Seven face axe at Bournemouth airport (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Seven face axe at Bournemouth airport
9:00am Sunday 5th August 2012 in News By Katie Clark
LAY OFFS: The Cobham facility at Bournemouth Airport.
Bournemouth Airport is to make up to seven staff redundant after two years of tough trading.
It is understood that members of the airport safety team, who are responsible for scaring off birds and animals as well as carrying out checks on the runway, are those under fire.
Nine staff have been put at risk, with a potential reduction of seven jobs, according to Manchester Airports Group.
There is currently a consultation process ongoing with those affected, which will be completed by the beginning of September.
Paul Knight, general manager of Bournemouth Airport , said: “Like many small, regional airports, Bournemouth has faced a difficult couple of years but our market conditions are strengthening.
“To take full advantage and attract new airlines, we need to become as efficient as possible but unfortunately this means that a small number of roles are being evaluated and we have started a 30-day consultation with those colleagues affected.”
It is believed bosses intend to pass the responsibilities over to the airport fire service as part of their duties. Over the past five years Bournemouth Airport has undergone a £50million transformation, in one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Dorset.
New departures and arrivals terminals have been constructed as well a doubling of the size of the apron area and improvements to the runway, radar, navigation and lighting systems and roads.
The past few years have been particularly tough for the aviation industry, with Bournemouth Airport’s aim of reaching 1million passengers revised in the current climate.
The latest airlines added to the timetable include Aer Lingus, who launched a route to Dublin in May.
Comments(48)
Arjay
says...
9:17am Sun 5 Aug 12
So they start with the safety team!
It would probably be more appropriate to cut a few of the 'bean counters', but, hey, it's only safety that will be affected, so who cares?..
twynham
says...
9:34am Sun 5 Aug 12
jobsworthwatch wrote:Watch this space!
They could increase the set-down pick-up charge to bridge the funding gap?
Dibbles2
says...
10:03am Sun 5 Aug 12
uvox44
says...
10:26am Sun 5 Aug 12
Oldalbanian
says...
10:27am Sun 5 Aug 12
When I fly i take the bus to the terminal having bought newspaper, water food etc at Tesco express before setting off.
I urge others to do the same and let Bournemouth Airport know why they are doing it!
burgerboy
says...
10:30am Sun 5 Aug 12
Dibbles2 wrote:"Getting rid of the team that scares off birds",The managment are doing a pretty good job of scaring off customers.!!!!!....W
Business has been affected by the likes of Ryan Air who have so many hidden costs its unreal. Also its difficult to book a flight for the following year. I want to book a holiday but as I dont know the flight schedule I cant. Over priced airport snacks, huge carpark charges, it all adds up and puts people off. Bring in Tesco Express!!!!!!!
as once a nice place for sunday visit,not any longer as it is way too expencive.
Vikki27
says...
10:49am Sun 5 Aug 12
And..er...I agree completely that it's not going to fill people with confidence if you get rid of a load of the safety people!!!
Lord Spring
says...
11:04am Sun 5 Aug 12
I could do the job I have always been good at scaring the birds off
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
11:07am Sun 5 Aug 12
Oldalbanian wrote:Some people are such tight-a***es, its why the Airport stuggles to survive. They want everything for nothing, doing holidays on vouchers and airmiles and coupons off cereal boxes. The rest of us all ultimately pay for your meanness while your money goes into a building society at a measly rate of interest? spending it in the economy and keeping it moving forward would be a better model for the future of this country. All this money youre saving,what will you do with it? while British business needs it to get out of reccession.If everyone was like this there would be no airports etc or they would be extremely expensive. I say pay your way or lose it. Ps Tescos sandwiches are cheap , but there is hardly any filling in them, plus they use the cheapest bread to make them and they all taste like the cardboard box they're in.Pay a bit more and you could buy something nutritious and extend your life expectancy,-- give you more time to spend your savings.
I refuse on principle to spend any money in Bournemouth Airport until the £2.50 drop of fee is removed.
When I fly i take the bus to the terminal having bought newspaper, water food etc at Tesco express before setting off.
I urge others to do the same and let Bournemouth Airport know why they are doing it!
Adrian XX
says...
