Servisair close ABZ/EGPD base.

[5711N0205W]

With effect 7th December Servisair will close their Aberdeen base due to it being 'Financially Unviable'.

Staff told last night by a senior staff member who ventured out of his cosy central belt patch for once.

[Richard Taylor]

Do they handle likes of Flightline, Ryanair, Easyjet, Monarch, Air Europa?

[girt big un]

yes they handle Flightline at ABZ ...

[snoopdog]

Yes, as well as Flybe, Loganair, Spanair, DHL Cargo, Royal Mail and all the one-off charters that no-one else will touch!

[5711N0205W]

Nobody else will want the Ryanair contract, I believe that they end up paying Ryanair for the privilege of handling them..... :(

[5711N0205W]

Oh and apparently redundancies announced at other bases in the Servisair network today, no specific details but this does not look like the best managed outfit in the world....

[snoopdog]

Servisair management? Don't make me laugh - "miss-management"

I hear its a closed shop "old pals act" management set-up at ABZ with partners/sisters/brothers being assured of DM status!!!!!

[Bagmanlgw]

Redundancies here to - up to 80

Check in and all areas of the ramp affected

Seems company going through very difficult times at all stations !!!!!! :confused:

[castra]

That appears to be the way all over. Always was when I worked at Aviance many years ago when they were G.H.I. It's certainly the way at B.A.'s Gatwick operation in all area's of the ramp. Friends of or related to senior shop stewards or you play golf in the right circles with the right managers??

;-) :ok::ok::ok:

So much for equality and respect in the workplace?! Some or just a bit more equal than others!

Very bad news re: the Servisair situation. Thanks to B.A.A./GAL's greedy policy of allowing more handling agents to operate an already cut throat business at LGW, hire & fire will become an eternal event as airlines look for nothing but the cheapest option and agents look to cut costs.

They always give a blurb about their comitment to health & safety with plenty of blah blah.....Don't make me laugh! Many people here know the REAL story out there!

[tgwu stn]

Sorry to hear about the job losses.
I am in agreement with all the messages, seems the same at all stations.
There will be a lot of brown noseing going on at Stansted.
This is when you need a good Shop Steward but the members let the company get away with sacking him.:ugh:
All this gloom and doom around must be a pay claim going in.

[caaardiff]

Such a shame.
Seems the company is having issues all over, even the larger bases!
Any word on other handling companies having issues?
Seems lots of shake-ups are on the way in servisair. CWL is seeing changes this winter, Skeleton staff being the norm! Shame its no good when things go wrong!

[Bagmanlgw]

Have not heard of any at Gatwick - Just the opposite

All the new contracts that have come up or about to start have gone to everyone else :(

Servisair seem to be outbid all the time on price :{

Menzies big threat at Gatwick now for all the ground handlers :{

More doom and gloom to come once the transatlantics pack their bags and ship off to Heathrow next April :{

Apart from that its fine :D

[whenthemusic'sover]

7th Dec will be a hard day for all the staff who have worked relentlessly to keep things going through some really tough times, please spare a thought for the 90+ staff who will find themselves redundant 2.5 weeks before Christmas.

Thoughts are with anyone else from any other stations across the country in similar situations

[tgwu stn]

Are Servisair the same at all stations? all the good will and hard work to keep the operation going seem to count for nothing in the end.
High overheads ie (Ramp Managers,Duty Managers, Safety Support Team and Training Officers) doing f:mad:K all on £20.000 + thats why a Station is not making money.
This is a very cut throat industry and all the handling companies are the same but SAS are the best of a bad bunch and hopefully they or Aviance will take on the contracts and you will all be employed by them.:(

[groundhand]

Closure of ABZ

My thoughts go to all the staff at Servisair ABZ, some of whom have been there from day one, having joined when Servisair took over Air Anglia handling.

Hard times have been around for several years in the GH business but the senior management have failed to reduce the non-operational costs within the UK management structure. Just have a look at the levels of management between the Station and the SVP responsible for the UK.

There are people who sit in Edinburgh (and now GLA) who should take a long, hard look at their management style and how they have allowed, what was once a very profitable business, to deteriorate into the shambles it is now.

The staff in ABZ have always been a very good bunch of people, it was the way they were led that has resulted in this closure.

Good luck to all the individuals in finding new employment.
GH

Another thought - does the closure include the Cargo operation as well as the ground handling? Again, some top people working there.
GH

[snoopdog]

GH

Cargo and Executive Lounge to remain.

[EC-ILS]

Things arnt look to good at DUB either. Some conract losses etc and staff that were told they were being given permanent contracts after the summer have now been told otherwise.

[groundhand]

Snoopdog

Thanks for the info.
GH

[5711N0205W]

'Apparently' crisis talks were held yesterday at Servisair MAN HQ with the airlines they handle at EGPD to see if they would stump up some more dosh and keep the base open, reportedly the talks were not successful.

[On the ground]

The management see 'rampies' as children, and when you see rampies abusing (largely neglected) equipment you see they may have a point. But, you have to lead by example, and if you won't leave your burrow how will the children learn?

The people pulling the strings of the puppeteers have a plan; bring in 'cover' to watch the redundant. Pay them time and a half and put them up at a cost of £125 (and broadcast the fact) which is equivalent to a weeks wages for those losing their jobs - and those being denied O/T because they have 'cover'.

The idea is to stop people playing silly buggers, because the potential costs are huge, and yet the wages (whether working towards redundancy or not) are tiny. What kind of people do these tiny wages attract?

