Durham Tees Valley Airport baggage handling jobs threat
31.01.08
Talks were ongoing this week between baggage handlers at Durham Tees Valley Airport as Aviance bosses attempted to reach a deal that secured the future of 43 staff. The news comes in the same week that it was announced 327 baggage handlers would lose their jobs at Manchester Airport.
Keith Nicholls, commercial director for Aviance UK, said bmi’s withdrawal of services from the airport last year and slow growth since then means that, in his view, Durham Tees valley can no longer sustain two handling companies.
Aviance handles baggage for FlyGlobespan, British Midland and Eastern. It began operating at the airport - one of 17 UK airports where it has a presence - in 2001 when it acquired British Midland’s handling business. Mr Nicholls said: 'They were operating larger aircraft at higher frequency to Heathrow and that underpinned the business.'
'bmi pulled out suddenly last year and that was really the catalyst. We have not been able to secure new contracts to grow the business. I suspect there is only enough for one handling company. Our projections for 2008 showed that we were looking to make considerable losses.
He said the company’s priority was to secure a transfer for staff, adding: 'Talks are ongoing with Serviceair, and we are optimistic that we will secure a transfer of business.'
He said the industry was increasingly competitive and pointed to Serviceair’s recent withdrawal from Glasgow, London city and Aberdeen airports, and that: 'Rationalisation is going on in the UK baggage handling market. It’s very competitive. People are paying less to fly and airlines are cost cutting.'
Mr Nicholls said talks should be concluded on Friday and he hoped to make an announcement to employees on Monday.
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