Baggage handling company Swissport UK today abruptly announced the closure of operations at Heathrow airport, with the loss of 900 jobs.
Baggage handlers, check-in staff and other employees who arrived for work this morning were told by security staff that they were being laid off, instructed to hand in their official passes and go home immediately. Swissport UK employs 1,262 people.
One baggage handler said: "To lose your job is bad enough. To lose it six weeks before Christmas just after we thought our jobs were safe is a real kick in the teeth. But the worst thing for me was being told by a security guard that I had lost my job."
Swissport International, the parent of Swissport UK, said in a statement: "It is with regret that following a number of years running an unprofitable business at Heathrow airport and, more recently, extensive attempts to reverse the loss being sustained by the company, Swissport UK will be placed into administration."
Angry union leaders accused the company of acting "disgracefully".
A GMB official, Ed Blissett, said: "It is quite disgraceful that the first workers heard about this was from the media without any proper negotiations with their representatives. It is of grave concern to us that such an announcement should be made with little or no notice. This is no way to treat a workforce."
Union officials were aware that Swissport was having financial problems at Heathrow and had agreed to hold talks to discuss efficiency savings. The two sides had recently negotiated a 2.5% pay rise, so today's announcement came as a surprise. Swissport said lengthy negotiations with staff representatives and a major customer to find an alternative solution had been unsuccessful.
The company said the remaining parts of its business in the UK remained "buoyant" and were expected to experience healthy growth. Swissport's international business across Europe and the rest of the world was "similarly" healthy.
With a workforce of some 22 000 people, Swissport International handles ground services for more than 70 million passengers and three million tonnes of cargo a year. Swissport, which operates at 169 airports in 34 countries, last year made revenues of 1.2bn Swiss francs (£499.2m). Swissport International is majority owned by London-based buyout specialist Candover Partners.
