Get it right or pack your bags, ground handlers told
GROUND handling operators at Larnaca and Paphos airports have until next Monday to improve services or risk losing their contract.

Communications Minister Nikos Nicolaides has intervened to try and put a stop to the chaos that has caused passengers to be taken to the wrong plane for take-off.

"Despite Civil Aviation repeatedly pointing out certain weaknesses, unfortunately the unacceptable service to passengers continues," said Nicolaides.

He said the ground handling contractors – Louis and Swissport – had clearly breached the terms of their agreement and failed to meet their obligations.

The government called on airports operator Hermes to file a progress report by next Monday afternoon to clarify whether ground services have improved to a satisfactory standard.

Nicolaides said the written report could also contain a proposal to terminate contracts if one or either of the two companies failed to make the grade.

"Whatever the circumstances, Civil Aviation has the right to revoke the licenses…and it will not hesitate to do so if the required response is not forthcoming."

A shortage of personnel and quality of services are being blamed for the confusion travelers are experiencing but the minister is confident the companies will shape-up before the deadline.

Mayhem

Lost luggage, a coordination breakdown, check-in and departure delays are a common feature of the airport experience today.

The government is hoping to put a stop to the mayhem sooner rather than later.

A month after ground handling was taken over by private firms, the earlier teething trouble seems to have become deep rooted as patience runs thin.

"The grace period for these firms is now officially over," said Hermes spokesman Adamos Aspris.

While Nicolaides was holding talks with Hermes top brass, an MP visited Larnaca to review the nightmare situation first hand.

House Communications Committee chairman Zacharias Koulias paid a surprise visit to Larnaca airport Wednesday after hearing that a busload of passengers were taken to the wrong aircraft.

"Everyone does as they please, they take passengers for a spin on the tarmac resulting in them being offloaded on to the wrong aircraft," said Koulias.

"There is no communication between the company and the people on the apron," he added.

He claimed that employees had been hired on the cheap, which inevitably showed in their lack of skills and poor customer service.
"Infrastructure as significant as the country's airports should not be destroyed in the name profit."

Koulias gave one incident where a driver carrying passengers to their plane drove around for 30 minutes on the runway because he couldn't find the right aircraft.

To make matters worse, the air accidents and incidents investigation committee say the way that luggage and cargo is shoddily loaded on to aircraft poses a safety risk.

Costas Orphanos said yesterday he had received written complaints from Cyprus Airways and Eurocypria pilots over the haphazard way luggage is put on planes.

Politicians have relayed complaints from the public over; delays in reclaiming luggage, mislaid suitcases, parking arrangements for rented cars, a lack of coordination and employees who speak neither English nor Greek.

Penalty fines

Larnaca and Paphos airports have suffered flight delays during the ground service transition debacle.

A litany of errors has caused luggage, and sometimes passengers, sent to the wrong destination while staff at the sharp end are trying to find their feet.

A flight to Rome was delayed by 40 minutes yesterday following a miscount of suitcases loaded on board.

Meanwhile, staff are unhappy over their working hours being changed and blame management for the confusion.

Unions argue that Swissport need to employ 400 staff to operate effectively, rather the current level of 310.

Critics say the new regime should have been introduced after the summer season instead of during the peak season.

Hermes has the option of imposing penalty fines on the contractors if services are not up to the required standard.

Costly flight delays are being blamed on a serious malfunction among the new companies now in control of airport ground services.

Cyprus Airways-Swissport--GAP Vassilopoulos and Louis-led Goldair Handling- ServisairUK-CLIN Company are the contractors providing ground services for Hermes.

The joint ventures are undertaking the work previously the responsibility of civil aviation and Hermes.

This includes ferrying passengers to and from the terminal, cleaning aircraft and the airports, baggage handling and check-in for all airlines.

The ground-handling contract became active in May and lasts for a duration of seven years.

By Charlie Charalambous, Cyprus Weekly , 8 July 2008