Baggage Handlers at Gatwick
Well I know everyone has a bad day at work from time to time but what I saw at Gatwick airport a couple of days ago was totally unacceptable.
I was watching from an aircraft window seat as the ground crew started loading the hold. There were 4 carts of suitcases etc and three bike boxes - all hard cases. When a Scion bike box wouldn't stand upright on it's own on the conveyor belt, the baggage handler simply lost his cool and knocked it with force off the belt (which was at waist height) on to the ground.
Luckily his mate had more patience and finished the job with the respect for property that this job should involve.
It's high time that BAA had some competition.
I was watching from an aircraft window seat as the ground crew started loading the hold. There were 4 carts of suitcases etc and three bike boxes - all hard cases. When a Scion bike box wouldn't stand upright on it's own on the conveyor belt, the baggage handler simply lost his cool and knocked it with force off the belt (which was at waist height) on to the ground.
Luckily his mate had more patience and finished the job with the respect for property that this job should involve.
It's high time that BAA had some competition.
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Comments
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stu99 wrote:It's high time that BAA had some competition.
Eurostar
Mind you they aren't exactly bike friendly, but at least the baggage handling system they use is far, far better - ie you keep your bags with you."A recent study has found that, at the current rate of usage, the word 'sustainable' will be worn out by the year 2015"0 -
He was just pissed off that he couldn't open it and nick a few valuable bits.Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.0
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He was just pissed off that he couldn't open it and nick a few valuable bits.
Probably not far wrong, each time I've flown from Gatwick somethings gone missing or been rummaged through :x0 -
Baggage handler’s motto
Win some, loose some.Racing is rubbish you can\'t relax and enjoy it- because some bugger is always trying to get past.0 -
I think for British Airways the statistic is that one bag in every 36 goes missing.
I think I also heard at that at Stanstead something like one bag in 16 is tampered with by baggage handlers."A recent study has found that, at the current rate of usage, the word 'sustainable' will be worn out by the year 2015"0 -
Parkey wrote:I think for British Airways the statistic is that one bag in every 36 goes missing.
I think I also heard at that at Stanstead something like one bag in 16 is tampered with by baggage handlers.
Ah the beauty of the market economy. The lowest bidder wins. The consumer gets Choice. God bless Thatch.
Slightly off topic, but: Dream scenario for me is a new airport, built and run by someone other than BAA, out in the Thames estuary, connected to the City by direct rail route, and to the rest of London and M4/M3 corridor by a proper crossrail effort.
Advantages: Approach and take off not over people's houses. Easy to get to and from. Easy to get people into the City which is just too important to this country to leave to the likes of Heathrow Express and London Underground which are expensive and rubbish in equal measure.
Disadvantages: Takes business away from Heathrow (the most irritating and uncomfortable airport in the world as well as a national disgrace and I don't just mean T5).
Requires crossrail which might cost 18billion (about the same as ONE year's net contribution to the Exchequer by the City, and about the same as what British women spend on cosmetics in two years - not much to ask for is it?)
I feel much better now."There are holes in the sky,
Where the rain gets in.
But they're ever so small
That's why rain is thin. " Spike Milligan0 -
I agree to a great extent.
In some ways we currently have a Conservative government. New labour have continued the Conservatives' fixtation with the idea that a private sector market based solution is always the best way to run anything under any possible set of circumstances.
The country's infrastructure (roads, railways, airports, etc) is essential to the economy. I'm not socialist, but I do think that it should be run for the long-term benefit of the country, not for the benefit of shareholders who know that if it all goes wrong the government will have no choice but to bail the business out. Who cares if they don't run at a profit too. If UK PLC makes a profit then it's a net gain; just call the subsidy and investment needed to run our infrastructure properly an overhead."A recent study has found that, at the current rate of usage, the word 'sustainable' will be worn out by the year 2015"0 -
There's nothing in wrong with being a socialist you know.
Bear in mind that there aren't any socialists running the country just now.
I think there are some stuffed ones in a museum somewhere, but none left in the wild.0 -
stu99 wrote:Well I know everyone has a bad day at work from time to time but what I saw at Gatwick airport a couple of days ago was totally unacceptable.
