Originally Posted by
Uplinker
It doesn't work; been there, seen that many times, (UK large and medium airports).
Outsourced handling companies give their staff very poor terms and conditions. Many are on zero hours contracts - they are only paid if they turn up to work. During busy times, you sometimes have to wait ages even for steps, let alone getting your passenger's luggage unloaded. And if you need a wheelchair for one of your passengers, you will typically wait 40+ minutes. Been there, seen that (too) many times.
Sometimes, there is nobody to even turn on the stand guidance, so you can't even turn onto your stand. At weekends, or when there is a significant sporting event on the telly, there is a mysteriously high sickness rate amongst the handling staff.
It's a crock of ****. You cannot reliably run an airline if you outsource your ground handling, because you lose control over your ground handling. Ditto engineering.
Swissport cant get people to work for them,they pay peanuts & as you say a significant sporting event or a sunny day will send the sickie rate sky high.
Of course,the morons at the top who dont give 2 fu..s about anyone except themselves will continue to dream up excuses to make themselves look good.