FlyBe BHX

[legalize]

Announcement to come in a day or 2. FlyBe to change handling agent however I am not sure which one.

[kasuga]

Airline services or Swissport :ugh:

interesting summer ahead for whoever wins the contract, hopefully they will have learned from Menzies attempt.:ok:

[number1delta]

Personally I think it will be Swissport. However Swissport have made it clear that they will not require any staff from menzies if they win the contract due to them still running on Summer staffing levels.

[kasuga]

No1 delta.dont know where you got your information about staffing levels, but Swissport had a major tranche of redundancies at the end of October :oh:

[number1delta]

Kasuga

It was around 3% of the workforce that got made redundant. All of which were selected due to their atrocious sick records.

[figgi_gsm]

Any news on the winner?

[groundhogbhx]

Yes, number1dimebar, people with 1 day sick were selected! Really atrocious sickness record there!

[number1delta]

legalise

what happened to the announcement? looks like your contacts were not all that..:ok::ok:

[groundhogbhx]

Just had the news that Menzies have just told their staff that they have lost the contract. The big question now is which other handling agent is about to have the noose around their necks? :eek:

[legalize]

Swissport will be announcing to their staff later on today. They were told not to announce until the Menzies staff had been told.

[learjet50]

Is this just at Birmingham or the whole of the UK

[VictorCharlieTen]

- EDI staff just told this morning too. The U.k I would assume. As for the noose etc, work is work and the contract keeps people in it. The noose round your neck is still better than hanging from it. . :*

[The96er]

I've been informed that Flybe have a meeting with Menzies MAN tomorrow. So if it is a national contract, you may have to wait a little longer for the official announcement.

[groundhogbhx]

VCten, every handling that has handled Flybe at BHX has been dragged down by the contract, losing other profitable contracts because of it and putting a huge strain on the station budget. Unless Flybe have learned that you get what you pay for then the new contract holders will have their work cut out to keep afloat. Far better to lose a few jobs and secure the rest than to put everyone at risk!

[VictorCharlieTen]

GHBHX, - I agree with your logic. I do. Maybe along with everybody else ?, I have difficulty understanding why handling Europe's largest regional airline should be so bad. I've seen the accounting with regards to a FlyBe turnaround and yeah, it's a pretty grim task when it's all said and done. This should help Menzies. - When I left them in 2013 the share price was £8.30 odds. It's fallen to £3.50 in less than 18 months. Craig Smyth gone, - Andy Boyd gone, senior vice John Mullen gone. - They are a shadow of what I joined in 2005. Good luck to everyone remaining in work with them and good luck to everyone else trying to keep their head above water in this once great workplace. Handling Europe's largest regional should be cause for cheer, not jeer :rolleyes:

[legalize]

Been announced officially. Swissport have won the contract.:D:D

Feel sorry fo rmy old pals who have now gone through this many times.:ugh::ugh:

[The96er]

Been announced officially. Swissport have won the contract.

Just BHX or elsewhere ?

[groundhogbhx]

The96er - BHX/EDI

VCTen, a lot of the problems at BHX were normally down to Flybe having Duty Managers that used to interfere with those trying to get the job done and would throw their weight around at the department supervisors to get what they wanted, normally more than the contract was based on and attributing delays to the handling agent to cover airline problems. It never helped that their Ops were known to change the flying program on a whim, even if it meant stopping boarding a flight to use that aircraft for something else. Ops Flashes normally average more than one an hour and generally show that those making these decisions don't have a clue about the impact they have at the airports in question.

An example for you.
Ops: We need to get the spare aircraft ready for the next Belfast. The current one has a tech problem and can't fly into Belfast.
Me: You do realize that the spare is covered in snow and its stand hasn't been cleared.
Ops: Yes, but the other one can't go to Belfast.
Me: OK, where is the other aircraft at the moment?
Ops: On its way to Belfast.
Me: But you just said it can't fly to Belfast?
Ops: Yes, that's correct!
Me: So you want us to get an aircraft off a stand that is covered in snow and tow it along taxiways that are covered in slush to replace an aircraft that is tech and can't fly to Belfast that is currently on its way there?
Ops: Yes!

:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[backtrack_32]

The96er

Join Date: May 2005
Location: U.K
Posts: 290
I've been informed that Flybe have a meeting with Menzies MAN tomorrow. So if it is a national contract, you may have to wait a little longer for the official announcement.

First things first... I don't know how to quote

Secondly, who has told you that 69er? As its not correct. No meetings today been held with Menzies, it's a coincidence that FLYBE are having a meeting and just so happens that manchester is central for every one.

[VictorCharlieTen]

I think Logan might have 18 months left of that deal Skysky ?. Remember they were keen to move from Servisair just before the Swissport deal. It would not surprise me if the red, white and dark blue moved to Swissport totally come June. I think that's the next what-if. Aren't Swissport the preferred handler elsewhere for B.A ?. Don't Swissport already have FlyBe at GLA, NCL etc ?. It's pretty much a national thing I think the airline want ?. GHBHX, - yeah, we've had eerily similar happenings at EDI with the airline. Another one of those do this.. - do that all whilst sitting on an umpteenth tea or coffee looking at a computer generated utopian ground handling planning program ? ?, - HellO !.

[backtrack_32]

BA tried to go to Menzies in summer 2014 as swissport were doing such a bad job of it. But Menzies declined it as it was such a big operation.

[VictorCharlieTen]

- I worked for Aviance in 2007 when they took B.A in the regions. Noboby was ready (nor did we anticipate) what was in store. After 3 months it stabilised and a year or 2 into it everything was actually great. All was well until Servisair arrived and took out most of the senior staff and in my opinion made a mess of it in 3 months. They too then stabilised it until B.A went to Menzies in June 2012. They run it with less than a skeleton staff (or are they always unlucky with sickness etc esp at the weekends ? ?). I've heard senior B.A people say that they are both a) - Sick and tired of Menzies and b) - They've never had it better. One thing's for sure. Most of our airlines are just like rate-tarts in the business world. They will simply go for the cheapest option and then SHOUT for the whole time the contract is in whoevers hands. - As I said, - a once great workplace turned to **** in most airports of the U.k.

[legalize]

Do Swissport bhx have enough staff to handle flybe or will they accept staff from menzies on a tupe transfer?

[BEST L/CONTROLLER]

There was a meeting in MAN and it is a contract renewal meeting, it will be a while before we know but I say good riddance, all of the issues with Flybe are their own, and this is what the handling agents no matter who they are because all handling agents are the same,, its all the same **** you just get a different colour pay slip.

[legalize]

Rumour has it swissport have agreed to take between 60-80 staff from menzies. im sure menzies will give the cream of the crop. :ok::ok:

[kasuga]

Legalize, why are you determined to post anti Swissport vitriol all the time :confused:

[number1delta]

Makes no diffrence to me. same job in a diffrent uniform.

[Ihadadream]

I agree with VictorCharlie. This used to be a great industry and a fun job. And it still is, except the pay has gotten a lot worse.
Until the airlines stop going with the lowest bidder GH, it's just going to get worse at all handlers. Airlines want the lowest price - and I hate to say it, you get what you pay for......
I've seen Airbus and Boeing turns billed out at £230 - and that includes baggage, check-in, boarding and pushback. You know it's not profitable at that price. And thats why GH loves de-ice.... Its the only time they can make a profit on the year.

[VictorCharlieTen]

That is it Ihadadream. I have also seen the end-game £ wise that an Airline can force. Penalties etc. . - You made us late, you caused more delays down the line - here is another fine etc. In those cases the turnarounds equate to free !. I have even heard that RyanAir get a turn for nothing and the handling agent takes the excess baggage or gate baggage for the flights as a reward for handling them ?
It was with a very heavy heart that after 10 years in Dispatch I thought I would turn my hand to, aircraft De-Icing. Seeing those bills now go out the other way brings a smile to my face and so it should. :cool: :E

[Ihadadream]

Hadn't heard the RyanAir deal VC. Small wonder we can't recruit into the industry any more.

What with the beancounters screwing with staff levels and pay, airlines demanding quicker turns with less staff... I still love my work. But I still long for the good old days - three ramp rats riding the belt loader up to the hold.....

Let's not even get started on the HSE aspect of our departments ...

[VictorCharlieTen]

- Probably a good idea :) Because the Aviation environment is so unique, there are many people who now would work for the minimum wage just for the chance to work in the industry. I saw a job with Volotea as an internship. - 500 Euros a month, - I mean - £373 PER MONTH. The dole is more than that and although there are very FEW people who want to sit about and do nothing is it any wonder we are about to see deflation in Europe and things are where we are ?. The answer our great leaders think is QE : Printing out the billions and billions that have been stolen by the Banks etc but EVERY ground handling agent needs to introduce minimum handling charges and actually follow it through. They are all responsible for cutting each others throats, - IF you want handled by us its £900, - "Ok, - we will just go to X", - Fine, goodbye. X then says, sorry IF you want handled by us its £900. etc etc etc. :D

[legalize]

Heard from some ex colleagues at menzies that they will be told in the next week if they will be tuped to swissport. They seemed pretty happy about being tuped but i dont think they understand the reality of how bad other HA are.

[Ihadadream]

yeah but have you worked for Menzie "legalize"
But as you point out, all GHC's have their issues.

I know Ramp Agents with Menzies that are waiting for OT for 6 months or more as their payroll system is messed up.

[tickerdboo]

We're all doomed....... BIG Issue.....BIG Issue......

[legalize]

Any truth to the rumour that 70 staff will transfer from Menzies to Swissport on the 28th March at BHX?

If it is true which departments are they mainly from? And how many staff will it leave at Mnezies?

[kasuga]

Legalize , why not call Menzies 😉

[TECHSEC1]

Legalize - perhaps your 'reliable' or 'not so reliable' source will know - or is that where the rumour has come from?

There is no way that Servisair/Swissport or whatever they want to be called at the moment could handle the additonal work without taking some staff so I would like to wish any staff transferring under TUPE good luck - at least you will have job security for a while longer.

[legalize]

Seems like SP BHX will be making an announcement tomorrow regarding the new Norwegian flight. Looks like they will now be tuping over 100 staff from Menzies with all the additional work

Lights off at menzies it looks like.

[number1delta]

legalize. i heard it was more like 60-70 staff going on a tupe transfer to swissport. apparently swissport have now been given the names of all the staff members that will be going over to them.

[MEZEGPD]

No news coming out of MAN/ABZ at the moment however I'm unsure of the current contract durations.