Originally Posted by
OzzyOzBorn
What percentage of the staff compliment required do you believe to be in place? Is the shortfall you reference in handling agency roles specifically, or across airport departments generally? What initiatives are underway to make up the deficit?
All I know is that on a day to day basis there are delays specifically because there simply aren't enough staff. Baggage handlers, Qualified tug drivers, Dispatchers, Licenced Engineers the lot.
Some of these skills can be trained quickly, some take years. From my own point of view the demographic of Licenced Engineers has reached critical mass. Most seem to be well into their 50s and 60s. This has been building for decades, industry is at fault for not training enough, the salary of these guys is now approaching 6 figures. The armed services, a pot that supplied the civilian industry with experienced people, has reduced dramatically. The cupboard is bare.