Trends in ground handling
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Getting rid of dispatchers is a big mistake if you ask me, but of course being one I maybe a bit biased 
But I have never seen it as being a good thing.
For example I was a dispatcher for KLM and we were working closely with Air France who did not use dispatcher on its AMS flights but iso the role was partly done by ramp staff, partly by Passage staff...
Their punctuality was crap where ours was excellent and AF was the first to agree that it was because there was one person in charge of the flight and not three or four different ones
But I have never seen it as being a good thing.
For example I was a dispatcher for KLM and we were working closely with Air France who did not use dispatcher on its AMS flights but iso the role was partly done by ramp staff, partly by Passage staff...
Their punctuality was crap where ours was excellent and AF was the first to agree that it was because there was one person in charge of the flight and not three or four different ones
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Get rid of the dispatcher and you've got no-one to take full responsibility for the safe and efficient turnaround of an aircraft. That means no-one to:
Check the loaders are loading the correct bags cargo and mail into the correct holds...
Check the gate staff are boarding the correct pax in the correct manner onto the correct plane...
Chase up all the service providers and ensure they are keeping to SLA's
Check the fuelling is correct and that correct fuelling procedures are being followed if pax are boarding during fuelling
Ensure the aircraft is in trim and produce and/or check the loadsheet is correct and reflects the way the holds are loaded and the pax are sat
Sign off all the paperwork
Ensure all DfT, CAA, airport and airline rules and regulations are followed
Account for every minute of every delay
Spot and rectify the mistakes made by the increasing number of poorly trained low paid staff currently being recruited in an attempt to cut costs
Offload the drunk and the aggressive before they get the chance to wreak havoc at 30000 feet... (and find their bags)
Reassure the nervous and pacify the delayed and the disgruntled
Deal with just about everything else that can and does go wrong during a turnaround...
Get rid of the dispatcher and you've also got no-one to blame...
Check the loaders are loading the correct bags cargo and mail into the correct holds...
Check the gate staff are boarding the correct pax in the correct manner onto the correct plane...
Chase up all the service providers and ensure they are keeping to SLA's
Check the fuelling is correct and that correct fuelling procedures are being followed if pax are boarding during fuelling
Ensure the aircraft is in trim and produce and/or check the loadsheet is correct and reflects the way the holds are loaded and the pax are sat
Sign off all the paperwork
Ensure all DfT, CAA, airport and airline rules and regulations are followed
Account for every minute of every delay
Spot and rectify the mistakes made by the increasing number of poorly trained low paid staff currently being recruited in an attempt to cut costs
Offload the drunk and the aggressive before they get the chance to wreak havoc at 30000 feet... (and find their bags)
Reassure the nervous and pacify the delayed and the disgruntled
Deal with just about everything else that can and does go wrong during a turnaround...
Get rid of the dispatcher and you've also got no-one to blame...
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I agree
AF has put the ramp chief (don't know how you call them in English) as more or less in charge of the flight, with the Loading Instruction and Loadsheet in charge of a CLC.
But the result is crap because it means he cannot do his job as efficiently as before and because he is missing the knowledge of the dispatcher to solve problems. Therefore any flight which does not go accordingly to plan has huge delays because there's nobody to arrange things.
AF has put the ramp chief (don't know how you call them in English) as more or less in charge of the flight, with the Loading Instruction and Loadsheet in charge of a CLC.
But the result is crap because it means he cannot do his job as efficiently as before and because he is missing the knowledge of the dispatcher to solve problems. Therefore any flight which does not go accordingly to plan has huge delays because there's nobody to arrange things.
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Dropline,
You miss the point.
What you are identifying is that people are not doing what thay are supposed to do - nearly all your points are check/chase items - add in either hand held or stand located access to DCS and you will struggle to justify the role IF everyone does as they are supposed to.
Splitting responsibility to overwing/underwing; loading TL responsible for underwing and for the vereification of the load; boarding agent responsible for overwing and for confirmation of boarding. Load planning and loadsheet provided by remote CLC facility and ACARS on aircraft. Service providers do what they are paid to do and why do you need a dispatcher?
Now, you may quote that at your airport etc. it would not work but that is not to say that, with the right structure, training etc. it could not work. It has and does work at some airports.
As an ex Dispatcher myself and then having moved up into management, I know that a good dispatcher can be worth their weight in gold however, I've also managed (on a temporary basis) operations where the disaptchers have been worse than useless (although they all thought that they were the Gods of the ramp - and Jorge, not too far from where I suspect you work) and super efficient operations with no dispatch function.
If I was starting up a new GH company with no history or employment baggage I would now not plan the Dispatch function into the company operating procedures - unless the client base were non ACARS.
Just one view point, not saying that it is the right one!
GH
You miss the point.
