V-Flyer

Hello all, I'm a new member to this forum, and I thought that I'd add a few words as an introduction.

I work at Heathrow and I work on the ramp, on Virgin aircraft and for some other airlines. When you're in the lounge at the gate and you look out the window, I'm one of the poor soles wandering around in a hi-viz vest trying to get everything loaded in time.
We don't often get to meet the customers, only if we have to come upstairs to collect bags and buggies to go in the rear hold of the aircraft.
We are the ones who take you bags from the aircraft and load them onto the belts at Heathrow arrivals, so please think about my poor back and try not to pack too much.

I'm not too sure just how much I can tell you about my job, what we do, how we do it, etc, but if anyone has any questions I may try to answer them publicly.

Hi there.

Ok question for you.Do you use the same towbar for all the modles of aircraft or is there a different one for each type?

Welcome Biggles. [y][y]

Hi Biggles,

Welcome to V-Flyer. If you are one of the guys responsible for loading and unloading our bags you qualify are a Very Important Person!

I am sure there will be many questions.

Hope you enjoy the site.

Hi Biggles,

I haven't got a question for you, but welcome to the forum!

Welcome Biggles - I hope you contribute greatly to the forum especially on those behind the scenes issues that you rightly say we rarely see. I for one really appreciate all the work the goes on by people at airports to facilitate my travel and agree that you are in the VIP category.

I hope you'll see that we're passionate about flying and that the whole experience is efficient and customer-friendly. As well as this we like a good moan and bitch when things don't go as anticipated. So look forward to hearing from you too.

Hi Biggles and welcome[y][y]

God to have another "insider" so to speak on the site, looking forward to some interesting info you will hopefully be able to provide us;)

Neil:)

Hi Biggles

Is the Holicks advert"How do they sleep at night" true where the baggage handlers throw the bags half way across the hall.

Hi Biggles and welcome to V-flyer - Im sure there will be many questions as and when things happen at the airport. Im sure it would be fascinating to see how the bags are handled at LHR and how when my case disappears past the check in where it goes and how it ends up in the correct aircraft.

Would also be interesting to know how UC and PE bags are treated so that they can come out first at the other end?

Hi Biggles and welcome to V-Flyer.
Not a question, but I remember having to get a bus out to a SQ flight on the tarmac once and we passed by the bgaggage drop off point (before they put on the various belts I guess). I remember being in awe at how complicated and enormous it looked. That said it clearly must work as I've never lost a bag at Heathrow, or any other airport for that matter.

Enjoy the boards!

Dean

Originally posted by jetwet1
Hi there.

Ok question for you.Do you use the same towbar for all the modles of aircraft or is there a different one for each type?

Dave,
I hope you don't mind if I jump in with the answer since Biggles has not yet replied. They use different towbars for different a/c(although 1 tow bar may fit 3 or 4 a/c types) but most larger airport have tugs which wrap around the front wheels and lift the a/c when on push back or manouvering. HTH.

Iain

Originally posted by MarkJ
[brWould also be interesting to know how UC and PE bags are treated so that they can come out first at the other end?

Thats when the bags come they come out first on the other end which seems to be rare enough for me[:(!]

Hello Biggles and welcome to V-Flyer

Regards

Hi all, sorry for not replying sooner, but I have been to work!

Re: the tow-bars question from 'jetwet1' ...

as has been answered by somebody else, we do have different tow-bars for different aircraft, and the usually have something painted on them so that the crew pick the correct one. On most aircraft there is a horizontal bar between the front wheels, and the tow-bar attaches to that. On some a/c it attaches from the top and one some it's from the bottom.
The biggest ones are for the A.340-600 series ... and they are very heavy! One of my jobs is to disconnect the bar when the aircraft has been pushed-back from the terminal, and it is a two-man job.
We also have a single tug which wraps around the front wheels, lifts the whole thing a few inches off the floor, and then pushes the plane backwards - which is good for us as there's no bar to unhook.

Re: throwing the bags across the hall ... you wish! I wish!
The bags get 'manhandled' about 2 feet when we unload them onto the belts. When you have to unload as many bags as I have you just want to get the job done, you don't have time to 'play'.
Maybe in another message I'll tell you about baggage handling!

More later, I have to go to work.