Scotland's biggest airline has sacked its handling agents at Glasgow Airport after passengers were checked in for the wrong flights.

Flyglobespan has parted company with Aviance, one of the world's biggest airport services firms, after a series of complaints from customers.

The Edinburgh-based airline has taken a 40% stake in a new firm, Alba, that will handle all its ground operations at Glasgow, Scotland's busiest airport.

Flyglobespan's frustrated executive chairman, Tom Dalrymple, has read every complaint from customers personally.

"I am never happy for people to be checked in for the wrong flight, even if this is stopped before they get on the plane," he said yesterday.

"I am never happy if people are seated in the wrong place on the plane.

"I am never happy if people get off their plane to find their bags are not ready - especially if they have been delayed getting off the plane in the first place."

The airline, which now has 20 aircraft, Scotland's biggest fleet, has almost doubled in size this year with more than 1000 staff. However, like most operators, it relies on contractors to provide handling services at airports. Mr Dalrymple felt Aviance staff were allowing the same mistakes to be repeated, something he could not forgive.

Flyglobespan will continue to use Aviance in Aberdeen, where it is happy with the service provided, and another handing agent, Menzies, in Edinburgh.

Internet forums for passengers and crew have focused heavily on Flyglobespan in recent weeks, with one, Skytrax, claiming it was receiving more moans about the Scottish airline than about all other UK operators put together.

Keith Nicholls, the commercial manager of Aviance UK, yesterday said: "The fact that Tom has a stake in Alba will mean he has more influence and we wish him well." Aviance recently took over ground services for BA, which had previously had its own inhouse team, in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Flyglobespan, meanwhile, is continuing with its rapid expansion into new and more challenging long-haul services. It currently has two Boeing 767 wide-body jets of its own and two leased for the summer with foreign crews.

By 2010 the airline will take receipt of one of the world's most advanced airliners, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This week Mr Dalrymple must decide whether to power the planes with British Rolls-Royce engines or American-made ones from GE.

Where the new aircraft are to be housed and maintained remains in doubt. Flyglobespan has long talked of opening a hangar at Glasgow Airport to take its Dreamliners and other aircraft. Such a base would bring a huge jobs boost. Negotiations with BAA, however, are in the balance.

"We may have to have the base down south," Mr Dalrymple said.

A spokesman for BAA said: "We have been happy to engage with Flyglobespan in the past and I am sure we would be keen to engage with them on this new project."