Originally Posted by
Sotonsean
Phileas Fogg
I'm aware that Servisair generally handled Air UK if they had a presence at an airport in the UK that the airline served. But where Servisair didn't have a presence either Air UK self handled including line maintenance or another handling agent was used.
Although Servisair were never present at Southampton Airport during it's history considering that Air UK had a large presence there and before that BUA, BUIA and from 1970 BIA. They all self handled at Southampton Airport including line maintenance.
After the merger of BCAL and British Airways in 1988 Servisair set up shop at LGW as the third ground handling agent, alongside British Airways and Gatwick Handling.
After the demise of BCAL in July 1988, Gatwick Handling took over ground handling and line maintenance for Air UK rather than Servisair.
I guess that it made sense for Aviation Traders to do line maintenance for Air UK at Stansted considering that they were on-site and it saved the airline having to have their own dedicated maintenance team at the airport. And Servisair was already an incumbent gound handler at Stansted with Stansted Handling a subsidiary of Gatwick Handling the second ground handling agent at Stansted just arriving at the airport.
For example British Caledonian Airways at LGW handled many airlines from ground handling to line maintenance including British Island Airways long after Caledonian's purchase of British United Airways from B&C in 1970 to form the independent British Caledonian Airways. BCAL continued to handle BIA and it's successor Air UK right up until BCAL merged with British Airways in July 1988. I guess that it made commercial sense to do so.
I take it that your a former employee of Servisair going from the content of your post.
One person on top of the hill in Yorkshire...... let me think..... Leeds Bradford Airport 😉
On a side note....I received an email regarding your post which was timed at 03.09, I'm pleased that I'm not the only person who keeps odd hours. Insomnia can be a real problem can't it 🤔
Sotonsean,
You've reminded me that Servisair set up shop at LGW but there is something in my mind that suggests that Servisair LGW was of a somewhat different ownership to other Servisairs.
Nope, I've never worked for Servisair nor any handling agent, I'll give you a clue, until 1982 I worked for the largest DC10 operator outside of USA that 50% owned Gatwick Handling!
An email timed at 0309, well presuming that may be 0309 GMT and with my location being GMT+8 that would make my post at 1109 local time would it not?