11:09am Sun 5 Aug 12
Ryan Air who have so many hidden costs its unreal
Ryanair don't have any hidden costs - they are all clearly stated when you click "fees" on the top of the front page.
fartycat
says...
11:33am Sun 5 Aug 12
Victor_Meldrew_Lives!
says...
11:43am Sun 5 Aug 12
burgerboy wrote:Agreed, it used to be very busy on a Sunday afternoon years ago with people eating in the restaurant and being able to see the runway. Alas you can't do that now till you go through security plus £2.50 to park is why no-one now bothers. It's quiet due to people having less disposable income and the mismanagement of the place.
Dibbles2 wrote:"Getting rid of the team that scares off birds",The managment are doing a pretty good job of scaring off customers.!!!!!....W
Business has been affected by the likes of Ryan Air who have so many hidden costs its unreal. Also its difficult to book a flight for the following year. I want to book a holiday but as I dont know the flight schedule I cant. Over priced airport snacks, huge carpark charges, it all adds up and puts people off. Bring in Tesco Express!!!!!!!
as once a nice place for sunday visit,not any longer as it is way too expencive.
Azphreal
says...
11:47am Sun 5 Aug 12
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
12:10pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Azphreal wrote:Well I would say most people suffering in this recession can't afford to set foot inside an Airport or have any sort of holiday. Old Albanian obviousely can, all I'm saying is if he want's to keep flying locally(which he knows is less hassle than going to another airport) then on a holiday which might in total cost say over £300 pounds in total then an extra £10 on parking ,paper and food would not be much extra and may help the airport and the airlines it supports to survive. It's about the big picture, not short term shortsightedness.I would also say what sort of holiday is it when you despise your local airport and set up a personal financial battle plan against it when you go on holiday but still use it. Must be Mr Grumpy at check in! All that stress to save a tenner.
Telscombe Cliffy,Oldalbanian's post was about rip off charges,if you are happy to pay over the odds then good for you but most people in this reccession are having to find ways to save money not to put it 'into a building society at a measly rate of interest' but to pay for the holiday.
Ps heres a good tip, Turn out the gas when you turn the bacon over.
I-H-S
says...
12:19pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Oldalbanian
says...
12:28pm Sun 5 Aug 12
I talk to folk all over the country and beyond and they think I am joking when i tell them about the £2.50 drop off fee.
Remember the good old days of Hurn Airport when Peter Bath the Owner of Palmair used to welcome you aboard? OK the facilties within the airport were pretty basic but it had some character. Now you could be just about anywhere in the world in a sterile, soulless money grabbing environment.
Quite why I should be berated for using Airmiles to travel I am not sure. Firstly you can't use Airmiles (Avios now I think!) out opf Bournemouth and secondly you have to spend fortunes on the high street and elesewhere to get enough miles to travel anywhere thus stimulating Telscombe Cliffy's precious (but failing!) economy!
Vikki27
says...
12:32pm Sun 5 Aug 12
I remember my grandparents taking me and my sister to Bournemouth Airport when we were children. We had some tea and toast and sat out on the patio, watching the planes take off and land. It was a fantastic trip but after the incident with the World Trade Centre, they took the patio access away.
Not to insult the good people at the airport, but I hardly think the patio access at Hurn was the most obvious location for a terrorist attack. Especially considering that the perimeter fences aren't exactly much of an obstacle!
Bring back the patio access, bring the prices down a little and bring back some of the flight options!
BmthNewshound
says...
12:42pm Sun 5 Aug 12
.
Bournemouth airport catchment area is such that it will never attract customers in large enough numbers to support year round scheduled services rather just holiday leisure traffic.
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
1:36pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Oldalbanian wrote:You've won me over, I support you on principle about the £2-50 drop off fee. I will also endeavour to have as many cheap holidays every year I can manage while it lasts. I will not worry about the economy as I am learning fast that noone else does and I must look after number one.I must chillax more. Have a good day Mr Oldalbanian and all our other readers.
It is not a matter of economics it is a matter of principle.
I talk to folk all over the country and beyond and they think I am joking when i tell them about the £2.50 drop off fee.
Remember the good old days of Hurn Airport when Peter Bath the Owner of Palmair used to welcome you aboard? OK the facilties within the airport were pretty basic but it had some character. Now you could be just about anywhere in the world in a sterile, soulless money grabbing environment.