What you are identifying is that people are not doing what thay are supposed to do - nearly all your points are check/chase items - add in either hand held or stand located access to DCS and you will struggle to justify the role IF everyone does as they are supposed to.
Splitting responsibility to overwing/underwing; loading TL responsible for underwing and for the vereification of the load; boarding agent responsible for overwing and for confirmation of boarding. Load planning and loadsheet provided by remote CLC facility and ACARS on aircraft. Service providers do what they are paid to do and why do you need a dispatcher?
Now, you may quote that at your airport etc. it would not work but that is not to say that, with the right structure, training etc. it could not work. It has and does work at some airports.
As an ex Dispatcher myself and then having moved up into management, I know that a good dispatcher can be worth their weight in gold however, I've also managed (on a temporary basis) operations where the disaptchers have been worse than useless (although they all thought that they were the Gods of the ramp - and Jorge, not too far from where I suspect you work) and super efficient operations with no dispatch function.
If I was starting up a new GH company with no history or employment baggage I would now not plan the Dispatch function into the company operating procedures - unless the client base were non ACARS.
Just one view point, not saying that it is the right one!
GH
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You're right saying that there are a lot of crappy dispatchers, at least where I'm working at the moment, but a good dispatcher will be a great asset and will be worth the extra salary 
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groundhand... you miss the point also. The trend today in ground handling is down. Everything has to be done quicker and cheaper and everyone is trying to cut costs. New contracts are won on price, and undercutting is achieved by cutting costs (and dare I say it, corners?). Handling agents and service providers are caught up in a constant cycle of redundancies and re-organisation, and the inevitable outcome is less staff on lower wages. The consequent high turnover of staff leads to a lack of experience in all areas of the operation and mistakes are becoming more and more common.
ACARS can't make a gate agent double check all the boarding cards when they don't tally and ACARS can't make the loader move the bags he put into the wrong hold by mistake! Pilots can't call ACARS up to the flight deck when they need something!
IF everyone did their job properly my job would be much easier. But they don't, which is why someone has to co-ordinate the whole show. I've lost count of the number of loadsheet, loading and boarding errors I've spotted and rectified. Lets not forget that these errors can actually cause accidents.
Take away the dispatcher and not only are you removing a vital link in the safety chain, you also have no-one in control and no-one taking responsibility. Yes there are crap dispatchers out there, but if you pay peanuts...
ACARS can't make a gate agent double check all the boarding cards when they don't tally and ACARS can't make the loader move the bags he put into the wrong hold by mistake! Pilots can't call ACARS up to the flight deck when they need something!
IF everyone did their job properly my job would be much easier. But they don't, which is why someone has to co-ordinate the whole show. I've lost count of the number of loadsheet, loading and boarding errors I've spotted and rectified. Lets not forget that these errors can actually cause accidents.
Take away the dispatcher and not only are you removing a vital link in the safety chain, you also have no-one in control and no-one taking responsibility. Yes there are crap dispatchers out there, but if you pay peanuts...
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Is an Airbus 319/320 a better option for short turnrounds than a B736/7/8?
Airbus have wider aisles and the passengers seem to be able to pass one another more easily and there is not that huge rear hold per the Boeings.
Airbus have wider aisles and the passengers seem to be able to pass one another more easily and there is not that huge rear hold per the Boeings.
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Management is a key issue - Long Post !!
Operational experience of the front line is not the only element required to make an effective manager. I will share my experience to explain my resoning.
I was one that came up through the ranks - right place, right time - and demonstrated commitment and ability got me into management relatively young. I did have over 12 years direct operational experience in all aspects of the handling operation by then (with exception of ticketing). I had the benefit of excellent operational and supervisory skills training by the well renowned airline I was working for. I was a ground handling department head in a huge airline company.
Then we were outsourced. I was now a member of a very small management team running a handling business at a major international airport. Although I knew the operation inside-out, I was not so savvy in other management skills like HR, finance, contracting, sales and marketing etc. As I had some responsibility in these areas, I kind of picked it up as I went along. I thought I was doing a good job, my boss was very happy with me and we were expanding the business in a controlled way.
Realising our people were our major asset we engaged in several inititiatives inclusing the Investors in People award scheme. Amongst other things this included a 360 degree evaluation system - something that I believe is extremely valuable (although it was very painful at the time
). Having identified weaknesses and gaps in the management team we engaged a consulting company to provide a series of one-day training courses on management skills, self analysis and team building. This was in the good old days of the mid 1990's and we were in the black figures even if only just. The investment made in training was still a relatively high part of our budget.
Encouraged by what I had learned I enrolled in a college course: Certificate in Mangement Skills - degree level. Every tuesday afternoon and evening at college for a year. Very hard work with 15 assignments to be completed during the year on the 5 elements HR, IT, Operations, Finance and Personal Development. No easy task when you are working long hours already. I persevered and graduated successfully. I found I was much changed by the experience, I was no longer just a "technical expert" but I was also much more self confident and outgoing.
