Birmingham Airport - General Thread

[wolfheze]

Off with his head !

You've been to coventry then.

 

[Ray Finkle]

You've been to coventry then.

I went a couple of weeks ago and the Godiva Clock is still broken

 

[wolfheze]

I went a couple of weeks ago and the Godiva Clock is still broken

Might be a couple of quid left in the pot to fix it after the council have moved out of a perfectly good council house to the new multi million pound office block at the station.

 

[58terminus]

You've been to coventry then.

I hate that ring road with a passion which coming from a Brummie and our road system is saying something.

 

[nwoody2001]

soooo... we back on topic yet?

 

[rollo]

You've been to coventry then.

Of course I've been to Coventry, wife discovered there's a bloody Ikea there.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Birmingham has seen a new airline, basing brand spanking new next generation aircraft, with two TATL routes on sale and a further two coming soon yet you'd barely know it.

Putting 'Birmingham Airport' into Google and pressing 'news' gives me three articles about luggage being left behind, two articles about violent passengers, four articles about car parking and ONE mentioning the new flights to New York and Boston!

I think Mr Winstanley needs to get out there and start doing some interviews

 

[nwoody2001]

indeed.... and im concerned that these flights are yet to appear on the main flight search websites such as Skyscanner and Google Flights. It is key they flights are loaded up on these platforms ASAP given however relatively unknown Primera are in the UK. Very few people will know to look at their website to book flights on these routes!!!

 

[rollo]

Both BHX and Primera should be shouting from the roof tops and at the same time coordinating a joint campaign, not doing the first,better be doing the second.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I sincerely hope that is the plan, these flights are going to need all of the exposure they can get.

Incidentally I just put Primera Air into Google News and was rewarded with a whole host of articles about their new routes.......from Stansted! I think one article about Birmingham, from the Coventry Telegraph, may have been in there somewhere.

It looks as if there is a lot of work to do over the next 10 months.

 

[Ashley]

Paul Kehoe was one bloke who shouted awfully lot for the airport. Have BHX got anybody like him at present? Time will tell.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Issue with Swissport Ground Operations
Birmingham Airport can confirm that ground handler, Swissport, is experiencing staff issues which are severely impacting on the operation and passengers.

Swissport is contracted by airlines to manage ground operations at Birmingham; however, recognising the impact to customers, the Airport is providing significant operational support to assist the ground handler.

Despite this effort, the Airport regrets to inform passengers travelling from Birmingham that they may suffer delays today as a result of Swissport’s staff absence.

Birmingham Airport is doing everything in its power to support Swissport, and sincerely apologises for the impact this is having on passengers travelling through Birmingham.

Passengers should feedback concerns to their airline, which contracts Swissport to provide ground services. A list of airlines can be found here

 

[nwoody2001]

I'm assuming this is an official announcement from Birmingham airport???

 

[BHX492]

why vlm still on the list

 

[58terminus]

Despite this effort, the Airport regrets to inform passengers travelling from Birmingham that they may suffer delays today as a result of Swissport’s staff absence.

Are Swissport a zero hours employer?

 

[Ray Finkle]

According to one article I read almost 30 staff off today with sickness.

 

[58terminus]

According to one article I read almost 30 staff off today with sickness.

I don't know what percentage that is but for the middle of summer it seems a lot.Are they having the same problems at other airports or are they not as dominant so it doesn't have the same effect? It does hint at big problems with employee relations.
For the airport to issue this statement must mean they are also at the end of their tether but passing the buck does not solve the problem.For passengers it is always the airport or airline at fault.
Hope the new ground handling agent can grow quickly.

 

[JF57]

Surely it is not that long ago that everyone was complaining about the poor performance of Aviator I think it was. When they eventually pulled out Swissport took it all over presumably including most of the Aviator staff under TUPE rules.

Sounds as if Swissport took too much on.

 

[rollo]

I agree passengers will always blame the airport /airlines for delays but it spreads further with people coming to collect waiting around (parking costs /congestion ) and when passengers get asked about their holiday say great but? It spreads out like
ripples in a pond.
Bet the employees are minimum wage and along with unsociable hours, temporary contracts and absenteeism staff tunover is bound to be high.This happens every year and difficult as it is management should have plans, management being Bhx, airlines and handling agents.What that plan should be I don't know, maybe a small labour poole on standby at peak times expensive yes but so is this.Other industries do this where production lines or continuous processing must run all the time or stop completely.
Trying to convince Mr Ryanair might be a tad difficult tho!

This is all part of the bigger problems of terminal congestion this summer and if BHX are not careful and do not take rapid action they will end up with a reputation that somewhere like LTN has which is not good.

 

[58terminus]

Does the problem boil down to a lack of baggage handlers? To do that you need a relatively young and fit workforce.
Paying min wage AND unsociable hours will not attract or keep them.Maybe paying a decent wage will.