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| Airline axes baggage handler, after Gatwick chaos | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Leisure airline Monarch has terminated its contract with Swissport, one of the baggage-handling companies at Gatwick airport. | Leisure airline Monarch has terminated its contract with Swissport, one of the baggage-handling companies at Gatwick airport. |
| It follows chaotic scenes last weekend, when passengers were left waiting for up to three hours for luggage. | It follows chaotic scenes last weekend, when passengers were left waiting for up to three hours for luggage. |
| Gatwick said Swissport was failing to meet the airports service standards, which was "not good enough". | Gatwick said Swissport was failing to meet the airports service standards, which was "not good enough". |
| But Swissport said last weekend's problems were exceptional, and should not be repeated. | But Swissport said last weekend's problems were exceptional, and should not be repeated. |
| It has blamed the delays on too many aircraft arriving in quick succession - either late or early - which it called "off-schedule arrivals". | It has blamed the delays on too many aircraft arriving in quick succession - either late or early - which it called "off-schedule arrivals". |
| Monarch would not comment on the decision, but the BBC understands a new baggage handler will be appointed by November. | Monarch would not comment on the decision, but the BBC understands a new baggage handler will be appointed by November. |
| It is also thought the airline was unhappy about previous incidents at Gatwick earlier this summer. | |
| 'Frustrating' | 'Frustrating' |
| The airport said it was having to provide 30 extra staff of its own, to help transport bags to the terminals and to unload luggage on to belts. | The airport said it was having to provide 30 extra staff of its own, to help transport bags to the terminals and to unload luggage on to belts. |
| If there are further problems this weekend, it will also offer to deliver passengers' bags to their home addresses. | If there are further problems this weekend, it will also offer to deliver passengers' bags to their home addresses. |
| Depending on the airlines concerned, it will make the offer to passengers if they have to wait 90 minutes or an hour to get their baggage. | Depending on the airlines concerned, it will make the offer to passengers if they have to wait 90 minutes or an hour to get their baggage. |
| "This has been frustrating for passengers and we are disappointed with the recent baggage arrival service," said a spokesperson for the airport. | "This has been frustrating for passengers and we are disappointed with the recent baggage arrival service," said a spokesperson for the airport. |
| Two other baggage-handling firms at Gatwick are meeting the relevant service standards. | Two other baggage-handling firms at Gatwick are meeting the relevant service standards. |
| "Recently, Swissport has failed to meet these standards," the spokesperson said. | "Recently, Swissport has failed to meet these standards," the spokesperson said. |
| "Although bags have been delivered on time for 95% of flights, this is not good enough," he added. | "Although bags have been delivered on time for 95% of flights, this is not good enough," he added. |
| Zero hours | |
| After similar delays at the end of June, Gatwick airport blamed a shortage of staff at Swissport. | |
| One suggestion was that the baggage handler was employing too many staff on zero hours contracts, and could not get enough workers to volunteer for week-end shifts. | |
| But Swissport denied this, saying that out of 1500 staff, it employs fewer than 50 on zero hours - and they all choose to be on such contracts. | |
| "Zero hours is not the issue," said a spokesman for Swissport. | |
| "The problems at the week-end related to 20 aircraft being off-schedule between 11pm and 1am. There are no service problems now," he insisted. | |
| Are you at Gatwick Airport? Have you been affected the luggage problems? Please share your comments with us. You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Gatwick'. |