LUSA 10/30/2024

Lusa - Business News - Portugal: Lisbon airport concerned with early-hour transport for handlers

Lisbon, Oct. 29, 2024 (Lusa) - ANA's executive chairman said on Tuesday that the company is analysing a transport solution for workers with the airport community after learning of cases of handling company employees sleeping at the airport.

‘The cases that have happened are often related to the lack of public transport to get to the airport, handling [assistance at airports] starts very early and ends very late, [...] these people sometimes go to the airport the day before,’ said Thierry Ligonnière, who was heard in the parliamentary committee on Economy, Public Works and Housing, at the request of Chega, for clarifications on the operation and security at airports.

ANA's executive chairman said that he had learnt about these cases of workers at Menzies (formerly Groundforce) through the request for today's hearing. He stressed that this is not the case either at the company he leads or at Portway, the other handling company, of which ANA is the sole shareholder.

‘Sleeping where we work is not a satisfactory situation. Solutions have to be found and ANA is analysing with the airport community a way of getting employees to the airport very early so that they can avoid solutions that are not dignified,’ said Thierry Ligonnière.

The head of the airport management company emphasised that assisting airlines is an activity with ‘very little economic margin, in a very competitive context’ and with low salaries.

‘We can assure you that whatever we can do to avoid these situations, we will do, particularly in terms of transport, [...] ensuring the economic sustainability of the company because that's what's at stake here too, the maintenance of jobs,’ he added.

When asked whether national airports are safe, ANA's executive chairman said safety is the first priority of all those involved in civil aviation.

Regarding the abolition of the Foreigners and Immigration Service (SEF), whose role of checking passengers in and out of airports has now been taken over by the Public Security Police (PSP), Ligonnière acknowledged some difficulties in the transition.

‘From the point of view of airport management, what's important isn't the entity that manages [border control]. It's the time it takes for passengers to pass through this control. We're not there yet, things are improving little by little, our partners are committed to providing the best possible service with their resources,’ he pointed out.

MPE/ADB // ADB.

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