NEWS FLASH
Menzies Aviation has started providing full ground handling services at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as of yesterday. The deal sees Belgrade Airport transfer all ground handling service contracts to Menzies Aviation, subject to partner airline consent. Menzies is now responsible for ramp handling, as well as baggage, de-icing, and passenger services. It will also provide PRM (Person with reduced mobility) services and air cargo services. All of Belgrade Airport’s ground handling staff have been offered employment agreements with Menzies Aviation as their new employer. Menzies’ biggest client at Belgrade Airport is now Air Serbia. With the transfer, as of yesterday, Belgrade Airport can perform full green and environmentally friendly aircraft turnaround with electric belt loaders, electric tugs, fix ground power unit and climatization unit from airbridge and electric-powered push back. Other active ground handling providers at Belgrade Airport include Sky Partner, which caters for the likes of Wizz Air, Flydubai, and the Lufthansa Group, as well as Goldair Handling, which takes care of LOT Polish Airlines and Aegean Airlines. It is also due to take over Arkia and AJet.
Flew BEG-TGD-BEG yesterday so I got to experience this change. I have to say that you can immediately feel that Menzies took over. One of my employees had luggage so we went to the check-in desk.
ReplyDeleteEveryone there was well dressed, well groomed, they were sitting properly, they were polite, no one was screaming and shouting and everything went smoothly.
Our gate agent was professional and she worked fast in her new uniform.
Seems like Menzies trained well their ground staff. This was at least my experience from the airport.
I have to also add that JU flights were flawless and the crew was amazing both ways. YU-ASA was in good shape and very comfortable.
BEG-TGD 68/70 YU-ASA (07.00)
TGD-BEG 43/70 YU-ASA (20.10)
We departed 20 minutes early from TGD which was very nice and with us there were 10 transfers to SVO. TK was next to us in TGD and their flight was full where 95% of the passengers were Russians.
Good to hear!
DeleteYou mean your boss had luggage?
DeleteNo.
DeleteAre they deploying the old Aerodrom Beograd staff or will they need to “reeducated” first? I agree with you the old AB staff were unprofessional as hell. Last time they gave me someone else’s passport because we from the “same country”. Even though we were first in line, the manager spent nearly half and hour “training” the dolled up new starters who more focussed on their nails and hair. One could not even type because her nails were so long. I am surprised others like Swissport, DNATA did not get anything as they dominate globally. However, nothing beats an airline’s own agent and not a contract agent.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely took over some old ones as I recognized them from before. I guess now they pay closer attention to what their employees are doing.
Deletexaxaxaxa! Balkans are something else, I am not from the region but living in another Balkan country I can see the scene in my head :D
DeleteI am flying for 22 years from BEG and tnever ever had bad or rude experience. Agents were always chill and easy to chat with. My passengers are rude and demanding at the counter and that is the reason why they do not get good service.
DeleteWe were forced and blackmailed to accept the contract with new operater and lots of us had to sign contract unwillingly. If we hadn't signed we would not have right to go for unemployment and right to look for new position. Being forced to sign the contract under government project is criminal. Not having a chance oof choice is humiliating.
Delete'If we hadn't signed we would not have right to go for unemployment and right to look for new position'
DeleteThis makes zero sense. You were some of the worst and least friendly ground staff in the world. Zero sympathies.
What color are Menzies employees uniforms?
DeleteNavy blue with from what I remember a light blue scarf.
DeleteThe gate agents should explain what is Delivery at Aircraft sticker and not just stick it and go away without explaining. Hello from C10A bound for SJJ.
ReplyDeleteSome basic communication skills would be good too.
Delete@Anonymus 12:43 I had the same experience on the same flight to SJJ. No explanation whatsoever why passengers had to come to the gate and what they are going to do. Gate agent just took my passport, put the tag on my hand baggage and told me to sit down. I know very well what were they going to do but not everyone is a frequent traveller so I had to squeeze out all the information she failed to provide to passangers. What are they doing, why, what is happening with the baggage, what should we do with it, where the baggage has to be picked up etc. Lot's of them just left their bags in front of the gate and left. Gate agents didn't even notice that.. This was my first experience with Menzies and I can't tell there was a noticeable improvement in service.
ReplyDeleteWhatever.
ReplyDeleteI fly out of Beg four to six times every year and I cannot remember the last time i had a bad experience.
ReplyDeleteI cannot say the same for many US airports or for Moscow and Bucharest. And Heathrow and Frankfurt I avoid at all costs.
Miroslav ...Moscow??? no kidding, you can not even compare it to US, ExYU nor major Euro hubs as it runs like a CH watch even when it snows, when it is -35*C and when there is ice. All airports connected by train to the city that run again perfectly and always on time. Over many years of using Moscow (mainly SVO) airports and Aeroflot I do not have more than 3 hours of delay(s) in total.
DeleteI said "bad experience" because that is what I had. Both my wife and I, as well as our aunt. The personnel at both Moscow airports are very rude and lack customer service skills.
DeleteThey entered Bulgaria last year as well, but do not see improved cargo figures. We will see how well it goes. The Balkans are as usual a "hotspot" in Europe:
ReplyDeletehttps://menziesaviation.com/news/menzies-aviation-enters-the-bulgarian-air-cargo-market/
Will be interesting what happens in BEG.
What does Menzies have to do with cargo? They just handle cargo. It is up to the operator to develop cargo.
DeleteYes, MUC airport operates SOF and the Frenchies BEG. What I was trying to say is that we will see how they handle the handling services.
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