Manchester Airport bosses ask firefighters and parking staff to handle bags as passengers suffer three-hour queues after they made 2,000 workers redundant
- Manchester Airport asked firefighters to handle baggage amid staff shortage
- Travellers have complained of 'massive' three-hour queues in the past two days
- Estimated more than 2000 redundancies made at airport following lockdown
- An employee, who wants to remain anonymous, said the staff 'morale is low'
Manchester Airport bosses have asked firefighters and parking staff to work on the baggage belts as passengers suffer 'massive' three-hour delays - with some even 'missing flights' due to a staffing crisis.
The workforce shortage has sparked fears of further disruption for travellers during the busy summer months after the airport made more than 2000 redundancies during the pandemic, which savaged the aviation sector.
That number included around 700 people employed directly by the hub, including in management positions, and more than 1,500 by outside employers, such as baggage handling agents and airlines.
Passengers have complained of 'massive' queues at security in the past two days that 'took hours' to get through, causing some people to 'miss flights'.
Now travel restrictions are lifting, passenger numbers are on the rise, and plans to reopen Terminal 3 are also in the pipeline.
But questions are being raised around whether there will be the workforce to meet demand in what Manchester Airport bosses have described as an 'extremely challenging' labour market.
It is understood firefighters refused to take on the baggage duties, although staff from other departments have stepped up to help.
![Manchester Airport bosses have asked firefighters and parking staff to work on the baggage belts as passengers suffer 'massive' three-hour delays - with some even 'missing flights' due to a staffing crisis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/08/15/55100579-10590177-image-m-49_1646754737411.jpg)
Manchester Airport bosses have asked firefighters and parking staff to work on the baggage belts as passengers suffer 'massive' three-hour delays - with some even 'missing flights' due to a staffing crisis
![The workforce shortage has sparked fears of further disruption for travellers during the busy summer months after the airport made more than 2000 redundancies during the pandemic, which savaged the aviation sector. That number included around 700 people employed directly by the hub, including in management positions, and more than 1,500 by outside employers, such as baggage handling agents and airlines](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/08/15/55100539-10590177-image-a-50_1646754757049.jpg)
The workforce shortage has sparked fears of further disruption for travellers during the busy summer months after the airport made more than 2000 redundancies during the pandemic, which savaged the aviation sector. That number included around 700 people employed directly by the hub, including in management positions, and more than 1,500 by outside employers, such as baggage handling agents and airlines
One MAG (Manchester Airports Group) employee, who asked to be kept anonymous, said: 'It's been so bad that they have been asking firefighters, engineers and parking staff to offload the bags onto the conveyors in the arrivals hall.
'I think the summer is going to be horrendous, at this rate we just won't have the staff, and morale is already low.
'I just hope that we get the staff we need in time and get back to normal.'
The staffing shortage, with bosses struggling to fill the vacancies left by the mass exodus, is understood to have hit a range of departments, including security and the agencies which handle passengers' baggage.
It has sparked fears among insiders that those issues suffered by passengers last week - when scores of holidaymakers were forced to leave the hub without their luggage - could be seen on a bigger scale during the busy summer months.
Meanwhile, passengers claimed to have endured three-hour queues at security on Monday. The airport said this was due to a 'greater number of passengers than expected'.
Manchester Airport has said that in recent months there have been a small number of instances when it, and other organisations, have asked other teams to support the baggage operation for a 'short period of time'.
It said it was working to ensure all third parties had the support and resource they needed as the aviation industry continues to recover.
This continued recovery is no doubt a welcome development, not least for the thousands of staff who work there, communities like Wythenshawe, and the councils which will be hoping for a dividend in the coming years thanks to their part-ownership.
Although the hub is still a way off its pre-pandemic peak, the numbers are positive.
From November 2021 to February 2022, more than 940,000 passengers passed through, compared to 198,000 in 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
During the same period in 2019, there were more than 2.7m passengers, but staff say numbers are now rising steadily.
However, with growing passenger numbers comes the need for a bigger workforce.
![Passengers have complained of 'massive' queues at security in the past two days that 'took hours' to get through, causing some people to 'miss flights'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/08/15/55100573-10590177-image-m-56_1646755015689.jpg)
Passengers have complained of 'massive' queues at security in the past two days that 'took hours' to get through, causing some people to 'miss flights'
Understood to be due in part to aviation staff who were furloughed or made redundant now having found work elsewhere, the problem has prompted an urgent recruitment drive ahead of the busy summer months ahead.
