LGW Virgin contract
 

Hi

Does anyone know which way VS are swinging on their contract renewal?

Aviance renewal or Groundstar ???

No matter which way they swing, I imagine whats good for LGW will transpose to MAN as well. Seems the sensible option to keep a single agent across the UK.

Dependant on Aviance's reported financial troubles, and the possible buy out of Groundstar by Swissport, maybe a change is on the cards!

Does anyone else agree?

Well VS are limited in their choices at LGW.

LGW only has Aviance/Ground*/Servisair/BA

Servisair are a No No and VS and BA wouldnt touch each other, so only leaves Aviance and Ground*!

So back to the original question, which one?

OTV

Aviance's reported financial troubles ???? Don't think so, they are the only handling company making any money at the moment in the UK.

Whilst they may have lost contracts at LGW, hence reducing revenue, the 15 other airports they operate at are doing very nicely.

Virgin got their fingers burnt at LGW when they went to BMHS, soon went back to GHI and no doubt this is a cost cutting exercise by VS, as all airlines do, to play Groundstar off against Aviance to get the cheapest deal.

Silky

VS did not go running back to GHI!

GHI bought BMHS and thats how Aviance was formed!

Red is right, GHi bought out BMHS(and MAS) to form Aviance...... Silky....get it right, Aviance only made a profit thru Go- Ahead - the trains and bus services.....Maybe at MAN but not LGW and def. not LHR... i've seen the figures and heard the excuses!!!! Expect a big staff cull at LGW especially if VS quit... (from what i hear 150+ Posn's).

They never went running back to GHi... CLP was ALWAYS done by them!!

But who could they go to....

It doesn't have to be ex LGW,

Maybe CLP at LX(Swiss)in ZRH, KL(AMS) or any one big in CLP anyone could take them on!!!!!

As is my understanding you had to have 2 contracts in LGW to start up, BMHS picked up Monarch (1999)......... and then VS as part of their old handling agreement at LHR but only to do the traffic, ramp and c/in parts (and then BA cityflier) All Sth terminal contracts. But GHi HAVE ALWAYS done the CLP for VS network wide, first at that sh***y landside office (below little Ed's) and then in the new office.

The problem in LGW is that they live in the dark ages..... Get out of each others pockets and out of the old boy network lets play golf routine and run like PROPER companies eg only 4 handling co's (BY and servisair) and up til 2001 only BA and GHi in NTH term.........(until EK and DL went to servisair)

to many old crawley by-laws running LGW.......


Maybe Swissport buying Groundstar will put the cat among the pidgeons.

WTD

Only the cost airlines will be the saviour of LGW!!!!

Try G*

Watch this space

Chef

Wise words!


I have heard G* have got the contract, and VS signed today!

Yep G* have been awarded the contract.

Good luck to VS because it will be a whole lot different for G* to handle a quality scheduled airline product.

Is the contract staying with Aviance at MAN or have Groundstar been successful up there as well.

Good luck to all at Groundstar, a feather in the cap there I think.

Surely not

please explain!!

a quality scheduled airline if they can get the FR product right along with the EZY product and there not doing too bad at the MON product i am sure that VS will be a challenge however the company is versatile and receptive to change if needed, with some bloody good staff to support them. Give them a chance

chef

So with G* getting the contract what will happen to the centralised load planning department???

All,

Undoubtedly the VS contract will bring new challenges to G*, but bear in mind that a lot of G* staff have experience gained at other handling agents and will be able to deal with this without any worries...

I for one will be watching this space with some interest...

Phoenix

Without any worries?

I think they may have a few problems. G* are the same as most handling agents. Firstly they will employ most of the Aviance people that work on the VS contract already, and G* also pay peanuts, and we all know what you get if you pay peanuts.........


Good luck VS!

CLP contact is seperate to ground handling and remains with Aviance.

Chef,
With the greatest respect to the airlines currently handled by G*, the VS product is light years more complex and the Shares system used by VS is a tad quirky as well.

Even with taking aviance staff, and with management who have handled VS before, I think that it will be a challenging time.

Good luck to all

It doesn't matter who handles them,

A handling agent is a handling agent.

Staff movement means that it can be the same staff handling them for 1 company 1 day and then the same staff in another company the next.

This is no disrespect to the staff at ground level.

They work hard!!! They get the same lack of support, same level of (under)staffing and the same crap equipment as usual.... Its the managers losing contracts for the company only to find themselves in charge of the same contracts they lost but in a job they fell into.

Where did g* MGT staff come from (LTN/LHR and all the ex BMHS excess at LGW) per chance and just remember BMHS, where did they get their staff from when they entered LGW thats right ex GHi.

All it means is..... slightly better or worse service for the contract airlines - any delays can be covered up but what they do get is the PRICE they want!!!!! and if the service is bad they'll drop g* and head back to aviance under even more favourable contract terms.

WTD

I worked 8 years for BMHS, and just when I thought things couldn't get worse, along came Aviance.

VS's perception is clouded by the fact that their ground handling at LHR was pretty good in the early days, especially check-in and ops. Sir Dick regretted going self-handling at check-in/ops, but he is mistaken if he thinks that G*, Aviance or any other could ever improve on eachother. Cutting costs in the short term will have long term and probably irreversable consequences. But that is the effect of competitive pressure from the LCAs.

G* did not make a bad job when the took over the Ryanair contract at STN, which by all accounts was a total mess before they won the contract.

Give them a chance to prove themselves, I think we may all be surprised by their success.

oh please get over yourself!!!!

Where does this misplaced loyalty come from????

Dont be sucked in as i said and i'm sure many others will agree with me a handling agent is just that.... dont be fooled by the bull!

especially with swissport taking over (if that happens)!

I've seen the figures, been involved with new contracts and heard the crap that goes with taking on a new contract (plus i know lots of people at LGW).

Please don't be so naive!!!!

pls do not be fooled by company s**t especially from handling agents THEY ARE THE WORST!!!

WTD