Just a rumor that I heard this morning. Is it true that there will only be one handling agent at Jersey this summer? Looks like the circus has arrived!!!
News is that Aviance are pulling out of the Island. They do the ramp for Airline Services (ASCIL), who as far as I know are sticking around. As far as I can guess ASCIL will be subcontracting Servisair to do their ramp for them.
The only contract aviance themselves held was for bmibaby, with ASCIL providing pax services. All other contracts (BA, WOW, NM, Palmair etc) are held by ASCIL with aviance providing ramp services.
It is therefore the future of the baby contract that is in doubt; and I wouldn't put it past Servisair to offer a significantly better price than what aviance offered just so they can take the business and make ASCIL's position more difficult. Whether ASCIL could survive on just the BA and other smaller contracts it has remains to be seen (if indeed baby do go to Servisair).
Aviance were formed from the old British Midland Handling, and has had a presence at JER for the past 40 years, so its a sad day, not least for the guys that will find themselves without a job in a few weeks... I doubt TUPE rules apply down in the Channel Islands.
I also really hope we don't lose ASCIL, they're a small local handling agent (formed from BA handling about 12 years ago), and has therefore struggled to pick up business with Servisair being able to significantly undercut on price. SI/GR would struggle to handle much more than themselves without significant investment and so it would leave Servisair as the major handling agent on the rock... not a great situation IMO.
I guess this summer's all a bit up in the air then, all the best to everyone.