Passengers urge compromise over airport dispute
Monday 25th May 2009, 2:29PM BST.
AIRLINE passengers said the firefighters dispute must be resolved as soon as possible.
Disruption to flights was described as ‘highly probable’ for this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon, the start of half-term holiday week.
Manning shortages mean watches are expected to be short from 1pm on both days. Morning flights are expected to run as normal.
The anticipated loss of category six cover would ground Flybe’s Dash 8 aircraft, but not Aurigny’s ATR, which is category five.
Passengers said it was now time the parties agreed a compromise and stopped holding islanders to ransom with what Flybe described as industrial action.
Sam Lees, 43, an accounts assistant, was travelling with Aurigny to East Midlands with her husband, Tom, and children Thomas, 10, and five-year-old Catherine.
‘I really do think they need to resolve this now. They [the firefihters] obviously seem to have a valid reason for it, but it seems to have been dragging on for a long time,’ she said.
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I am in London due to the industrial dispute. No one has bothered to call me to advise me that the flight was canceled (I was advised by a friend who knew I was off the Island). We are trying to get a refund from Flybe so that we can book a flight home with a Aurigny. However, Flybe will not provide a refund and we have been advised that we will be booked on a flight that may or may not leave tomorrow (due to continued industrial relations). They are unable to confirm that the flight will leave at all.
We have just been advised that the directors of Flybe will not provide a refund and that they do not consider it their issue (apparently they’re “hoping” for the best).
Unfortunately, instead of actually getting home and back to work, now I have to hope with them.
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Tuesday morning…
Just back from the airport where people were queing up in disbelieve.
Businessmen missing appointments, whole family’s missing their connecting flights to holiday destinations.
I do understand there is a dispute on payments, and do understand it lasts already too long for it to get sorted..
But this is a disgrace, it is not done to fight your battle by causing thrird party’s trouble…
No sympathy anymore from me…
Just fire the whole lot, and find new firemen amongst the big group of unemployed People..
regards
M
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In the time its taken to get this far with the talks (which is actually no further than when it started) the States could have trained new firemen and replaced the lot of them.
Have the firemen not heard that there is a global credit downturn?
My first holiday for 3 years ruined, thanks!
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I see the firemen have walked out completely this morning.
Still,at least it gives them a chance to do more at their other ‘full time’ jobs-or perhaps they’ve popped down to B & Q to get a new bbq-I hear they’ve worn the last one out,poor little darlings.
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So they have walked out completely this morning.So much for management saying there was adequate cover for this mornings flights. Lets hope that when Ron Le Cras wants to travel the airlines say “sorry one too many passengers on the flight” our staff will have to work overtime to serve you! See how he likes that
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It’s official – we are a 3rd world Banana Republic. Still, I suppose I could always ring up Clunesy’s mate and see if he can take us on his private jet.
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Why is the policy council allowing this to continue? They can act quickly on oil tankers why not this. The Firemen should be thanking their lucky stars that they have well paid, secure jobs. If they are so morally bankrupt that they think they can use ordinary taxpaying people to secure their selfish aims then hopefully the States will ensure that they are ALL removed from their positions ASAP.
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We have staff out of the island and unable to return and therefore consequential costs to our business.
For the life of me I cannot understand how so few people can have so greater control over the lifeline to our island.
This kind of dispute damages the economy in so many ways from mail order out, visitors in and day-to-day lives of islanders.
I’m astonished that in the current clime that either government has not acted more quickly or, if we are to believe the other side of the story, the union representatives have cynically created this situation.
There will inevitably be a post mortem to this and if government are seen to be lacking in any way they should bare the full responsibility for this, which might mean resignations. If on the other hand it has been a construct of union tactics then those responsible should be sanctioned and lose their jobs.
I thought we had left these shinanigans back in the late 70s.
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We were supposed to fly to Southampton yesterday evening on fly”May”be and were told that there was insufficient fire cover for their larger size of aircraft. We then booked on the extra Gatwick flight that Aurigny had put on but the firemen obviously got wind of the fact that there was a way around their little plan and so decided the only way to cause trouble was to go on strike completely!
We have had a lovely trip to visit our friend (who can remain anonymous) but we are all losing pay from not being able to get to work today.
I agree with the people above. If your firemen are going to be so unreasonable maybe someone else should be given the opportunity or maybe you should consider installing the fisher price fire station that we noticed was being given away as a prize with the Guernsey Press over the weekend.
If anyone would like to take us to Jersey ASAP please let us know!
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This is a disgrace. Sack the (so called) Airport fire fighters and employee new staff!
Do they think they are the only people around here not getting paid overtime!? Helllllo, wake up people, you should feel lucky that you’ve even got a job!
Whether this issue is driven by the firefighters, or whether it is due to the lack of leadership is unknown, but his really is going beyond a joke.
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What do you think the chances of Flybe running a service tomorrow???
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Does any one know how to claim against the states for hotel bills etc?
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