New owners to send in a team of fixers
30.11.09
Gatwick’s new owners, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), are preparing to send in a team of ‘fixers’ to help to overhaul the operations of an airport, the Times reports. Michael McGhee, GIP’s boss in London, told the newspaper: ‘It will be at least 18 months before passengers notice a real difference, however, there are some simple changes we hope to make during 2010 that should start to improve things.’
Most infrastructure funds have little to do with managing their assets once they have been bought other than by focusing on the numbers, but GIP’s policy is to improve operations in order to increase their investment return. It has 12 former GE senior managers who are sent into newly bought assets to improve working practices. The Times says that 5 of the 12 are due at Gatwick this week.
Mr McGhee said: ‘Many infrastructure assets are, or were, government-owned and they tend to keep the structures they inherited, so there are big efficiency gains possible if you can introduce best industrial practice. We have got these former GE black-belt people who are able to do that.’Early changes will include a lounge for Gatwick’s growing business traffic, expansion of security areas and a remodelled check-in hall. At present, each airline has fixed check-in desks, which are unused when the airline has no flights leaving. GIP says that if airlines shared facilities, they could cope better at busy times and the check-in hall would be less chaotic.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book gatwick airport hotel or gatwick airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great gatwick parking and gatwick hotels price comparison pages.
