Swissport has rolled out a new incentive program to help retain its staff. This pilot project is currently running at several UK airports, as well as in the Channel Islands, where the aviation firm operates passenger boarding bridges. This move complements the long-time policy of charging air travellers to check oversized baggage. Unfortunately, this practice is very much in operation today.
As recently as November 2023, a Swissport regional manager texted workers at seven airports. It featured Birmingham, Glasgow, Jersey, and Newcastle, as they took turns explaining the thrilling particulars of the new incentive. Swissport ground staff will be paid £1.20 for each oversized cabin bag they identify and remove for stowing. After tax, that is equivalent to £1 extra in their pockets. This enforcement policy addresses the need to better enforce compliance with airline baggage rules. In particular, it focuses on the strict rules imposed by easyJet, which only allows a free small bag that fits beneath the seat.
Swissport’s choice to incentivize its employees offers insight into their priority of operational efficiency and safety. The company processors support an estimated four million flights per year, underscoring the importance of airline policy being applied across-the-board every time. As it stands, ground handlers at Swissport generally earn about £12 an hour, so the extra £1,000 bonus is a significant sweetener.
The Jersey Evening Post was the first media outlet to report on the email sent to Swissport staff. It’s workers who are left to enforce these oversized baggage penalties in very challenging labor contexts. They [transit workers] frequently confront passengers who do not know about their policies, or refuse to comply. As one former passenger service manager for Swissport told us, the job is impossible to do.
“Confronting people with excess baggage is like taking on fare dodgers,” – Former Swissport passenger service manager
Our former manager painted a pretty scary picture when it came to enforcing this policy. As he went on to say, stopping a group of young men on their stag weekend was likely to lead to flashpoints. That’s when they discover the added fees that are well above their initial fares.
Swissport’s management stands firm on their policies, asserting that they serve their airline customers and apply regulations fairly and professionally. The company hopes to “punish agents who are not following the rules,” according to the email sent to employees.
“We serve our airline customers and apply their policies under terms and conditions for managing their operation. We’re highly professional and our focus is on delivering safe and efficient operations, which we do day in and day out for 4m flights per year.” – Swissport
EasyJet, one of the airlines most impacted by Swissport’s baggage enforcement strategy, has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that ground handling partners apply policies consistently. EasyJet spokesperson stated:
“EasyJet is focused on ensuring our ground handling partners apply our policies correctly and consistently in fairness to all our customers.”
That’s because the airline is super up front about its bag policies right during the booking process. They warn travelers about these policies ahead of their trips.
“Our bag policies and options are well understood and we remind customers of this when booking, before they travel and on their boarding pass, which means a very small proportion of customers who don’t comply will be charged at the airport.” – EasyJet
As the European Parliament’s transport committee has recently voted to allow passengers an extra piece of free hand luggage weighing up to 7kg, Swissport’s current practices may come under increased scrutiny. If it costs £48 to stow an oversized cabin bag in the hold, how is this equitable? Furthermore, it undermines the overall customer experience as passengers face confiscations at the gate.