Ground Handling Agent - Ramp - Fixed Term

British Airways; England; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading airport ground services provider in the UK seeks a Ramp Agent for critical ramp operations at Gatwick Airport. You will be responsible for loading and transporting baggage adhering to safety regulations. The role requires flexible schedules to cover 24/7 operations. Ideal candidates will possess strong communication skills and the ability to work well under pressure. Competitive starting salary plus various benefits offered.

Benefits

Access to discounted flights

Health benefits including flu jab

Cycle to work scheme

Pension scheme

Free staff parking

Qualifications

• Must be able to lift baggage and cargo weighing up to 32kg.
• Must be able to obtain and retain a full airside pass including a satisfactory criminal record check.
• Ideally demonstrate previous manual handling experience in an outside environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ramp handling activities including transporting and loading baggage.
• Carry out daily operator checks and operate vehicles according to standards.
• Liaise with team members and resolve any baggage issues swiftly.

Skills

Manual handling experience

Excellent communication skills

Flexibility

Ability to work under pressure

Teamwork

Education

Valid Full UK Driving Licence

Job description

Gatwick Ground Services (GGS) provide airport ground operations at London Gatwick and London City Airports. As a wholly owned British Airways subsidiary we take great pride in delivering the same impeccable customer service and fully comprehensive training. We are proud to deliver the highest standard of ground handling to British Airways and our other airline partners.

Gatwick Ground Services was established in 2016, to support the ramp operations of British Airways at Gatwick. Following its success, the company branched into Aircraft Cleaning in 2018. In 2020, Passenger Services formed the newest department within the GGS business to provide an all-round ground handling option.

Our operations across two stations supports British Airways, Air India, Iberia Express, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Vueling Airlines providing a complete ground handling solution.

It’s an exciting and fast-paced life when you’re working in some of the world’s most important travel hubs, and you’ll be part of a global gateway connecting with people from all walks of life and helping to make each and every journey original and unique.

Whether you are a welcoming face at check in, have a keen eye for aircraft appearance, or thrive in a detail-oriented fast paced ramp environment, a job at Gatwick Ground Services is yours to make.

When you join the Gatwick Ground Services team, an exceptional travel experience from the ground up starts with you.

Please note that we work in partnership with our recruitment provider, One Resourcing Ltd, who manage the onboarding process including the background checks required to obtain a Full ID Pass for London Gatwick Airport.

The role:

Ramp Agent

One of the most critical under wing positions, the role of Ramp Agent will carry out a range of ramp handling activities including collecting, transporting, and loading all baggage and allocated freight onto a range of different types of aircrafts to affect the timely turnaround of allocated flights in line with the agreed procedures and health and safety regulations.

The shifts are a 5 on 4 off earlies to lates pattern (10.5 hour shifts including 2x 30 min unpaid break).

Earliest possible shift start time is 0400 and latest possible shift finish time is 0030.

Given the nature of this role, you must be available to cover the above shift times 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including Bank Holidays and religious festivals.

We are currently offering a fixed term contract until 31st March 2026 with the possibility of an offer of a permanent contract at the end of this period.

What you’ll do:

• Carry out daily operator checks and operate all vehicles and ramp equipment used during the turnaround, according to current standards and procedures, so as to minimise risk of injury to self and others and damage to customer aircraft

• To collect, transport and load all passenger baggage and allocated freight onto a range of different types of customer aircraft in order to affect the timely turnaround of allocated flights in line with agreed procedures and health and safety regulations

• To carry out a range of other ramp duties, as delegated by the Team Leader, during the offload, loading and air start, in accordance with agreed procedures and customer service level agreements, to ensure the safe and timely turnaround of aircraft
• To liaise with the Baggage Handling Unit Agents, Gate Coordinators, and the Team Leader about any perceived issues (e.g. misplaced baggage), so that problems can be swiftly resolved with minimal financial penalty to the business
• To co-operate, build relationships with and support team members / colleagues, willingly sharing knowledge and experience when needed to ensure continual improvements to service are made and Gatwick Ground Services’ reputation is seen as positive and professional
• To demonstrate a high standard of behaviour and timekeeping in compliance with company codes and standards of conduct, to demonstrate professionalism with an inherent respect of colleagues, customer airline and passengers.
• To follow all GGS’ SOPs and comply with all UK / EU legislation as well as Airport Authority and our customer airline security requirements.
• To forge professional and effective working relationships with own team, other GGS departments, supervisors, airline representatives, crew, and their customers, in order to maintain and develop GGS’s reputation. To willingly share knowledge and own experience with colleagues and act in a cooperative manner to ensure customer service is continuously improved.

What you’ll bring to Gatwick Ground Services:

• Ideally you will be able to demonstrate previous manual handling experience, preferably in an outside environment in all weathers
• Excellent communication skills
• Must be flexible
• Must be able to obtain and retain a full airside pass including a satisfactory criminal record check
• Must be able to lift baggage and cargo weighing up to 32kg
• Must hold a valid Full UK Driving Licence (Automatic or Manual)
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work as part of a team

Your experience:

• Strong team approach
• Pragmatic and solution focused
• Good communication and influencing skills
• Ability to prioritise in a fast-paced environment and manage workload to deliver to tight deadlines/turnarounds
• Ability to clearly and accurately interpret and communicate relevant information
• Resilient and tenacious, able to pursue goals in the face of obstacles
• Must be able to obtain and retain a full airside pass including a satisfactory criminal record check

What we offer:

Starting salary £27,450.20 (£14.08ph) plus £2,405.40 additional annual shift pay

Overtime paid at time and a half during the week, and double time at weekends and Bank Holidays.

We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It’s one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary.

Key benefits include:

• Access to discounted flights known as hotline fares, standby tickets and concessions with British Airways and other code share airlines
• If made permanent and after completing 1 full year of service, access to an Annual Bookable Concession flight of higher onload and cabin priority
• Health benefits including free winter flu jab and access to the HSF Health Plan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free staff parking
• Discounts on public transport and airport food vendors
• A generous leave allowance, increasing annually for the first 5 years of employment
• Pension scheme

At Gatwick Ground Services you’ll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress.

We never stand still, and we don’t expect our people to either.

Inclusion & Diversity

At Gatwick Ground Services we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work.

Inclusion and diversity are a key driver of innovation and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We’re looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey as we continue to assist with connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain.