Staff at budget airline Transavia have formally complained about the ‘chaos’ caused by a lack of luggage handlers during the last few weeks.

In a letter to airline bosses, FNV union members criticise Transavia’s decision to contract services from Viggo instead of continuing to use KLM’s own luggage handling service. They allege that ‘Viggo has no experience at Schiphol whatsoever and has proved itself incapable of handling planes’.

Compensation costs, for instance for sending luggage on to travellers’ destinations, have been spiralling, they said, and if the airline’s cost cutting excercises are allowed to continue, they believe Transavia’s reputation as a good employer could be in danger.

Long waits for luggage at the end of trips have left many passengers frustrated, with one man recently reacting so violently after hours of standing around that he was arrested.

Union FNV has called on Transavia to come up with solutions to the problems within two weeks. Transavia has so far declined to comment.

DutchNews.nl has asked Viggo for a reaction to the allegations.