LCY ground handling situation.
 

A Cityjet cabin crew member told me that Cobalt GS will be shutting down their LCY operation as a new and much cheaper ground handling agent is coming in, browsing on the internet I found Aria Logistics, their website is www.arialogistics.eu

Has anyone heard anything?

To be honest I find it a bit strange that Cobalt GS will shut down LCY all together.

TUPE
 

Just changing the name of the agent does not allow the handler to reduce the staff costs. they would be obliged to take the Cobalt staff on their existing terms and conditions

True, I don't really see how they can cut costs so much. I think it could just be a rumour. But anyone know whether Cobalt are leaving LCY?

Cobalt handle ALL non Air France numbered commercial traffic so would seem unlikely unless Air France / CityJet are going to be taking over some of this business keeping it in the group. Would BA really risk an untried newbie on their flagship LCY-JFK service?

Let's not forget that ramp handling is done by London City Airport, so maybe a lot of airlines will just be okay with changing to Aria Logistics for passenger handling/ramp supervision and keeping some supervision.

I don't really see the point for Cityjet in keeping their own ground handling, as Cobalt is part of the same group.

Is there ant truth in the rumour that Cobalt have lost the BA contract at LCY?

From what I hear, Aria have indeed won the BA contract.

CityJet handling is still carried out with staff employed through Aviation Resource and I'm sure Aria gained some staff through the same channel with others taken from Cobalt.

LCY provide the baggage handling, marshallers etc.

Hmm so in affect everybody is handled by the same agents again, but a different company and name. So apart from a cost point of view as i am sure they will be cheaper than Cobalt, no airline is going to gain from a more personalised handling experience at LCY. Perhaps BA should have stayed with Cobalt, then at least they would have had a more dedicated handling agent for their needs. I wonder why BA didnt see that as an option?

So the situation that we'll see in the next few months in terms of passenger handling and ramp supervision will be Cityjet self-handling, Aria handling all other airlines?

Anyone know whether Swiss and Lufthansa are transferring to Aria as well?

I can't see two third party handling agents remaining in LCY.

BA are turning over their LCY handling operation to a company without a website? Blimey!
Um...translates as "We have no track record but will do the job for much cheapness." Are the COBALT staff being made redundant?

I've heard a rumour that Aria is set up by a senior person who has extensive knowledge of running ground handling in LCY so this may inspire more confidence (although it is rumour and not fact). I am sure there will be a selection of good people who would want to transfer across if this is the case from AFS and Cobalt.

I would be very surprised if they were as this would be covered by TUPE.

Big step for BA, as pointed out the company dont even have a working website!! one assumes they have been given some reassurances by Aria?

Interesting to note that Aria's offices are based in Heathrow airport, maybe they'll be opening a ground handling division in LHR as well.


@ marlowe: Last time I flew from LCY the Cobalt GS working at the BA check-in desks had a BA uniform so it wouldn't surprise me that they will all transfer to Aria Logistics.

aex, I am sure the ground staff will be the subject of TUPE if they are to be transferred across to Aria. and i am sure they will apply the same standard of service that they do for Cobalt and the airlines they service, but the Aria management must have promised somethings to BA to get them to swap to them where as if BA had stayed with Cobalt they would have had an almost exclusive service from Cobalt at LCY, your own handling agent but without the overheads of having it in house sounds like the perfect set up.

LCY
 

Cobalt have lost all contracts at LCY to ARIA - ARIA run by ex Cobalt managers or so I'm told...Fair point made as to why BA would not stay with Cobalt for specialised service...They did wait for LX and LH to jump first, setup the handling and see how it went prior to changing themselves...something smells funny here!!:oh:

What did Cobalt to so wrong to go from a virtual monopoly to station closure overnight?

The Cityjet cabin crew told me that it was something to do with Cobalt being too expensive. Don't know if there is more to it.

Would this mean the demise of Cobbalt ( frog's in clogs ) at T4 LHR ?? as Aria's Head Office address is just up the road :suspect:

No chance. Cobalt handle all KLM + Air France flights at T4 in LHR plus a lot of other airlines. Furthermore there had been rumours in the past that Alitalia's LHR ground handling division would be sold to Cobalt and the Italian airline would buy some of the shares.

