Jersey Handling

[wakeup]

Just a rumor that I heard this morning. Is it true that there will only be one handling agent at Jersey this summer? Looks like the circus has arrived!!!

[Jerbourg]

I doubt Aurigny & Blue Islands will go to handling, both are capable (just) of handling other airlines, so I make that 3 handling agents.

[jerboy]

Just a rumor that I heard this morning. Is it true that there will only be one handling agent at Jersey this summer? Looks like the circus has arrived!!!

News is that Aviance are pulling out of the Island. They do the ramp for Airline Services (ASCIL), who as far as I know are sticking around. As far as I can guess ASCIL will be subcontracting Servisair to do their ramp for them.

The only contract aviance themselves held was for bmibaby, with ASCIL providing pax services. All other contracts (BA, WOW, NM, Palmair etc) are held by ASCIL with aviance providing ramp services.

It is therefore the future of the baby contract that is in doubt; and I wouldn't put it past Servisair to offer a significantly better price than what aviance offered just so they can take the business and make ASCIL's position more difficult. Whether ASCIL could survive on just the BA and other smaller contracts it has remains to be seen (if indeed baby do go to Servisair).

Aviance were formed from the old British Midland Handling, and has had a presence at JER for the past 40 years, so its a sad day, not least for the guys that will find themselves without a job in a few weeks... I doubt TUPE rules apply down in the Channel Islands.

I also really hope we don't lose ASCIL, they're a small local handling agent (formed from BA handling about 12 years ago), and has therefore struggled to pick up business with Servisair being able to significantly undercut on price. SI/GR would struggle to handle much more than themselves without significant investment and so it would leave Servisair as the major handling agent on the rock... not a great situation IMO.

I guess this summer's all a bit up in the air then, all the best to everyone.

[OA32]

All true I'm afraid they are finishing at the end of March, thats why the Aviance Station Manager jumped ship and got a consultancy contract with Jersey Airport. It's been about 5 years since Aviance did a deal with ASCIL for the BA/BMI/Baby contracts so its going full circle unless ASCIL are going to start ramp services. I have to agree with Jerboy that having the Circus as the major handling agent will not necessarily be a good thing.

[macuser]

What's not a good thing is having a super E195 flight ex-LGW in less than 35 mins then wait around in arrivals for 20 mins waiting for bags! If any new organisation can improve - bring it on!!!

[macuser]

I get very worried about a "consultancy contract", don't you? all we want is a speedy deal through the airport, no more bureaucracy - surely!!!

[jerboy]

Macuser - The consultancy post is apparently for a new check-in baggage system planning on being installed in departures. VERY cushty salary (its States of Jersey, so no surprises there) so I'm not surprised he left to go do it. The fact that he upped and left with no warning, and no replacement in the post is a different matter. The writing was on the wall.

20 mins, not great, but nothing particularly shocking. Remember most airlines, including BE will be paying the lowest rates they can for ground handling meaning the companies operate with the lowest possible staff. Aviance are usually good with BA/Baby... I guess everyone will have to wait a bit longer now.

[OA32]

macuser

Like Jerboy says, the airlines keep offering less money but the handling agents don't help the situation by constantly undercutting to keep contracts. The rumour last year was ASCIL had the flybe contract until the Circus went back and undercut them by about £50k. Flybe also refused to pay for more than 4 check-in desks even on a Saturday which led to queues of passengers flowing outside the departures hall to the point where it featured in the local paper. The Airport Director then ended up suggesting the airport might be able to provide staff to help check-in at busy times with no cost to Flybe.....

Jerboy

To clarify, it is a consultancy post, so along with a lot of other 'consultants' the management are using at the moment he won't appear on the staff listing.

[macuser]

OA32 - I was in that queue which was heavily featured in the local press! I think there were only two desks operating for quite a while. The handling agents were sending out staff to calm the waiting pax - those staff practically having a nervous breakdown in the process. In the end pax were being called forward by destination to meet flight check-in time limits - and this not over the PA system but by loud voice in an already noisy, crowded departure hall. A real shocker. There seemed to be no recognition that BE had around 10 flight departures scheduled within a one hour period - mostly Dash 8 so potentially around 750 pax to be handled within a limited period. Not a way to leave a lasting, positive impression on departing visitors.

That said, from more recent experience, if you can check-in at home and print out your boarding pass, the check-in process is now very much speeded up.

Happy 2010 summer season!

[Waving_tug_boy]

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THESE Airline Services Limited : : Home (http://www.airline-services.com/) GUYS?

[jerboy]

tug_boy:

No, in JER its officially Airline Services Channel Islands Ltd (ASCIL). Its a local company providing handling in JER. They also run the BA Travel Shop in town under a franchise agreement.

There's plenty of Airline Services around... not a very original name!

[Waving_tug_boy]

Ah.... :ok: