Its not just as easy as snapping your fingers and it being fixed like folk seem to think. It takes about 3 months to get just a basic baggage handler ready to go with all the training thats required and all the hassles involved with getting an airside pass.
Extensive training is then required for opertaing the machinery, getting driving permits etc etc.
There is also the issue of the wages being low, in an area where (correct me if im wrong) jobs arent exactly thin on the ground, so getting staff to comit to this for what may only be a temporary problem will prove difficult.
Obviously somebody has made a total cock up, theres no way "planing" would have been done so badly.
Hopefully the situation improves over the winter. Just hope the situation in LGW and MAN doesnt lead to a loss of work at other stations who are doing a good job.