Cheers Buddy:
It's not a problem to answer SJD's comments or to "stick up for Bristol" as you say. Firstly however, I don't think you have any first-hand appreciation of, or knowledge about, the BRS operation, so you shouldn't really make remarks like "well said" to SJD, or indeed anybody else, until you do have said first-hand knowledge.
SJD, regardless of his past career with Servisair, has clearly developed an airline-orientated and resultant one-sided view of the handling agent situation, hence the one-sided slant to his comments. Prime example: he says that "if an airline buys a product they expect a service." I agree, but he doesn't take into account the fact that the airlines are forever expecting handling agents to charge less for the services that they want. So what do they expect in return? If the airlines don't pay the agents enough for the agents to pay their staff enough, acquire the equipment they need etc, they can't expect a top class service. This applies to every airline and every handling agent, so it's something of a moot point.
As for "worst and most unprofessional" and "the level of service at BRS is far worse than at any other station he has worked at," there's nothing in SJD's comments that confirms whether he's making this remark from a standpoint of experience or whether he's just mouthing off because he was frustrated about something that went wrong on a turn-round, so I can't answer this one. On a personal note, I think his remarks are a bit harsh and I certainly disagree with them.
Rampboy is right. It's obvious that all handling agents need more staff and more equipment to handle more flights. Handling agent staff used to be able to go on FAM flights with pilots: maybe if the odd pilot or two spent a day with the handling agent, they might get a better understanding of what, on occasion, the agents can be up against.
As for the KLM bag that Vasto1M mentioned; had I been on shift I would have made the same decision: I wouldn't have delayed the BY flight to favour a flight that was going to be delayed anyway. Handling agents protect their on-time departures.
There you are CB: comments answered!