A jobs fair last month hosted by MAG and a number of its partner agencies advertised more than 500 jobs on offer.
These included roles working for MAG directly, in areas such as passenger security, customer services, car parks and hospitality, and working for ground handlers and contractors including Jet2com, Swissport and baggage handlers like Menzies and Nata.
There were also vacancies at UK Border Force, which controls immigration - also at the centre of recent queuing controversy.
One job fair attendee said: 'They were advertising a certain number of jobs but when I started talking to people they were saying there are thousands of jobs and that they just couldn't recruit the baggage handlers they need.
'They said passengers were having to be sent their bags by courier, which must be costing a fortune.
'I think a lot of staff who went on furlough didn't come back because they got jobs where they didn't have to start at 2am.'
Meanwhile, other businesses in south Manchester, including logistics operations like Amazon and DHL, continued to thrive through the Covid crisis, and are potentially able to offer higher rates of pay for less anti-social hours.
Mike Kane, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, believes the sector needs more Government assistance to persuade people back into aviation.
Mr Kane, who is also the shadow aviation minister, added: 'Aviation has been struggling to recover but the biggest struggle is getting the workforce back as it expands again.
![Meanwhile, passengers claimed to have endured three-hour queues at security on Monday. The airport said this was due to a 'greater number of passengers than expected'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/08/15/55100729-10590177-image-m-55_1646754883620.jpg)
Meanwhile, passengers claimed to have endured three-hour queues at security on Monday. The airport said this was due to a 'greater number of passengers than expected'
'I think the Government needs to look at a specific aviation package to help in its recovery.'
On staffing issues, Manchester Airport said: 'Many organisations are involved in running an airport, and Manchester Airport is committed to adopting a 'one team' culture when delivering its daily operations.
'We engage closely with all our partners - including handling agents, airlines, retailers and Border Force - to understand the challenges they are facing and, where necessary, work together to deliver the best possible service to our customers.
'In recent months, there have been a small number of instances when handling agents have identified short-term resource issues.
'On these occasions, Manchester Airport and several other organisations asked some of their teams to support the baggage operation for a short period of time to minimise disruption to customers.
'It was pleasing to see colleagues from a range of different organisations and departments come together to help each other in this way and, moving forward, we are working closely with all third parties to ensure they have the support and resource they need as the aviation industry continues to recover.'
On defined benefit pensions, Manchester Airport said: 'Unfortunately, like other companies across a wide range of industries and following the devastating impact of the pandemic on our business we carried out a detailed consultation in partnership with our trade unions about the closure of our defined benefit pension scheme.
'This resulted in the scheme closing last year, with no impact to contributions accrued by colleagues up to that point and an enhanced rate of contribution to our defined contribution scheme for a transitionary period.'
![It is understood firefighters refused to take on the baggage duties, although staff from other departments have stepped up to help.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/08/15/55100727-10590177-image-m-54_1646754872737.jpg)
It is understood firefighters refused to take on the baggage duties, although staff from other departments have stepped up to help.
On recruitment, Manchester Airport said: 'Covid-19 had a massive impact on our sector, with it being the worst affected industry according to the ONS.
'So at the start of the pandemic we took action to reduce costs and, as a last resort, this included some colleagues sadly leaving the business.
'Travel restrictions at home and abroad created huge uncertainty for our industry and made it difficult to plan a proper recovery.
'Since those restrictions began finally to be removed at the start of the year, we have been pleased to see passengers returning to the airport.
'This has allowed us to recruit hundreds of jobs in the region, to support the remobilisation of our operations and meet the strong demand for international travel that has emerged.
'This major recruitment drive has including hosting a series of jobs fairs, and we have been encouraged by a large number of applications that we continue to work through.
'The recovery of the whole UK economy does mean that we are faced with an extremely challenging labour market, as companies in many different sectors look to recruit.
'Despite these challenges we are working hard with all our partners to fill all available posts in time for summer.'
A Department for Transport (Dft) spokesperson said: 'We recognise that the aviation sector has experienced challenging times over the last two years, which is why businesses have been able to draw from an unprecedented £8 billion of Government support since the start of the pandemic.'
As background the spokesperson referred to MAG's recruitment campaign to fill 1,000 roles across three airports and said the DfT had launched a skills retention scheme for current and former aviation workers to register their skills and be notified of job vacancies.
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