SAS ground handling

[OLD BMA MAN]

What's happening with SAS ground handling, lot's of rumours they are being sold. Anybody got any inside knowledge?

[Man_User]

Ive heard they were ceasing operations, as Menzies are taking over there biggest contract (Thomas Cook). Although they check in KLM at the moment and Ringway do the baggage, I guess that whole contract will be up for grabs.

[cjhants]

announcement due next month, menzies to probably take over all or just some of the stations. was due to happen before christmas, but staff in scandinavia got a bit cross, so tactfully delayed until after chrismas rush.

[SAS MD80]

As an SAS employee I can tell you that Menzies buying SGS is not an option that the SAS board has disussed.

[cjhants]

SAS MD80, i hate to question your knowledge, but have a search for the thread that was running on menzies/SAS just prior to christmas. there have certainly been discussions, unless the posts on that thread were all made up.:ooh:

[aex]

Maybe it's true but maybe not, it's an old article from:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.1864024.0.0.php



Menzies: no talks to buy SAS ground services
November 28 2007John Menzies said yesterday it was not in talks to buy the ground services arm of Scandinavian airline SAS, following a report which surfaced in Denmark.
The Edinburgh-based airline and newspaper logistics group was commenting after Danish business daily Borsen reported SAS was considering a sale of all or parts of its ground services division to Menzies, which recently agreed to buy part of the ground handling arm of Finland's Finnair.
Paul Dollman, finance director, said it had received "no contact from them at all".
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Menzies shares, however, which have been buoyant in the depressed markets, rose again to close up 27p at 541p.
Earlier this month, Menzies said terms had been agreed for the acquisition of Northport Norway and Finnhandling from Northport Oy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finnair. The businesses offer full passenger and ramp handling services at Stockholm and Oslo international airports.
Menzies Aviation will handle all Finnair's flights and offer a full handling service to international airlines at both airports.
At the half-year the aviation arm increased underlying pre-tax profits by 22% to £6.2m, although the company warned they had been dampened by softer cargo volumes as well as start-up costs from the new contract wins.

[OLD BMA MAN]

Thanks, I had seen the Menzies one, I know they deny it, but no smoke without fire! I'm not sure what they have to sell or what prospective buyers have to gain? contracts are 60-90 days, so if an airline has moved to SAS because of previous handling, are they going to move back when perhaps the same handling company they had left buys SAS ground handling?