STAFF sickness and severe winter weather have combined to create ‘significant challenges’ in processing baggage for arriving air passengers, Ports of Jersey has admitted.
A shortage of ground-handling staff has led to delays for passengers waiting for their hold luggage from incoming flights, particularly on Monday 2 January.
Passengers on an easyJet service from Liverpool that day received an in-flight apology for the wait they were likely to encounter at baggage reclaim, with the captain explaining that only six ground staff were working at the Airport at the time.
This week’s delays follow problems for outbound passengers last month, with 47 bags being left in the Island on Boxing Day when they should have been accompanying British Airways passengers bound for London Heathrow. One passenger was left in the Sri Lankan heat with only winter clothing after her bag could not be loaded onto her initial flight.
Swissport, which is responsible for ground-handling at the Airport, said: ‘Although we have robust planning in place to meet the needs of our customers, peak travel periods can be challenging, especially in winter with higher levels of sickness, severe weather and flight delays, for example.
‘We understand this is frustrating for passengers and [we] will continue to work closely with the Airport and airline partners to keep delays to an absolute minimum.’
A Ports of Jersey spokesperson said: ‘We are continuing to liaise closely with Swissport, the sole handling agent contracted by our airline partners, and are supporting them with their resourcing issues where we can.
‘The busy festive period, compounded by high levels of sickness absence in the Swissport team, led to significant challenges at peak times.’
With the end of the festive season, and the Island’s children returning to school, the spokesperson said Ports of Jersey would do everything possible to ensure the best experience for passengers.
Swissport recently took over responsibility for BA ground-handling after the airline decided not to continue contracting handling agent Airline Services – a decision that made Swissport the only company of its kind operating at Jersey Airport.
Last week, Swissport blamed delays on ‘adverse weather’.
