AoT targets outsourcing firms
The Airports of Thailand (AoT) plans to set up two subsidiaries to boost service efficiency and deal with security and ground support equipment services, to ward off problems caused by outsourcing firms.
AoT president Nitinai Sirisamatthakarn said the AoT board had launched a policy not to extend contracts for outsourcing firms which handle the AoT’s key operations.
These companies were found to have caused several problems, which affected the AoT’s operations, ranging from strikes carried out by security workers calling for a pay rise, to problems of staff driving passenger bridges into aeroplanes, and losing passengers’ luggage.
The AoT will establish a firm to deal with security services and another with ground support equipment services, including driving passenger bridges and handling baggage, Mr Nitinai said.
The two subsidiaries will be registered in July this year, he said.
Later, the firms will undergo fundraising and set up their own boards, Mr Nitinai said.
The one handling security services could start working first as firms outsourced to deal with security at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports as well as their duty free zones will have their concessions expire in September, 2019, Mr Nitinai said.
“It is likely the firm needs to hire more than 1,000 security workers at Suvarnabhumi airport,” Mr Nitinai said, adding up to 2,000 workers could be needed for all the airports.
Referring to the baggage handling at Suvarnabhumi airport, Mr Nitinai said Thai Airways International Plc and Bangkok Flight Services Co are dealing with the matter and the AoT still has no plan to suspend their contracts.
But the AoT’s subsidiary would step in to become the third player in the service.
The AoT, however, will revoke contracts of the concessionaires found to commit breaches of contracts, and they can be replaced by the AoT’s subsidiary right away, he said.
“There are many wrongdoings occurring,” Mr Nitinai said, adding any outsourcing firms which disobey the contracts are at risk of being dismissed.