Flew out on this morning’s delayed KLM flight to AMS to catch a connecting flight.
Flight departed stand at 6.45 instead of 5.55, due to “operational issues during check in, security & boarding and lack of staff” according to the captain, who understandably sounded hacked off! Like I was who had to catch a connecting flight.
I noticed 3 Ryanair flights also delayed. The Qatar wasn’t departing until around 7.25 but during security I noticed a lot of the QR flight passengers going through.
It’s understandable that staff levels are low across all areas of the airport and I don’t know how much control MAN/MAG has over the ground handling companies staff levels during each turnaround, but baggage was still being loaded at 6.40. Although it sounded like the “lack of staff” problems was more within the terminal. I passed through security at 4.30 with 2 lanes open and it was relatively quiet then.
I felt sorry for the lady from Stobart on her own during boarding at gate 27. Lots of boarding passes rejected by the scanner and another queue had to be formed to re-check passports (unknown as to why).
Each time this happens to a flight I’m on, it seems to be departing from T1, coincidence maybe, but all the times I’ve departed T3 with KLM/AF/FR at different times of the day, I’ve never had as many problems for departing flights, arrivals a different story yes.
I noticed in T3 boarding seems to start earlier.
Yes we are in exceptional and challenging times and cost has been driven down, but I do hope KLM’s operations centre inform MAN/MAG of this delay this morning, due to a number of passengers missing connecting flights (thankfully not myself though).
Maybe it is T1, maybe it’s a bad day due to high staff sickness/shortage, whatever the reason(s) I hope in time when T2X opens and certain carriers make the move, things are improved.
But for the time being and into the short-medium term, unfortunately I can’t see piers B & C leaving us...
Stay safe everyone.
