Manchester Airport hits back after baggage handler describes 'chaos' because they have 'literally no staff'

Manchester Airport has hit back after a baggage handler was captured describing the recent scenes of 'chaos' because they have 'literally no staff', in a new documentary. Undercover footage taken at the airport revealed critical staff shortages in Swissport baggage handling teams – with workers captured describing conditions as 'f*****g chaos' because they have 'literally no staff'.

The video, recorded as part of a Channel 4 Dispatches investigation shown on August 1, sees baggage handlers struggling to perform physically demanding shifts alone. Staff say the work would have usually been covered by two or more people before the pandemic hit.

Other baggage handlers revealed their team numbers have been slashed, saying the majority of people who were sacked were 'experienced staff'. In the UK, Swissport cut over half its 6,000 ground handling staff during the pandemic. Airport Chaos Undercover: Dispatches was aired on Monday evening (August 1).

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The airport has now hit back at the scenes in the show, saying they have 'worked hard' since the start of this year to prepare for the summer season and recruited more than 600 staff members into security operations with almost 300 more joining in the coming weeks. They added in recent weeks, 'more than 95 per cent' of travellers have made it through security in under half an hour.

Manchester Airport has faced challenges with demand following the easing of Covid travel restrictions. Passengers have complained of long queues , delayed and cancelled flights and lost luggage , as the airport struggled with a lack of staff. Some got