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Lufthansa makes dedicated staff look bad: The eTN Hero is Patricia Dzai of Swissport Johannesburg

April 24, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease

Lufthansa

“My personal hero today is Ms. Patricia Dzai. Patricia works for Swissport in Johannesburg, South Africa,” said eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz. Swissport is one of the largest aviation ground-handling agencies operating in countries around the world.

Major airlines hire Swissport to manage customer relations and logistics when it comes to baggage handling, including lost or misplaced items.

Lufthansa German Airlines’ ground handler in Johannesburg is Swissport. I recently traveled from Nice to Cape Town via Frankfurt and Johannesburg on Lufthansa German Airlines. I am a United Airlines Star Alliance Gold member and traveled on Lufthansa in Business class. Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance.

When I arrived in Johannesburg, I heard my name called by Lufthansa’s lost baggage office handled by Swissport.

I was told my tube was still in Frankfurt, and they would put it on the next flight to Johannesburg. I explained it was of utmost importance to have the tube for an important trade show event, the World Travel Market in Cape Town, in the morning.

Patricia Dzai, the Swissport agent in Johannesburg, wanted to make sure this would be possible and sent an urgent message to Lufthansa in Frankfurt. The message said:

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to know my tube would go on LH 576 directly to Cape Town almost in time for the start of World Travel Market.

I went on to fly to Cape Town and received a text message in the evening saying my tube would be on the Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg, which was different from what Patricia had requested. Since it was late and the Swissport office in Johannesburg was closed, I was able to find a non-published phone number for Lufthansa baggage service in Frankfurt. Lufthansa, like most airlines, is hiding phone numbers to encourage passengers to communicate only by email.

I was told by Lufthansa Baggage Service in Frankfurt no such message to forward my tube to Cape Town was ever received by Swissport Johannesburg. The agent went on to say that passengers are often not told the truth by Swissport agents.

The Lufthansa agent in Frankfurt explained that his job was not to help me, since this was only handled in Johannesburg. I argued my tube is in Frankfurt and not Johannesburg, and the handling agent for Swissport in Johannesburg was closed.

The agent then said he was now doing a one-time exception for me and would reroute my tube on LH576 directly to Cape Town. He said there were 5 hours to get this done, still plenty of time according to him.

The next day I received another message telling me again the tube was on its way to Johannesburg instead of Cape Town.

I called Swissport in Johannesburg, and the news not could have been worse. They told me, apologizing, that my tube was still in Frankfurt for a second day, and they did not know why.

I again called the baggage-handling office in Frankfurt and was again told it’s all Swissport’s mistake for not telling them where to send it.

This time I was angry and called Swissport Johannesburg again. I asked Patricia why she was lying about this. I told her she never sent this request to Frankfurt, according to Lufthansa.

Ten minutes later, I received an email with a time-stamped screenshot from Patricia Dzai showing me exactly what was requested by her in the first place.

Patricia actually had gone out of her way originally to make sure I would be united with my tube on time and in Cape Town. I felt bad thinking she didn’t care and didn’t do anything, when in fact she did.

It shows that big companies like Lufthansa have a serious customer service issue. They hide behind a huge system and are trained to say it’s not their job and simply blame others for company shortcomings.

There was no way I could talk to anyone at Lufthansa about this, and my urgent email to them on the day I was trying to get the tube re-routed was just responded to 2 weeks after I was already back home in Hawaii. Lufthansa offered a 200 euro compensation.

No explanation was given and no apology for accusing Patricia Dzai and Swissport for not doing their job.

I finally received my tube on the last day after the trade show and took it back to the US unopened. When I changed planes in Frankfurt, I asked the agent working in the Senator Lounge to speak to a supervisor in baggage handling about this case and compensation. She told me I have to send an email, which I had already done days ago.

She gave me some chocolate and said they get customers’ complaints all the time and do their best to help and respond, but the back-up system by the airline is not there.

It’s all about a giant non-caring anonymous machine.

I extend my apologies to Patricia Dzai from Swissport, as I now understand she was also a victim of shortcomings created by Lufthansa German Airlines.

Patricia Dzai is the eTN Hero for today.

Travel News | eTurboNews

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Qatar Airways partners with Rolls-Royce to trial its Virtual Reality training tool

April 15, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease

Qatar Airways is proud to be the global launch partner of Rolls-Royce’s new Virtual Reality training tool. Recognized for its ongoing commitment to innovation, Qatar Airways is the first airline to trial the ground-breaking new technology as part of its engineering training plan.

The new tool is designed to provide engineers with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB refresher training in a virtual environment without the need for a physical engine to work on. Qatar Airways engineers will be the first in the industry to experience this cutting-edge technology.

The Trent XWB, which powers the Qatar Airways A350 fleet, is Rolls-Royce’s largest engine and must be separated before engineers can transport it for maintenance and repair. Using HTC Vive equipment, engineers will be immersed in the process, using sight, sound and touch to separate the two parts of the engine in a virtual setting, without the complexity and cost of a real engine.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is an airline of the future, and we constantly strive to deliver innovation in every area of our business. Our ultimate goal is to provide our customers with a quality on-board experience every time they travel, and by adopting the latest technology in our engineering department, we aim to ensure that they arrive at their destination smoothly and without disruption. We are very excited about the new Virtual Reality training tool offered by Rolls-Royce and we are proud that they have chosen Qatar Airways as their global launch partner.”

Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace, Mr. Chris Cholerton, said: “At Rolls-Royce we are designing, testing, and maintaining engines in the digital realm, so it makes sense that we bring cutting-edge technology to our training programmes. In the same way pilots complete elements of their training in a simulator, certain engineering tasks can be taught through Virtual Reality. Qatar Airways was the first customer to take delivery of the Trent XWB, and their forward-thinking vision across their business makes them the perfect launch partner for this technology.”

The Rolls-Royce Virtual Reality training platform trial follows Qatar Airways’ first venture into the world of Virtual Reality when it became IATA’s global launch partner of RampVR™ in August 2018. The award-winning system, pioneered by IATA, utilises the latest virtual-reality technology to simulate real air-side conditions for ground handling and ground service operator training. The RampVR™ system is being used by Qatar Airway’s Talent Development department to train their ground operations teams.

Travel News | eTurboNews

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Fraport 2018 Fiscal Year: Revenue and Earnings Increase Significantly

