Australia: Airport ground staff shortage threatens air travel recovery

Thousands of travellers had their Christmas plans disrupted by flight cancellations over summer because of a shortage of credentialled ground staff, a problem the industry warns could result in months of cancellations and delays, even after borders reopen. Ground handling staff require security and safety clearances that need to be regularly renewed, but after months stood down during the pandemic many have seen their certifications lapse, while thousands more have left the industry altogether. Industry figures indicate about 13,000 passengers were affected by delays and cancellations in the lead up to Christmas caused by a shortage of ground staff, whose roles range from checking-in passengers to cleaning, and loading and moving planes around airports. The Australian Aviation Ground Handlers Industry Alliance, which represents about 90% of the sector, says it costs up to $18,000 to train and certify each worker and warned its members do not have the cashflow to rapidly train the more than 10,000 staff the sector would need to return to capacity. Glenn Rutherford, a spokesman for the alliance and the Asia Pacific vice-president of one of the industry’s largest players, Swissport, wants the government to step in with support to help subsidise the cost of training staff, which he said would otherwise take months.<br/>