Not heard that one , did hear Cobbalt had approached DNATA about selling off to them ........

There has been a further change at LCY.

Cityjet has stopped self-handling and has sold the division to Sky Handling Partner which is the same company to whom they sold Cityjet Handling in DUB many years ago.

Therefore in LCY there will be Sky Handling Partner and Aria.



GROUPE CRIT IMPLEMENTS GROUND HANDLING ACTIVITIES IN NEW UK AIRPORT.
Sep 22, 2011
Ground Services

Sky Handling Partner U.K., a Groupe Crit subsidiary, has been awarded the tender issued by CITYJET, the Irish subsidiary of Air France, to provide Ground handling services for all their flights at London City Airport.

Sky Handling Partner U.K. has secured a 3 years contract, effective on 15th October 2011, for the provision of passenger and weight and balance services to CITYJET at London City Airport.

This contract represents approximately 30% of the total flight activity in the airport which is located in the heart of the English capital. The expected number of flights to be serviced for the duration of the Handling contract is 37,500.

Sky Handling Partner U.K. will also benefit from the anticipated increase in air business traffic at London City Airport due to the hosting of the Olympic games in 2012.

This commercial success highlights the quality of the Group airlines services sector which was selected for this “premium” airport that has a significant proportion of business travelling passengers.

Therefore, this important contract enables Groupe Crit, one of the leading Ground handling players in France, Africa, and Ireland (with Dublin and Shannon stations), to establish a third station in the UK and Irish market.

Furthermore the entry of SHP UK at London City Airport will purport an excellent opportunity to develop our customer base at this location and build on the strong relationship that exists with our leading global airline customer base.

http://evaint.com/industry-news/-gro...new-uk-airport

Is that from 22-Sep-2012?

I think the date is right and that the staff have already transferred to the new company. I did this research on the internet as I spoke to a Cityjet cabin crew who told me about it. Personally I was quite surprised but airlines are slowly trying to sell their self handling units.

I only ask as CityJet Ground Ops and CityJet Flight Ops are still in place at City. One would assume Ground Ops would have gone if they'd been outsourced last September?

Sorry but could not find any further information. Keep me updated if you find out anything more.

CityJet has never been self hadle !!!

The previous handling agent was aviation resources ...

The only person employed by CityJet was only the station manager.

They have "CityJet Ground Ops", "CityJet Flight Operations" and "CityJet Engineering" all on one frequency at LCY. All are still in use as well, are they really third party given that they explicitly use the "CityJet" callsign?

They are not employed directly by the company !

Trying to find some info on LCY Handling situation.

Heard that Aria are one but their website is on a warning with malware.
Sky Handling Partner are in Ireland but no reference to LCY. If this is the same co how do they expect to attract new business?
Aviation Resources the third but get the impression they are are no more.

The airport authority take ages to answer their phones & even when they do it sound like they're in a call centre in Delhi and have no idea what a handling company is. All i got was a number that is always engaged.

Can someone provide contact details for Handling (not GA or Biz Jets) companies at LCY. This info seems to be rather scarce even on the LCY website & lcacc.org

I believe self handling is not an option but was rather surprised how uninformative LCY website is.
Thanks

Has anyone got any updates on the above? I'm interested to hear about LCY.

I've heard there is only Sky handling partner and Aria. I can't get any info from either if their websites.

I went on Groupe Europe Handling's website (the company that owns Sky Handling Partner) and there is no reference at all about London City Airport.

Groupe Europe Handling

It's all very strange. I suppose the only way to get the answer would be to go to LCY and ask the staff behind the Cityjet counter.

fuel @ LCY
 

How can it be that LCY doubled the fuel price in the last 2 month?

Just to confirm that Sky Handling Partner operates in LCY, their website has been updated now.

Welcome to Sky Handling Partner

aex: there is no information about London City operation.

anyway, the story that I know is that Aria is bankrupt, and SkyHandling took over the outsource handling service from Aviation Resources (WX-AF/KL operation).

Aria Logistic still handles all the Airlines that operate from/to LCY. In addition they have got BA City flyer and BA mainline for NYC. All dedicated Uniformed Front-Line Team & Ticket Desk.

It seems that as operational Team they still separate but under the management is the same

Is not very clear yet what's behind this strange story.