The staff shortage at Skytanking, the baggage handling company for Ryanair flights at Eindhoven Airport, is getting out of hand. Insiders told Omroep Brabant that the staff are under too much pressure and are not aware of safety rules. The labour inspectorate is investigating the situation and issued a warning to Skytanking in June.
Hundreds of holidaymakers left for their holiday destination without luggage at Eindhoven Airport on Sunday. According to several sources, this was due to a lack of staff at Skytanking. The German company has been providing baggage handling services for Ryanair at Eindhoven Airport since April.
Major problems due to lack of staff
Insiders now tell Omroep Brabant that the processor's staff have had enough. Employees are complaining about excessive workload and the failure of overworked colleagues. Due to staff shortages, people are being asked to work on their days off.
“On nine out of ten Ryanair flights at Eindhoven Airport, Skytanking staff stand alone at the gate to get passengers onto the plane,” says one employee. According to him, this is “very unusual.”
What does Skytanking do?
According to Gijs Vrenken, spokesperson for Eindhoven Airport, Skytanking “facilitates the entire passenger transfer process for Ryanair passengers.”
“So when you check in your baggage at the door of the aircraft, Skytanking staff are there to assist passengers. Behind the scenes, they make sure that the baggage is loaded and unloaded and that the baggage ends up at the right destination, so that people can get it. There it can take off from the line.”
Furthermore, new employees receive little training, which means, among other things, that baggage safety rules cannot be properly adhered to. Insiders claim that Skytanking will not take complaints about shortages and conditions seriously internally.
“We complain all the time, but according to company executives, there is no budget for expansion,” says one.
The labor inspectorate is investigating.
The labor inspectorate confirms to Omroep Brabant that an investigation is underway into the company at Eindhoven Airport. The inspection does not discuss the content of the investigation. “But we know this company,” says a company spokesperson. “We have visited there regularly in the past and pointed out that the company must improve working conditions.”
The labour inspectorate gave an official warning to Skytanking in Eindhoven in June. “This is partly due to the working conditions at the airport,” the spokesman said.
Feedback from stakeholders
Eindhoven Airport does not want to respond to the warning to Skytanking or the investigation by the labor inspectorate. Company spokesman Gijs Frenken: “We warmly welcome anything that contributes to the proper functioning of the airport.”
According to Vrenken, the flight fees “have no idea if there will be problems in the coming days” at Skytanking. “The way they are managing the workforce at this point is primarily down to Skytanking. Things are going well on Monday.”
Skytanking and Ryanair could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Bad training
As a baggage handler, Skytanking is also responsible for informing passengers of what they can bring on board. “But the people who are now working in those positions have not been properly trained.” New employees only receive one during their first training Binder With some frequently asked questions and answers, says one employee.
When you go to the counter for Check in When checking in your baggage, someone from Skytanking has to ask you if you have certain items in your baggage. Some staff don't even know what is and isn't allowed on board. Security questions are simply not asked or not asked properly during the baggage check-in process.”
According to the employee, this leads, for example, to: e-smokers or Power banks Passage is allowed through the initial stages of screening. This in turn will lead to frustration among the staff at the security company responsible for screening and holding the prohibited baggage. “Often protection “These are prohibited items, but the risk of prohibited items reaching the aircraft hold has increased,” the employee said.
bad communication
Several victims whose luggage did not travel on Sunday told Omroep Brabant that there was little communication from Eindhoven Airport and Ryanair. An insider says this picture also exists among Skytanking employees, but it is difficult to pinpoint the guilty party.
“I hope Skytanking management at least wakes up. This is also bad for the image of the airport and Ryanair.”
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