CHIRP is also concerned that such incentives could encourage unwanted/unsafe behaviours as people potentially try to cut corners in order to achieve the payment criteria. We also note that, in some locations, ground handlers also receive incentives for achieving on-time or early departures and so the problem might be more endemic than it appears. The problem is akin to ‘press-on-itis’ in its potential for safety impact through people accepting poor, ill-considered or rushed outcomes by deviating from procedures. Whilst the concept of incentives is not unsafe in itself if enacted appropriately, their introduction needs to be done with appropriate mitigations in place to ensure that short-cuts are not made and safety is not compromised. CHIRP has passed on this report to the CAA who have agreed to review the matter in order to understand more specifically what is going on and, in the short term, they have increased their oversight of the company involved in order to review this and related concerns.