Quite why I should be berated for using Airmiles to travel I am not sure. Firstly you can't use Airmiles (Avios now I think!) out opf Bournemouth and secondly you have to spend fortunes on the high street and elesewhere to get enough miles to travel anywhere thus stimulating Telscombe Cliffy's precious (but failing!) economy!
mudeford7
says...
1:39pm Sun 5 Aug 12
You have to drop off. I will park in the road in future, if they do not drop the charges Get with it Bournemouth Airport
The Renegade Master
says...
2:48pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Quite obviously Bournemouth Airport are struggling, especially during the winter months when Ryanair clear off. As such the airport's management should be looking at ways to increase business and attract customers to the airport. Unfortunately, what we have instead are a bunch of money grabbing fools determined to rip off the very clients it needs to thrive. The £2-50 drop off charge is a disgrace and by far the most expensive of the few airports in the country that fleece their customers in this way. It should be dropped immediately because if it's one thing the British hate it's being ripped off by petty money making scams like this one.
Like others who've posted here, I will not use the airport again on principle until the charge is removed. I don't care that some say it's "only" £2-50. I will not be conned!
I had no choice but to pay the drop off charge last year as I had already booked my holiday before they introduced it, but I spent nothing in the airport when normally I would have had a meal, bought drinks etc. I'm flying from Gatwick this year and thanks to the greater choice of flights and destinations etc, I have managed to book a holiday for less than if I was flying from Bournemouth and that includes the cost of getting there and back again.
Take note Bournemouth Airport. Your days are numbered unless you stop shafting your customers.
penhale
says...
4:20pm Sun 5 Aug 12
I remember when it was 30p an hour to park, loads of people were there and used the restaurant or bought a drink and sat on the patio to watch the planes departing and arriving.
They lost my trade when the outside seating area was removed but I certainly wouldn't go there now with parking charges at £4.00 per hour.
As someone said earlier, the staff were always pleasant and friendly as opposed to the faceless morons who walk the floors now.
The airport never used to run at loss but the money grabbers are suffering now and I have no sympathy for them in the slightest.
peopleareidiots
says...
4:23pm Sun 5 Aug 12
P Barker
says...
5:30pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Old Colonial
says...
6:43pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Bournemouth air
says...
7:34pm Sun 5 Aug 12
davecook
says...
7:38pm Sun 5 Aug 12
fossilmole
says...
8:20pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Old Colonial wrote:Yes let's have the Aviation Museum back and the place to do aircraft spotting with the kids. That is what Hurn used to be like but these super-cash-grabbin-n
They could even have an aviation museum there as an added attraction. I believe there is one looking for a permanent home!
umpties have shut down all these things of interest!
Pay to drop off - fly somewhere if you must, or can - sit in a draughty arrival hall to welcome travellers home! I'm not surprised it isn't working...or paying!
penhale
says...
8:41pm Sun 5 Aug 12
davecook wrote:The best days of Bournemouth Airport ended the day Palmair stopped flying, have to disagree, the best days ended when a small airfield tried to be something it's not, it's not an international airport by any means.
The drop off fee came in once Palmair was driven out of business by the cheapo no frills airlines who hid the charges instead of being honest upfront. With O'Leary and his ilk driving the landing charges down to almost nothing, the airport had to make up it's income from somewhere else. The best days of Bournemouth Airport ended the day Palmair stopped flying.
They tried to be too big and it hasn't worked, now they rip off what visitors and passengers they have left.
twynham
says...
9:33pm Sun 5 Aug 12
.
It is almost impossible to have a busy airport with only180 degrees catchment area.
.
As much as I liked PJ and Palmair I could never afford to fly with them though.
.
Ryanair, 3-4 times a year!
.
How about the old Hurn Airport with Palmair servicing their customers and Ryanair providing bucket loads of passengers to spend in the airport?
P Barker
says...
9:39pm Sun 5 Aug 12
paul.p
says...
9:40pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Lets hope no one gets a bird strike....
As for the £2.50 drop off charge they can get stuffed....I'll be walking in...on the road. Anyone there who mentions 'not allowed to do that' might be wearing a suitcase for a jacket!
penhale
says...
9:44pm Sun 5 Aug 12
twynham wrote:This money grabbing all started when they removed the viewing area at Parley cross end of the runway, partly due to safety reasons I know, but they knew that people would then have to payto park at the airport and use their own viewing area plus spend money at the airport on refreshments, since then new and much higher charges have followed, this airport will, I believe revert to a small aerodrome just as it used to be because they are driving customers to other airports, has the penny not dropped yet that this is the reason out of town stores are doing more trade than high streets, free parking and lower prices provides more profit.
Quite agree penhale.
.
It is almost impossible to have a busy airport with only180 degrees catchment area.
.
As much as I liked PJ and Palmair I could never afford to fly with them though.
.
Ryanair, 3-4 times a year!
.
How about the old Hurn Airport with Palmair servicing their customers and Ryanair providing bucket loads of passengers to spend in the airport?
Now because of their greed they have to make redundancies, and who do they get rid of, a pen pusher, a manager, a secretary, no of course not, they see fit to get rid of the most important employees who ensure that it's safe for planes to take off and land, the whole place is full of no brainers.
dvdr
says...
10:24pm Sun 5 Aug 12
The goose that laid the golden eggs has been killed.
Redgolfer00
says...
7:24am Mon 6 Aug 12
Bournemouth air wrote:Not paid for by the Airport but by the taxi company comprising of two different outfits, Streamline Warrens and Poole Radio from two different towns under the name of Compass.
They could also dispose of the staff member sat at the barrier at 0400 am
Dorset Mitch
says...
7:41am Mon 6 Aug 12
As for taking your own food, all well and good but you can't take past the security point. Plus a nice hot meal and a pint helps make the start of my holiday!
PokesdownMark
says...
9:14am Mon 6 Aug 12
Andy_Moordown
says...
9:21am Mon 6 Aug 12
dartguru
says...
10:25am Mon 6 Aug 12
Telscombe Cliffy wrote:Priceless !
Oldalbanian wrote:Some people are such tight-a***es, its why the Airport stuggles to survive. They want everything for nothing, doing holidays on vouchers and airmiles and coupons off cereal boxes. The rest of us all ultimately pay for your meanness while your money goes into a building society at a measly rate of interest? spending it in the economy and keeping it moving forward would be a better model for the future of this country. All this money youre saving,what will you do with it? while British business needs it to get out of reccession.If everyone was like this there would be no airports etc or they would be extremely expensive. I say pay your way or lose it. Ps Tescos sandwiches are cheap , but there is hardly any filling in them, plus they use the cheapest bread to make them and they all taste like the cardboard box they're in.Pay a bit more and you could buy something nutritious and extend your life expectancy,-- give you more time to spend your savings.
I refuse on principle to spend any money in Bournemouth Airport until the £2.50 drop of fee is removed.
When I fly i take the bus to the terminal having bought newspaper, water food etc at Tesco express before setting off.
I urge others to do the same and let Bournemouth Airport know why they are doing it!
Someone who actually thinks airport sandwiches are nutritional and value for money.
Great idea though, let's spend all our hard-earned cash propping up an airport that hasn't got the first clue about building a good customer relationship.
The right people to sack (sorry MAKE REDUNDANT) would be the moronic bean counters that dreamt up the preposterous parking charge in the first place.
PokesdownMark
says...
10:43am Mon 6 Aug 12
Andy_Moordown wrote:To me, and to many others, its not the amount of the drop off fee. Its the fact that you have to dip your hand in your pocket for the privilege of arriving outside the airport. Can you imagine if Castlepoint had a £1.00 toll payable as you drive into the car park? For development of the car park structure? Do you think for one second that wouldn't greatly impact their customer numbers? Of course the car park isn't actually free because it is funded by the shops and passed on to customers via tiny tiny increases in prices. Effectively its not visible to retail customers, but it is there.
Once again all the comments turn to the £2.50 drop off charge. It always amazes me how people are happy to hand over hundreds if not thousands of pounds to airlines/travel agents but wont pay £2.50(cheaper than a pint of beer!) to the airport to safeguard jobs and keep the place ticking over. You could always go to another regional airport and have £10/£15 added onto your ticket price for airport development charges (which several do!) £80 for a return trip for a family of 4? I'll stick with the £2.50 thanks. The only reason Bournemouth dont have an airport development tax is because Ryanair wont allow them to implement it.
I understand what you are saying about the costs being hidden at other airports. But people are able to overlook the basic maths if small amounts are added to a larger amount. Its a psychological blind spot.
If the airport management are not capable of negotiating a viable fee structure with their business partners in the industry that is the problem.
The Renegade Master
says...
10:51am Mon 6 Aug 12
Those who are on here defending the airport's disgusting drop off charge would no doubt say it's not a problem and carry on shopping there.
The rest of us would be off to any of the other big supermarkets who don't penalise their customers in that way and Tesco would soon be empty and bankrupt!
It's time the MAG realised they are alienating the very customer base they need for Bournemouth Airport to thrive with their petty and unnecessary charges.
s-pb2
says...
10:53am Mon 6 Aug 12
Telscombe Cliffy wrote:I havent been abroad this century and dont use the airport so after reading this post I feel im very much to blame for these redundancies! Oh and I love Tesco's chicken, bacon & lettuce sandwiches, lots of filling there!!
Oldalbanian wrote:Some people are such tight-a***es, its why the Airport stuggles to survive. They want everything for nothing, doing holidays on vouchers and airmiles and coupons off cereal boxes. The rest of us all ultimately pay for your meanness while your money goes into a building society at a measly rate of interest? spending it in the economy and keeping it moving forward would be a better model for the future of this country. All this money youre saving,what will you do with it? while British business needs it to get out of reccession.If everyone was like this there would be no airports etc or they would be extremely expensive. I say pay your way or lose it. Ps Tescos sandwiches are cheap , but there is hardly any filling in them, plus they use the cheapest bread to make them and they all taste like the cardboard box they're in.Pay a bit more and you could buy something nutritious and extend your life expectancy,-- give you more time to spend your savings.
I refuse on principle to spend any money in Bournemouth Airport until the £2.50 drop of fee is removed.
When I fly i take the bus to the terminal having bought newspaper, water food etc at Tesco express before setting off.
I urge others to do the same and let Bournemouth Airport know why they are doing it!
EGHH/BOH
says...
1:50pm Mon 6 Aug 12
this has been weel know for a number of years,
and like lot of others want a easy life,
Bournemouth Airport has some of the highest changes, for landing/Handling aircraft in the country.
P Barker
says...
3:37pm Mon 6 Aug 12
EGHH/BOH wrote:I'm with EGHH on this. Years ago Hurn was the number 1 diversion airport for Heathrow & Gatwick. These days ATC have to check with the owners to see if thay can "handle" the extra movement. The excuse they dont have staff available to deal with the diversions. Yet I'm sure these a lot more staff then there was in the 1980s and they handled things without problem
what do's not help the Airport, when you have the likes of the guy up the top Paul Knight, has a dis like to Aircraft,
this has been weel know for a number of years,
and like lot of others want a easy life,
Bournemouth Airport has some of the highest changes, for landing/Handling aircraft in the country.
dorsetred
says...
12:07am Tue 7 Aug 12
Tight NO.
CHOICE MINE
DorsetFerret
says...
11:55am Tue 7 Aug 12
In my view the decision to introduce the drop of charge was an error of judgement, the negative response to it’s launch and application far out ways any financial benefits received.
I believe it unfair to blame one individual for the loss of jobs but at the end of the day job losses primarily come about through miss-management , in this respect the MAG has to take it’s share of the blame.
belliez
says...
11:16pm Tue 7 Aug 12
By the time you get to the carpark gate and realise you HAVE to pay, it was too late to turn around.
This annoyed me so much that out of principle Bournemouth Airport didn't get any more money from me once I was inside.
No coffee, no breakfast, no beer... in fact, the airport probably would have made over £20+ from us normally...
I wont be held to ransom to pay a drop off fee. And especially as once you go in, you cannot turn around without having to go into the carpark! (£££)...
They also block anyone from walking along the side of the road that leads into the airport so that cars cannot stop and drop anyone off without having to go into the car park.
In my opinion, a BIG sign should be displayed outside of the airport and on the grass verges leading up to the airport warning of the fees you HAVE to pay if you turn into the airport. I suggest the following sign:
"WARNING: HIGHWAY BANDITS OPERATE IN THIS AREA"
jobsworthwatch says...
9:16am Sun 5 Aug 12