Front of house you have people whose previous customer facing skills were honed, for example, in a chip shop. So in a tiny claustrauphobic airport which is woefully mismanaged you have one-on-ones that just don't add up.

But there's a bigger issue here, perhaps specific to ABZ? BAA benefit from hosting the airport, but do little to make things work. Every last penny is extracted from pasengers by peripheral activities like galleries and a proliferation of coffee shops - but one new coffee shop feels s-illy as it struggles for water to wash crockery (imagine!) because basic infrastructure like plumbing etc. comes a distant second to taking as much cash as possible from the passengers.

As readers may be aware ABZ is a special case as the MOD 'own' the airport (apparently) and this hampers expansion. Neither the MOD nor BAA want to foot the bill for an enlarged runway. And yet a direct service promised by CityStar to Houston receives a rapturous reception? When it comes to ticket prices it seems that money is no object, but look at the airport!

It seems like ABZ is still treating the Oil Business like a temporary bonanza, and a few decades in, as the oil threatens to 'runs out' temporary still seems to be the M.O.?

As things stand, on the Stands, after Dec 7th the airlines will have two choices. To use a smaller less experienced company which also seems to adopt the 'pay peanuts' HR philosophy (and there's an accident waiting to happen) or to coerce and convince an already stretched company to take on more work (and there's an accident waiting to happen)?

Given the situation you'd be right in thinking that things can only get better, but ABZ seems to be the exception to most sensible rules. Is this malaise true of aviation in general?

[groundhand]

On the Ground,
A good post as it highlights several of the counter issues relating to both Servisair and the Airport in general.

Unfortunately for the staff at ABZ, Servisair's senior management in Scotland has been woeful and unaccountable for too long. There is a long list of errors, untruths and general lack of understanding of the direction required and methods to achieve this. The majority were employed during a black era of a mad ex serviceman who believed that it was possible to constantly reduce operating costs year on year. Sadly, due to many changes of ownership and manmagement the individuals in Scotland have been able to manage smoke and mirror pereformances whenever asked to account for their buisnesses.

As for the BAA, ABZ has been the runt of the BAA group for amny years. For a time is was the cash cow but that ceased many years ago; after the oil crisis of '86 would be my guess.

My only comment against your points is that no airport would look to expand their runway, and the cost at ABZ would be huge because of the topography, without the prospect of financial return. Sadly, one offer of a schedule to HOU would not come near; nor is there an untapped leisure market using equipment that would need the extra runway length.

My heart goes out to the Servisair staff at ABZ and I hope that they all secure alternative employment as soon as possible.

good luck,
GH

[5711N0205W]

So in a tiny claustrauphobic airport which is woefully mismanaged

A quite accurate summation of Aberdeen.....

[On the ground]

Thanks Groundhand;-)

Regarding ABZ 'expansion' I'm probably guilty of repeating some improper propaganda?

We were told initially that BAA's excuse for such a woeful operation was that the MOD were blocking 'expansion' of the airport. If your take is correct, their excuse for failing to consolidate on the operation (such as it is) doesn't hold water (a bit like the plumbing apparently).

Perhaps it's a Grampian thing as the surrounding infrastructure e.g. roads is/are also inadequate.

This muchos muchos marketing activity regaarding Scotland as a tourist destination and yet ABZ remains steadfastly inconsiderate to all and any travellers.

Here are a couple of airport marketing campaign ideas:
Star Trek style:
It's an airport Jim, but not as we know it…
FaceOff style:
I's like an airport, but not…

Perhaps all airports are equally tawdry behind the scenes?

I share your sentiment that the folk who tried their best for the company should find gainful employment ASAP. As for the few rotten apples who spoiled it for everyone else - they know who they are - and the 'party' on the 8th should be, in the immortal words of Viinie Jones, 'emotional'.

OTG

[sat1]

With regard to the workforce allowing the shopsteward to be sacked,do you REALLY know the full facts???????

[On the ground]

…know the full facts???????

This is a bit leftfield in what context does this apply to the thread?

[stnpro]

the word is AGS has got flight line handling but dont think they will stay once its up and running they will sell as they did in STN if they dont go broke like they did before as agcts :\as M Ward the owner has a drink problem, so they say.

[On the ground]

I have a drink problem too… can't get enough of the stuff.:}

I'm not sure that character assassination especially anonymously helps anyone.

What or who is AGS? Another air industry acronym for Ground Support?

For those poor souls who were clinging to the Servisair/Airways wreckage, it's (allegedly) apparent that the contracts such as they were, were sold on by Derichebourg owner of Penauille aka Servisair long before any announcements hit the ground.

There's a serious malaise here, as the cost increases tabled by Servisair to Flightline et al were met with resistance, and yet the charges of the companies offering 'cover' will have been met on a 'needs must' ad hoc basis. In the meantime people who worked hard lose their livelihoods?

[TUGNBAR]

the word is AGS has got flight line handling but dont think they will stay once its up and running they will sell as they did in STN if they dont go broke like they did before as agcts as M Ward the owner has a drink problem, so they say.

AGS = Aviation Ground Support

They lasted about a year at Stansted and had a pretty good set up but things got tough and ended up selling it back to Aviance and upset a few people along the way but thats business I suppose.

They still conduct training at Stansted and I beleive they clean and cater aircraft at Norwich.

Would give them a year at ABZ topz

As for the drink problem , thats pretty irrelevant to the subject and wrong :=

TNB

[1station]

Flight Support ABZ?