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vectisman, I agree re BA. I'm surprised they haven't sought to develop more new long haul leisure routes at Gatwick - Thailand - both Bangkok & Phuket, Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi and Seychelles all spring to mind.
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I also feel that some additional routes to the USA will work for BA at LGW in a similar way to LAS does.
ie additional capacity on routes where needed provided from LGW without harming the existing LHR rotations.
SFO and LAX could absorb a 3 per week 772 rotation each I'd of thought without any problems. SFO especially seems to be at capacity for the current 2 daily 744s and shunting some of the leisure traffic via LGW would seem sensible to me.
cs
ie additional capacity on routes where needed provided from LGW without harming the existing LHR rotations.
SFO and LAX could absorb a 3 per week 772 rotation each I'd of thought without any problems. SFO especially seems to be at capacity for the current 2 daily 744s and shunting some of the leisure traffic via LGW would seem sensible to me.
cs
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Thanks Vectisman, very useful.
Lower yielding leisure routes wherehas LGW has done well on higher end leisure point to point. I suspect they'd drop BKK before moving it to Gatters, the countries in civil war and the F cabin was removed alongwith the overnight timings. Fares to Thailand are not that high at the mo.
Who knows, I wonder how many people remain at BA who actually remember what happen the last time they did this?
I'm surprised they haven't sought to develop more new long haul leisure routes at Gatwick - Thailand - both Bangkok & Phuket, Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi and Seychelles all spring to mind.
Who knows, I wonder how many people remain at BA who actually remember what happen the last time they did this?
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BBC News - Gatwick Airport baggage delays spark complaints
Oh dear not a sign of things to come for this summer peak! twice in a month!
Oh dear not a sign of things to come for this summer peak! twice in a month!
Last edited by Falcon666; 27th Jul 2014 at 03:52.
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I have made this comment elsewhere
'Maybe the airlines at Gatwick using Swissport should get together and form their own Handling Company along the lines of Gatwick Handling years ago. It was owned by Dan Air and Laker I believe. I know Monarch are very unhappy with Swissport too.
Sometimes outsourcing can go very wrong!!'
It would be reassuring for the affected airlines to make some public comment about the situation so at least give the impression that they care a little and are working to resolve the problems. By and large it is the airlines who will receive the criticism and negativity (as well as the owners of LGW) as passengers tend to overlook the idea of the handing agent being responsible.
V.
'Maybe the airlines at Gatwick using Swissport should get together and form their own Handling Company along the lines of Gatwick Handling years ago. It was owned by Dan Air and Laker I believe. I know Monarch are very unhappy with Swissport too.
Sometimes outsourcing can go very wrong!!'
It would be reassuring for the affected airlines to make some public comment about the situation so at least give the impression that they care a little and are working to resolve the problems. By and large it is the airlines who will receive the criticism and negativity (as well as the owners of LGW) as passengers tend to overlook the idea of the handing agent being responsible.
V.
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Is it not the case of airlines getting what they pay for, if they did indeed club together to form their own handling company I would suggest their costs would go up not down.
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vectisman - you can see why people blame the airlines. You check in a bag at a desk which has (for example) 'Turkish Airlines' on it. If it doesn't appear at the other end, who do you blame?
The airlines can't wash their hands of this by saying, "We outsourced baggage handling." Pax are going to say, "Why should I pay you extra for baggage when you can't deliver it to me?"
Swissport are not helping their cause by refusing to comment to the Beeb. If they don't watch it they will have a PR disaster on their hands now the summer holidays are upon us.
The airlines can't wash their hands of this by saying, "We outsourced baggage handling." Pax are going to say, "Why should I pay you extra for baggage when you can't deliver it to me?"
Swissport are not helping their cause by refusing to comment to the Beeb. If they don't watch it they will have a PR disaster on their hands now the summer holidays are upon us.
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I agree with both your comments. Maybe costs would go up but could be balanced in the long term by satisfied passengers returning rather than flying with someone else and less money spent on putting things right after the event.
V.
V.
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I'm travelling through LGW north tomorrow, will let you know whether my bags accompany me!
I trust the airlines are acutely aware that a passenger says, "EZ lost my luggage," not "Swissport lost my luggage."
I trust the airlines are acutely aware that a passenger says, "EZ lost my luggage," not "Swissport lost my luggage."
Paxing All Over The World
vectisman
I think you'll find the flaw with that idea is that - it requires mgmt to think ahead across the next 5-10 years. British mgmt don't do that. 
They used to but then the recession of 1989/1992 allowed the money men to get control and become CEOs and other things for which they were not qualified. Now the only concern is this year's bonus.
Lastly, most of the men (and occasional woman) now running the airlines have not worked on the ramp, the check in desk, the cabin and they do not know what it's like. I would lock them in a room with a copy of 'From Worst to First' by Gordon Bethune.
Maybe costs would go up but could be balanced in the long term by satisfied passengers returning rather than flying with someone else and less money spent on putting things right after the event.
They used to but then the recession of 1989/1992 allowed the money men to get control and become CEOs and other things for which they were not qualified. Now the only concern is this year's bonus.
Lastly, most of the men (and occasional woman) now running the airlines have not worked on the ramp, the check in desk, the cabin and they do not know what it's like. I would lock them in a room with a copy of 'From Worst to First' by Gordon Bethune.
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Is it possible a lot of this is former BA staff giving it big time to their former employer for palming them off to one of the companies renowned for destroying terms and conditions for ground staff? If I had been with BA for years and found myself booted out and across to Swissport I would be prioritising a lot of other airlines before Big Airways.
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Problems with delayed or lost bags are always going to result in complaints to the airport and airlines. They are the 'faces' of the operation as far as passengers are concerned. One of the risks of outsourcing is loss of control no matter what SLA's are agreed. The airport & airline needs to take these problems very seriously and ensure the issue is resolved quickly & effectively.
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What could be the short-medium term implications on the licence being revoked?
It goes without question that whilst GAL may want to withdraw Swissport's operating licence and stop this repeating all summer, this seems impossible given that Swissport operate on behalf of potentially over 30-40% of the whole airport's flights?! This includes BA, Virgin and Thomson.
Unless there is a rapid buy out and TUPE of all Swissport staff by a rival ground handling company what else can be done? It seems improvements cannot be done or won't be done so therefore drastic action is necessary.
In reality, what can GAL do right now, apart from the continuous apologies and having egg on their face throughout the summer and effectively destroying its campaign for a second runway in the process.
The options seem either let it continue badly, rapidly organise an alternative to Swissport or close the company down and with it over a third of LGW traffic!
Quite a catch 22!
It goes without question that whilst GAL may want to withdraw Swissport's operating licence and stop this repeating all summer, this seems impossible given that Swissport operate on behalf of potentially over 30-40% of the whole airport's flights?! This includes BA, Virgin and Thomson.
Unless there is a rapid buy out and TUPE of all Swissport staff by a rival ground handling company what else can be done? It seems improvements cannot be done or won't be done so therefore drastic action is necessary.
In reality, what can GAL do right now, apart from the continuous apologies and having egg on their face throughout the summer and effectively destroying its campaign for a second runway in the process.
The options seem either let it continue badly, rapidly organise an alternative to Swissport or close the company down and with it over a third of LGW traffic!
Quite a catch 22!