I was watching from an aircraft window seat as the ground crew started loading the hold. There were 4 carts of suitcases etc and three bike boxes - all hard cases. When a Scion bike box wouldn't stand upright on it's own on the conveyor belt, the baggage handler simply lost his cool and knocked it with force off the belt (which was at waist height) on to the ground.
Luckily his mate had more patience and finished the job with the respect for property that this job should involve.
It's high time that BAA had some competition.
It has nothing at all to do with the BAA. Baggage Handlers are either employed directly by the airline or by the Handling Agent contracted by the airline.
The problem is you all want your £1.99 flights with the five star service to go with it. Trouble is the economics states that Pay Peanuts, Get Monkeys.
After nearly 20 years in aviation, it has become very apparent these days you can not have it both ways!0 -
Special K wrote:Parkey wrote:Slightly off topic, but: Dream scenario for me is a new airport, built and run by someone other than BAA, out in the Thames estuary, connected to the City by direct rail route, and to the rest of London and M4/M3 corridor by a proper crossrail effort.
Advantages: Approach and take off not over people's houses. Easy to get to and from. Easy to get people into the City which is just too important to this country to leave to the likes of Heathrow Express and London Underground which are expensive and rubbish in equal measure.
Disadvantages: Takes business away from Heathrow (the most irritating and uncomfortable airport in the world as well as a national disgrace and I don't just mean T5).
Requires crossrail which might cost 18billion (about the same as ONE year's net contribution to the Exchequer by the City, and about the same as what British women spend on cosmetics in two years - not much to ask for is it?)
I feel much better now.
Maplin! In the Thames Estuary near Southend I believe. Proposed in the 60's as the eco friendly alternate to Heathrow and Gatwick. Grand plans for a 200mph rail link allowing 20 to 30 minute transfers from Central London. Great stuff.
Here we are so 40 years on and the solution to Central Scotland's train overcrowding is the reintroduction of "slamdoor" rolling stock. So much for "those" trains.0 -
Parkey wrote:I
The country's infrastructure (roads, railways, airports, etc) is essential to the economy. I'm not socialist, but I do think that it should be run for the long-term benefit of the country, not for the benefit of shareholders who know that if it all goes wrong the government will have no choice but to bail the business out.
You don't need to be a Socialist, remember it was the Tories who commissioned the Beeching Report, it was Labour that executed a large proportion of it.0 -
Hooligan Bill wrote:stu99 wrote:Well I know everyone has a bad day at work from time to time but what I saw at Gatwick airport a couple of days ago was totally unacceptable.
I was watching from an aircraft window seat as the ground crew started loading the hold. There were 4 carts of suitcases etc and three bike boxes - all hard cases. When a Scion bike box wouldn't stand upright on it's own on the conveyor belt, the baggage handler simply lost his cool and knocked it with force off the belt (which was at waist height) on to the ground.
Luckily his mate had more patience and finished the job with the respect for property that this job should involve.
It's high time that BAA had some competition.
It has nothing at all to do with the BAA. Baggage Handlers are either employed directly by the airline or by the Handling Agent contracted by the airline.
The problem is you all want your £1.99 flights with the five star service to go with it. Trouble is the economics states that Pay Peanuts, Get Monkeys.
After nearly 20 years in aviation, it has become very apparent these days you can not have it both ways!
I entirely agree that you can't have it both ways but is there any choice in the matter?
I personally would be quite accepting of a 100% increase in airline ticket costs if myself and my possessions were offered a better quality service at the airport.0 -
BAA = British Airports Authority (runs the airport and has the monopoly on London's airports except London City)stu99 wrote:Hooligan Bill wrote:stu99 wrote:It's high time that BAA had some competition.
It has nothing at all to do with the BAA. Baggage Handlers are either employed directly by the airline or by the Handling Agent contracted by the airline.
BA = The airline company0 -
ricadus wrote:stu99 wrote:
BAA = British Airports Authority (runs the airport and has the monopoly on London's airports except London City)Hooligan Bill wrote:stu99 wrote:It's high time that BAA had some competition.
It has nothing at all to do with the BAA. Baggage Handlers are either employed directly by the airline or by the Handling Agent contracted by the airline.
BA = The airline company
So, who are the baggage handlers actually employed by? If it is the indvidual airline then surely they would be wearing uniform logos of BA or EasyJet etc reflecting this?0
