They consider themselves to be forgotten by the health crisis, neither in the tourism recovery plan nor in the support plan for the aeronautics and aviation sector. "We are between the two, between the plane and the hotel, but we have not been accompanied in the same way by the State", regrets Jean-Baptiste Thélot, the president of the Union of airport security companies ( SESA). However, these private agents responsible for checking luggage and passengers at airports have been hit hard by the Covid crisis. In fact, fewer airplanes flying means fewer checks to be carried out.
"We keep a very small share of activity in closed terminals but otherwise, our decline in activity corresponds to that of air traffic," notes the president.
And currently, less than 30% of planes fly.
The airport security sector in France brings together 9,000 permanent and full-time jobs, as many men as women, in some twenty companies.
The sector represents half a billion euros in turnover per year.
Turnover in free fall
“We took three months to make the public authorities understand that we were affected as much as the airlines and we were finally able to join the S1bis list of companies helped.
But to be compensated in this list, you have to justify a loss of turnover of at least 80%, and for my part, it has fallen by 78% ”, laments Jean-Baptiste Thélot, who heads ICTS and its 2,400 employees.
"At home, the activity fell by 76%", complements with regret Pascal Kerouanton, the boss of Seris Airport, which employs 1,300 agents on the French territory and in the DOM-TOM.
The entrepreneur had to resort to a loan guaranteed by the State (PGE) and he signed a long-term partial activity agreement, known as “APLD”.
300,000 jobs affected
“This agreement is interesting but it does not cover all our issues, judges Pascal Kerouanton. We have to ensure exactly the same amount of work (60%) for each of our employees, but when airport terminals are closed, this is not possible. ”It is indeed unthinkable, so that the hours are fairly distributed, to transfer the authorized agents from Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), Lyon (Rhône) or Roissy (Val-d'Oise), whose terminals are affected by closures, to the gantry cranes at other more active airports located hundreds of kilometers away.
The Union of Airport Security Companies therefore calls for an adjustment by the State of the APLD system.
"The entire airport ecosystem, forgotten by aid, supports the same request," argues Jean-Baptiste Thélot.
Catering (
Editor's note: meal companies
), car rental companies, shops, cleaning companies, ground assistance… This represents 300,000 jobs.
“300,000 jobs, which depend directly on air traffic, which experts believe will return to its pre-Covid level in 2024. At best.
The Ministry of Labor seized of the file
Contacted, the Ministry of Labor confirms "to reflect, with the social partners, to see how to adapt the APLD in order to better stick to their trades and to save jobs".
Élisabeth Borne's entourage ensures: “Discussions are underway.
We will continue to consult.
"
“Many actors are caught by the throat, warns Jean-Baptiste Thélot.
They are on the verge of a precipice, unable to sign an APLD agreement, and if the state's support for partial activity drops, it will be drowning.
The president is not only afraid of job cuts.
“When you have already scratched the funds for fifteen months, financing a social plan, it often means the death of the company.
"