Hermes “just as much to blame” for Cyprus airports, claims Minister

Transport Minister Nicos Nicolaides said that the airports operator, Hermes Airports Ltd., is just as much to blame for the incompetence of the two ground-handling companies, even though the latter are directly responsible for the chaos created at the island’s privatized airports in Larnaca and Paphos since they took over in May.
Nicolaides said in statements to local radio stations on Tuesday morning that Hermes is responsible for keeping a check on the two ground handlers, Swissport/Vassilopoulos and LGS/Louis, but that the fines of EUR 5,000 per violation of the contract would be imposed on the two sub contractors.
The minister even added that he is considering the issue of revoking the licenses from either or both companies.
Hermes Airports’ Nicos Shacolas said in statements earlier that he was in daily communication with the two ground handlers and had cautioned them, telling them to make changes and hire more people to overcome the problems at the airports, mainly at the check-in and baggage handling areas.
A mini-poll conducted among FinancialMirror.com readers, asking “who is to blame for the mess at Cyprus airports?” found the two ground handlers accounting for 38% of the blame (32% Swissport/Vassilopoulos – 6% LGS/Louis), with the state also taking a large part of the responsibility, with 32% blaming the government “for lack of control.”
Hermes Airports got off easy in the poll with 26% apportioning blame and a minimal 3% said the public was to blame “for complaining too much”.