Airport staff told of job losses

At least 5,000 EUjet passengers were left stranded abroad

Staff at Kent International Airport have been told that 127 jobs are to go following the collapse of EUjet and its parent company PlaneStation last week.

Workers at the airport in Manston were told on Monday the redundancies would take place immediately.

Administrators said PlaneStation would only keep a skeleton staff to make sure the airport stayed operational while efforts continued to find a buyer.

All flights, including freight planes, out of the airport have been stopped.

'Expressions of interest'

EUjet flights were suspended last Tuesday but flights from other carriers, particularly freight companies, had continued.

However, staff were told by the administrators on Monday that they could not continue to maintain insurance cover for any type of aircraft activity.

Clive Lewis, a representative of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said the meeting had left workers stunned.

"It will have a great impact on people from the area because Thanet is a high unemployment area and there is not much chance of people finding jobs," he said.

It is understood the airport has not received any offers from other airline companies to operate low-cost flights.

However, a spokesman for PlaneStation said there had been "expressions of interest" in taking over the airport.

More than 5,000 passengers were left stranded abroad when PlaneStation went into administration with rival airlines like easyJet and Monarch Scheduled, and Eurolines coaches, stepping in to bring them home.

The future of EUjet and its employees is being handled by an administrator from the Republic of Ireland.