NEWS FLASH
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport will end in-house ground handling with its existing contracts to be transferred to Menzies Aviation, according to the union representing the airport’s ground handling staff. The Scottish firm operates at over 250 airports in more than sixty countries. It is due to take over Air Serbia’s ground handling operations from Belgrade Airport this Thursday. The union has expressed its dissatisfaction with the latest developments, noting the airport plans to transfer all ground handling staff to Menzies under less favourable contracts. According to the union, Belgrade Airport plans to discontinue its ground handling division altogether. Air Serbia accounts for about 70% of Belgrade Airport’s in-house ground handling business. Outsourcing ground handling to specialised companies is common at European airports. Other active handlers at Belgrade Airport include Sky Partner, which caters for the likes of Wizz Air and the Lufthansa Group, as well as the Goldair Handling, which recently secured its first contract in Belgrade with LOT Polish Airlines.
Is Vinci keeping anything related to aviation at all? I know that they are primarily a construction company, but if you have so many airport concessions, shouldn't you do something else apart from building them and then renting out everything?
ReplyDeleteIf that is their business model that brings them profit, why would that be a problem? There are specialized companies that can cover everything, so if that is easier and cheaper for them, I see no issue. They paid a lot of money for this concession and they are free to do it their way.
Delete@Anonymous 12:47
ReplyDeleteThat is all true, but that is exactly the problem. Focus is on Vinci's profit, not on airport providing good service to passengers and companies. When you split everything into pieces, so goes the responsibility and that results in luggage not being handled, airport services not working properly and so on. Previous experience has taught me that whenever the profit is the only motivator, everything eventually breaks down. In aviation, that can be very dangerous. For example, seriously damaged airplane leaking fuel parked at the gate. Forget the lost baggage, how on earth did that happen?! For me, that is a problem.
Well, their sole purpose is to earn more than they paid for the concession, and achieve the numbers the government asked for... Everything else is secondary for them...
DeleteFinally… Thanks God that outsource will happen. So far it was horrible. Silent strike, lazy people. Whoever is NOT happy with the salary, no problem hey, you quit and find something better. Now finally Menzies is here to tight up the things!
ReplyDelete