March 19, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease

Fraport

Boards propose dividend increase to EUR2 – Outlook remains positive
In the 2018 fiscal year (ending December 31), Fraport AG continued on
its growth path, achieving new records in revenue and earnings.
Supported by strong passenger growth at its Frankfurt Airport home
base and its Group airports worldwide, revenue climbed by 18.5
percent to nearly EUR3.5 billion. After adjusting for revenue related
to capital expenditure for expansion measures at the international
Group companies (based on IFRIC 12), revenue rose 7.8 percent to over
EUR3.1 billion. About two-thirds of this increase can be attributed
to Fraport’s international portfolio – with the airports in Brazil
and Greece, in particular, making a significant contribution.
Fraport AG’s executive board chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte said: “We
are pleased to look back on another very successful year, especially
for our Group airports around the world. Here in Frankfurt, however,
2018 presented challenges due to the constraints in European airspace
and the strong traffic demand. For the medium and long term, we are
very well positioned both at Frankfurt Airport and in our
international business. Moreover, we are laying the foundations for
further long-term growth by implementing our expansion projects.”
Revenue and earnings targets achieved
The operating result (Group EBITDA) climbed markedly by 12.5 percent
to over EUR1.1 billion. The Group result (net profit) rose even
stronger, by 40 percent to EUR505.7 million. This includes earnings
gained from the sale of Fraport’s stake in Hanover Airport, which
contributed EUR75.9 million. However, even without the positive
effects from the Hanover transaction, Fraport already achieved its
revenue and earnings targets. Operating cash flow slightly dipped by
2.0 percent to EUR802.3 million. This was mainly due to changes in
the net current assets related to the reporting date. After adjusting
for these changes, operating cash flow rose by 18.8 percent to
EUR844.9 million. In line with expectations, free cash flow fell
sharply by 98.3 percent, because of more extensive capital
expenditure for Frankfurt Airport and Fraport’s international
business, while remaining in positive territory at EUR6.8 million.
Given the positive business development, the Executive Board and
Supervisory Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting that the
dividend be raised to EUR2.00 per share for the 2018 fiscal year
(2017 fiscal year: EUR1.50 per share).
Passenger traffic rises noticeably at FRA and internationally
Serving some 69.5 million passengers, Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
achieved a new passenger record in 2018 and growth of 7.8 percent
compared to 2017.
CEO Schulte commented: “We are pleased that the airlines have
significantly expanded their flight offerings at Frankfurt Airport
for the second year in a row, thus improving connectivity and
prosperity for businesses far beyond the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region.
Until the first pier of the new Terminal 3 opens in late 2021, we
will focus on maintaining a high level of service quality at
Frankfurt Airport – while dealing with the constraints affecting the
entire aviation industry. In particular, enhancing the situation at
the security checkpoints will be a top priority for us.”
In response to strong passenger growth, Fraport hired over 3,000 new
staff members at Frankfurt Airport in 2018. Despite the constraints
experienced at some central process points in the terminals during
peak periods – particularly at the security checkpoints – global
satisfaction of passengers with Frankfurt Airport was at 86 percent
in 2018 – thus even posting a slight increase compared to the
previous year (2017: 85 percent). To provide additional space for
security checkpoints, Fraport is investing in an extension to
Terminal 1 for installing seven extra security lanes in the summer of
2019.
Fraport’s international portfolio also posted a significant gain in
passenger traffic during 2018. In Brazil, the two airports of Porto
Alegre and Fortaleza reported a 7.0 percent increase to 14.9 million
passengers in 2018 – Fraport Brasil’s first year of operating these
airports. At the 14 Greek airports, traffic rose by almost 9 percent
to 29.9 million passengers. Antalya Airport in Turkey grew by a
significant 22.5 percent to 32.3 million travelers, a new historic
passenger record.
Outlook: Growth expected to continue
Fraport is forecasting sustained growth at all of the Group airports
in fiscal year 2019. At Frankfurt Airport, passenger volume is
expected to rise between around two and roughly three percent.
Fraport expects consolidated revenue to increase slightly up to
around EUR3.2 billion (adjusted for IFRIC 12). Group EBITDA is
expected to reach a range of around EUR1,160 million and
approximately EUR1,195 million, despite the non-recurring revenue
from the sale of Fraport’s stake in Hanover Airport. The application
of the IFRS 16 accounting standard – which changes the accounting
rules for leases – will not only make a positive contribution to
Group EBITDA, but will also lead to much higher depreciation and
amortization in fiscal year 2019. As a result, Fraport expects Group
EBIT to be in the range of about EUR685 million and around EUR725
million. The company also expects to post a Group result (net profit)
of around EUR420 million and about EUR460 million. The dividend per
share is expected to remain stable at the higher level of EUR2 for
the 2019 fiscal year.
Fraport’s four business segments at a glance
Revenue in the Aviation segment increased by 5.5 percent to slightly
over EUR1 billion. This was due partly to higher revenue from airport
charges resulting from increased passenger traffic at Frankfurt
Airport. At EUR277.8 million, segment EBITDA increased by 11.3
percent year-on-year, while segment EBIT rose 6.5 percent to EUR138.2
million.
Revenue from the Retail & Real Estate segment dropped 2.8 percent
year-on-year to EUR507.2 million. A major reason for this drop was
significantly fewer proceeds from the sale of land (EUR1.9 million in
the 2018 fiscal year versus EUR22.9 million for the same period in
2017). In contrast, parking income (+ EUR8.3 million) and retail
revenue (+ EUR0.8 million) grew. Net retail revenue per passenger
fell 7.4 percent year-on-year to EUR3.12. Segment EBITDA increased by
3.4 percent to EUR390.2 million, while segment EBIT climbed 2.8
percent to EUR302.0 million.
Revenue in the Ground Handling segment rose by 5.0 percent
year-on-year to EUR673.8 million. The strong growth in passenger
traffic resulted, in particular, in stronger revenue from ground
services and higher infrastructure charges. On the other hand,
passenger growth also led to higher personnel expenses at the
FraGround and FraCareS subsidiaries. Accordingly, segment EBITDA
declined by EUR7.0 million to EUR44.4 million. Segment EBIT dropped
considerably by 94 percent, but at EUR0.7 million still remained in
positive territory.
At nearly EUR1.3 billion, the International Activities and Services
segment significantly advanced by 58 percent compared to the previous
year. After adjusting for the EUR359.5 million in revenue related to
IFRIC 12, the segment’s revenue rose by 20.1 percent to EUR931.4
million. This revenue growth received major contributions from the
Group subsidiaries in Fortaleza and Porto Alegre (+ EUR90.9 million),
as well as Fraport Greece (+ EUR53.2 million). Segment EBITDA
increased a noticeable 28.3 percent to EUR416.6 million, while
segment EBIT jumped 40.7 percent to EUR289.6 million.
You can find our 2018 Annual Report and the presentation from the
press conference on our financial statements (as of 10:30 a.m.) on
the Fraport AG website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Fraport AG, Torben Beckmann, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, E-mail: [email protected]

Travel News | eTurboNews

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