Swissport may cut half its UK staff amid losses

Airport ground-services firm Swissport says it may have to cut half its British staff because of the collapse in airline travel caused by the coronavirus pandemic The company, which operates baggage handling and check-in services at U.K. airports including Heathrow and Gatwick, said Wednesday that 4,556 jobs may be cut as it faces a loss of 50% of its revenue this year Chief Executive James Holt said in a message to staff that “we've seen tough times before - volcanic cloud, 9/11, the financial crisis - and we've weathered these.

Airport ground-services firm Swissport says it may have to cut half its British staff because of the collapse in airline travel caused by the coronavirus pandemic

The company, which operates baggage handling and check-in services at U.K. airports including Heathrow and Gatwick, said Wednesday that 4,556 jobs may be cut as it faces a loss of 50% of its revenue this year

Chief Executive James Holt said in a message to staff that "we've seen tough times before - volcanic cloud, 9/11, the financial crisis - and we've weathered these. But this time it's different. We have never seen anything like COVID-19 in our lifetimes." He said, "there is no escaping the fact that the industry is now smaller than it was, and it will remain so for some time to come."