Why be handled by two different companies?

[Lite]

I've noticed, particularly at LHR and MAN, that sometimes airlines employ a different handling agent at the same station, one to provide passenger services and one ramp for them. Why do they do this? Surely it's cheaper and logistically easier to have one company performing both services. I can understand when the airline themselves choose to have passenger services staff of their own to provide all pax-facing roles inhouse.

[freightdoggy dog]

Simple mate,

MONEY

We do it here at Stansted.

[TechProblem]

Also at manchester, Ringway Handling is Machester airport baggage, and some agents in manchester ie, SGS, would rather use them instead of spending millions on new equiment to setup and ramp side.

[xxx5572]

Im trying to think who at Stansted is handled by two different handling agents and havnt got a clue. Could you tell me who??

[icemel_aratt]

Airlines sometimes use a chasing agent. Since handling agents are usually quite large with many different departments, a chasing agent is employed to act as a management company to act as station reps.

A company such as wickes services at gatwick and stansted look after the interests of a number of airlines to ensure the smooth running of the whole turnround including check-in.

OR

Another answer could simply be that HandlingAgent 1 is subbing the work out to HandlingAgent 2 because of faulty or insufficient equipment/manpower. So you may see H.A.1 loading bags and H.A.2 providing push back.

[older_wiser]

At LHR the strangest situation must be Lufthansa and soon to be Swiss.
Servisair / Globeground provide above wing services such as check in, Baggage and Dispatch / Load Control whilst Aviance provide the ramp etc.
What makes this unusual ( i believe ) is that the 2 companies are fairly large Handlers who both provide the service that the other supplies, in i may add the same terminal. Aviance give Check in / Loadcontrol & Baggage to Iberia whilst Servisair do the same for Croatian and several others.

Also at Lhr the same situation now applies to Air China who have SGS for check in and Load control but Aviance on the ramp.

There are many examples where The Airline does front of house and handling agents " out back " Gulf Air, Virgin being 2 examples.
They both use Plane Handling on the ramp but PH do not offer passenger Handling facilities

[bruppy]

Circus & Aviance provide front of house with only Aviance back of house, this is due to Aviance taking over the complete "ramp" side from Circus (airway) back in 2006.

[older_wiser]

Circus & Aviance provide front of house with only Aviance back of house, this is due to Aviance taking over the complete "ramp" side from Circus (airway) back in 2006.

Why Was that ?

[Departures Beckham]

XXX: I imagine that FD Dog is refering to cargo/passenger contracts such as Titan and Channex.

[freightdoggy dog]

Exactly Dave.

AGS do all our Pax work, front of house, baggage, pushbacks. Aviance Do all our Cargo work and tows.

[xdm941]

Regarding the above about Lufthansa being handled by two handling agents - I can catagorically state that this is down to Lufthansa having very little confidence in Penauille's ramp department at LHR. Recent contract negotiations were extensive but LH decided to pay slightly more and keep aviance as the ramp handling provider. It's not always down to money as most people think! Penauille did come very close to loosing the entire contract but have been awarded it based on a brand new SLA agreement that will be constantly monitored and reviewed. Effectively, LH gave Penauille one last chance to sort themselves out!

[HZ123]

It is also not always adviseable to give the complete contracts to one company. Often they are at least 3-5 years duration with 90 day get out clauses. As one said sometimes it is better to pay a little more, though the overall aim is usually to get the cheapest. With the poor facilities at LHR performance is often poor through no fault of the gha.

[Ckin Gal]

I know we are a small base but Airline services who handled BA, BMIBABY, VLM, Twinjet, handle front of house whilst Aviance handle the ramp and baggage.
This happened about two years ago when Aviance decided that it wasn't worth having a pax handling operation. Aviance sub-contracted all their pax handling to Airline services and in return airlione services ditched servisiar and sub-contracted all their ramp operation to Aviance.
Some but not all of the Aviance Pax staff were taken on which did make life a bit difficult. All seems to be going ok now though.

[Deal or No deal]

At CWL there is only one handling agent operating air side now, where before there were two. Still two front of house but anything the circus handle air side is aviance. sub contracted through force really. Though the way things are going having taken over the circus managers, they will be back soon, especially considering the pax figures escalating here.

Every airport is different and handlers will do anything they can these days to win contracts! It's a hard and fast changing campaign for them all.. Money is the biggest factor though. i.e. If I spend more money with you then you'd better make sure I'm on time to save delay costs. weigh it up and change as necessary!