Shortly after I graduated I left the handling company (although not ground handling) to take a position in an international trade organisation. Here I had the opportunity to work on many consultancy projects around the world for over 8 years. I worked with a multitude of handling organisations, both independent and airline or airport based on a wide variety of projects including quality management, safety management, company restructuring and process re-engineering.
Pretty much everywhere I found managers and department heads that were promoted from the ranks - technical expertise abounded, but not one had received any real manangement training when they clocked off their last shift and took their seat in the mangement offices. Without fail, they were all very resistant to change. It was like looking in the mirror - been there, done that and got the T-shirt.
Of course the MD or CEO was a business manager, but in my opionion his/her team were all missing a few pieces required to see the bigger picture.
Sadly many companies see training as a cost rather than an investment. They do not select employees carefully enough. faill to train and motivate them, manage them poorly and suffer from high turnover.
The whole industry is in crisis. lurching from one problem to the next.
My simplistic solution:
Pay people enough to put bread on their table.
Select people according to their aptitude and train them sufficiently.
Properly manage and motivate them.
Involve them actively in safety and quality management.
Give them the tools they need.
Listen to them and don't forget to say thank you.
Airlines do see ground handling as a necessary evil, but unless they pay sufficient fees to allow the handlers to do more than merely survive, they may end up having to do it themselves again. That will be far more expensive!
Sorry was a long post, but if you have taken the time to read it I hope there was something useful in it
I was one that came up through the ranks - right place, right time - and demonstrated commitment and ability got me into management relatively young. I did have over 12 years direct operational experience in all aspects of the handling operation by then (with exception of ticketing). I had the benefit of excellent operational and supervisory skills training by the well renowned airline I was working for. I was a ground handling department head in a huge airline company.
Then we were outsourced. I was now a member of a very small management team running a handling business at a major international airport. Although I knew the operation inside-out, I was not so savvy in other management skills like HR, finance, contracting, sales and marketing etc. As I had some responsibility in these areas, I kind of picked it up as I went along. I thought I was doing a good job, my boss was very happy with me and we were expanding the business in a controlled way.
Realising our people were our major asset we engaged in several inititiatives inclusing the Investors in People award scheme. Amongst other things this included a 360 degree evaluation system - something that I believe is extremely valuable (although it was very painful at the time
). Having identified weaknesses and gaps in the management team we engaged a consulting company to provide a series of one-day training courses on management skills, self analysis and team building. This was in the good old days of the mid 1990's and we were in the black figures even if only just. The investment made in training was still a relatively high part of our budget.Encouraged by what I had learned I enrolled in a college course: Certificate in Mangement Skills - degree level. Every tuesday afternoon and evening at college for a year. Very hard work with 15 assignments to be completed during the year on the 5 elements HR, IT, Operations, Finance and Personal Development. No easy task when you are working long hours already. I persevered and graduated successfully. I found I was much changed by the experience, I was no longer just a "technical expert" but I was also much more self confident and outgoing.
Shortly after I graduated I left the handling company (although not ground handling) to take a position in an international trade organisation. Here I had the opportunity to work on many consultancy projects around the world for over 8 years. I worked with a multitude of handling organisations, both independent and airline or airport based on a wide variety of projects including quality management, safety management, company restructuring and process re-engineering.
Pretty much everywhere I found managers and department heads that were promoted from the ranks - technical expertise abounded, but not one had received any real manangement training when they clocked off their last shift and took their seat in the mangement offices. Without fail, they were all very resistant to change. It was like looking in the mirror - been there, done that and got the T-shirt.
Of course the MD or CEO was a business manager, but in my opionion his/her team were all missing a few pieces required to see the bigger picture.
Sadly many companies see training as a cost rather than an investment. They do not select employees carefully enough. faill to train and motivate them, manage them poorly and suffer from high turnover.
The whole industry is in crisis. lurching from one problem to the next.
My simplistic solution:
Pay people enough to put bread on their table.
Select people according to their aptitude and train them sufficiently.
Properly manage and motivate them.
Involve them actively in safety and quality management.
Give them the tools they need.
Listen to them and don't forget to say thank you.
Airlines do see ground handling as a necessary evil, but unless they pay sufficient fees to allow the handlers to do more than merely survive, they may end up having to do it themselves again. That will be far more expensive!
Sorry was a long post, but if you have taken the time to read it I hope there was something useful in it
Groundhand.....
The key driving force is lowest possible cost.
In doing that you define the level of ability and expertise deployed to the various roles.
I feel you have missed how this really impacts.
The wage paid, the money/time spent on training, the money spent on equipment (buying & maintaining) etc. and the company owners (board etc) requirements for returns on investment are what decide if you can do the job.
