accept that there is the scenario that they could not divert to their nominated airport/s but think that this is unlikely; and I also accept that this is no comfort to those passengers who were trapped on the aircraft.
Similar Threads 
Goodbye Gatwick Handling / GHI / Aviance at LGW 
the other diverts that all arrived within half an hour of each other ?. Them being a Emirites B777-300 and 2 Iberia A321 / A320s .These aircraft were met by Servisair on arrival and offloaded as soon as staff became available . 
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