A baggage handler that was criticised over delays this summer has been replaced at Stansted Airport.

Ryanair has chosen OmniServ as its new handler at Stansted following an extensive tendering process to replace Swissport.

On June 3, hundreds of passengers were forced to wait for hours for their luggage at Stansted and passengers vented on social media that there weren’t enough baggage handlers there to deal with it.

From February 2019, OmniServ - operating as Blue Handling - will provide all of Ryanair’s check-in, baggage and ground operations handling at Stansted, Ryanair’s largest base, with over 40 based aircraft and more than 200 daily departures.

Swissport will continue to handle Ryanair’s operations at over 40 other airports across the UK and Europe, and all current Swissport staff at Stansted will be offered contracts with OmniServ in order to minimise disruptions.

Ryanair’s Director of Operations, Adrian Dunne said: “We look forward to working with both OmniServ and Stansted Airport to improve the customer experience and punctuality at Stansted for the 21m Ryanair customers who will travel through the airport this year.

“We sincerely thank Swissport for their services provided at Stansted, and will continue to work with them at over 40 other airports.”

A Swissport spokesperson said that the company was “disappointed that it was not possible to reach an agreement to continue our relationship with Ryanair at Stansted airport.”

They added: “Both Swissport and Ryanair recognized the need to review operations at the airport in light of unprecedented challenges over the summer brought about through significant UK Air Traffic Control delays and weather disruptions.

“Ryanair’s new decision to invest more resource in the ground handling operation at Stansted affirms the arguments we have long been making about the unique challenges of this contract and the need for further investment by the airline.

“While in future we won’t be handling Ryanair specifically at this airport, we will continue handling our other airline partners at Stansted Airport and Ryanair will remain a key customer for us across other UK&I airports.

“We remain fully committed to providing the highest levels of service to our airport and airline partners in the UK to ensure the best possible travel experience for passengers.”