With the key drivers these days being the minimum cost while producing a profit (often miniscule in general business terms) there are few options.
If you could attract staff with suitable skills/abilities and trained them well they could of course operate as you suggest.
But given the current market place you will not get those people generally and will get neither the funds nor the time to train up beyond absolute minimums those you do get.
I'd go so far as to suggest that if you look closely at most HA's training units/plans (and I've audited quite a few in my time) you'll see that their primary purpose is actually to protect the company (HA) from the HSE in case of accident.
This means that your loading team leader/lead pax agent/load control agent or whatever etc. actually don't have either the knowledge or probably the ability to function in that way.
They can only follow a "list" starting at item 1 and ending when the task is complete. They don't understand what each step actually does or how it integrates with the others on their list or someone elses.
Someone mentioned boarding pax while fuelling ... that's a good one and while the rules vary carrier to carrier if we're honest just how many of todays pax boarding agents, loading staff, or a/c fuellers or anyone else might actually know what the requirements are to do this?
And if they don't know either the needs or even if it's happening then how do they ensure that they don't without knowing compromise the requirements.
Other, of course, than simply saying "can't be done" !!
I see one particular handling agent lose bags off trailers regularly simply because they will not/can not (?) teach their staff how to stack them properly so they don't all come off at the first corner (of course they never use restraints as I've yet to see any on their trailers).
I've seen (and argued against) HA's fixing staff levels for a loading shift based on reducing the team numbers by one for a shift because "we did it with XX last week so keep dropping it by one crew until we hit problems!.
I often wonder from the comments I hear just how many pilots still think that the person on the headset talking to them is an engineer liney rather than realising it's simply one of the loading crew.
I've had myself to explain to a HA finance manager (who had just been recruited from outside the industry) why staff numbers fell in winter and rose in summer.
Believe me no accountant wants to have the staff employed before the revenue to pay their wages starts coming in the door......
We live in a world of minimums and that in reality means minimum costs/skills/abilities.
Not because the guys & gals doing the jobs (or even most of their managers for that matter) want it that way.
In the current economic climate this seems unlikely to change barring a serious accident being caused.
The key driving force is lowest possible cost.
In doing that you define the level of ability and expertise deployed to the various roles.
I feel you have missed how this really impacts.
The wage paid, the money/time spent on training, the money spent on equipment (buying & maintaining) etc. and the company owners (board etc) requirements for returns on investment are what decide if you can do the job.
With the key drivers these days being the minimum cost while producing a profit (often miniscule in general business terms) there are few options.
If you could attract staff with suitable skills/abilities and trained them well they could of course operate as you suggest.
But given the current market place you will not get those people generally and will get neither the funds nor the time to train up beyond absolute minimums those you do get.
I'd go so far as to suggest that if you look closely at most HA's training units/plans (and I've audited quite a few in my time) you'll see that their primary purpose is actually to protect the company (HA) from the HSE in case of accident.
This means that your loading team leader/lead pax agent/load control agent or whatever etc. actually don't have either the knowledge or probably the ability to function in that way.
They can only follow a "list" starting at item 1 and ending when the task is complete. They don't understand what each step actually does or how it integrates with the others on their list or someone elses.
Someone mentioned boarding pax while fuelling ... that's a good one and while the rules vary carrier to carrier if we're honest just how many of todays pax boarding agents, loading staff, or a/c fuellers or anyone else might actually know what the requirements are to do this?
And if they don't know either the needs or even if it's happening then how do they ensure that they don't without knowing compromise the requirements.
Other, of course, than simply saying "can't be done" !!
I see one particular handling agent lose bags off trailers regularly simply because they will not/can not (?) teach their staff how to stack them properly so they don't all come off at the first corner (of course they never use restraints as I've yet to see any on their trailers).
I've seen (and argued against) HA's fixing staff levels for a loading shift based on reducing the team numbers by one for a shift because "we did it with XX last week so keep dropping it by one crew until we hit problems!.
I often wonder from the comments I hear just how many pilots still think that the person on the headset talking to them is an engineer liney rather than realising it's simply one of the loading crew.
I've had myself to explain to a HA finance manager (who had just been recruited from outside the industry) why staff numbers fell in winter and rose in summer.
Believe me no accountant wants to have the staff employed before the revenue to pay their wages starts coming in the door......
We live in a world of minimums and that in reality means minimum costs/skills/abilities.
Not because the guys & gals doing the jobs (or even most of their managers for that matter) want it that way.
In the current economic climate this seems unlikely to change barring a serious accident being caused.
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Last year they did a test at one of the largest HA in CDG which gets all the contracts by providing the cheapest fee.
80% of their dispatchers were incapable of doing a manual loadsheet, scary...
80% of their dispatchers were incapable of doing a manual loadsheet, scary...
