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A just-completed ACI EUROPE survey reveals that amongst Europe’s airports:ġ6% expect flight cancellations to increaseġ5% expect flight schedules to be adaptedģ5% expect the airport and ground handling staff crunch to affect their operationsĪirports and ground handlers are leaving no stone unturned as they strive to overcome these challenges.

Most airports, and in particular larger ones and hubs where operations are more complex, expect that the quality of the passenger experience will be unavoidably affected by this staffing crunch this summer. Training and security clearance requirements that make it impossible to quickly adapt and deploy additional staff – as they result in lead times of up to 16 weeks between staff recruitment and actual deployment. If low wages and compromised service quality were already a concern pre-pandemic, they are now coming to the fore – impacting the aviation system. The fact that security and ground handling jobs have for many years stood at the lower end of pay scales and also involve working in shifts 7-days a week is a clear handicap in attracting people in the current inflationary environment.Īs regards ground handling in particular, years of liberalisation triggered by the EU Ground Handling Directive have resulted in a downward spiral that has now become both socially and operationally unsustainable. Handlers received far less financial aid than airlines2 and that such aid came rather late was a significant contributing factor to their weakened operational capabilities.Īn extremely tight labour market across Europe. The fact that airports and groundġ Between February and March, passenger volumes at EU+ airports jumped by +36%, with March volumes being nearly 6 times higher (+485%) compared to the same period last year. Airports and ground handlers coming out of the COVID-19 crisis with depleted resources, as they have been forced to lay off staff in those areas due to the collapse in air traffic in 20.This airport and ground handling staff crunch impacts key airport operational processes. While each airport is unique and the extent of these disruptions varies significantly, the main underlying reason has been the impossibility of scaling up staffing to the levels required in order to accommodate the surge in passenger traffic.

This has resulted in an increase in flight delays and cancellations, and more generally a degraded passenger experience at many airports - as key processes including check-in, security screening and baggage delivery involve longer waiting times.ĭEPLETED RESOURCES & STRUGGLING TO SCALE UP IN A TIGHT LABOUR MARKET In fact, at many airports and in particular larger hubs, traffic peaks are at, or higher than, pre-pandemic levels.Ĭoping with this sudden increase and concentration of air traffic has been challenging for airports and their operational partners - in particular ground handlers. In the wake of European States easing travel restrictions in March, the recovery of passenger traffic has accelerated sharply and suddenly.1 While still remaining below pre-pandemic (2019) levels, passenger traffic has also become much more concentrated over peak periods. The figures speak for themselves in terms of the level of pent-up demand. RECOVERY SURGES FORWARD WITH HIGHER TRAFFIC PEAKS In a joint statement, Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International) and Fabio Gamba, Managing Director of ASA (Airport Services Association), began by welcoming the resumption of air travel after the devastating effects of the pandemic on their respective industries – for staff and passengers alike. Statement from Europe’s airports and ground handlers on current operational disruptions & staffing challengesīrussels, : Airports and ground handlers have today spoken out about the complex operational challenges they face as we enter the summer travel season.

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