Manchester Airport receives over 8,000 applications and hires 800 recruits as it races to bolster workforce before summer

Manchester Airport has received more than 8,000 job applications and in the last month hired nearly 800 new recruits to bolster its workforce in a bid to cut queues as passenger numbers surge. The urgent recruitment drive has taken place amid a chaotic period for the hub, with passengers left feeling the pain of its staff shortages in check-in, security and passport control.

But hub bosses say they are now on the road to recovery ahead of the summer months, with more than 1,600 applicants having applied for jobs at the airport in April alone, 60 recruits already on the floor, and 500 new starters currently going through vetting and security training. A further 200 workers are expected to join the operation in May, enabling management to open more security lanes in peak periods, and 'improve customer service'.

Overall, there have been 8,000 applicants for jobs, including security officers, car park marshals and hospitality staff. Meanwhile, despite ongoing complaints from passengers, bosses insist security waiting times are improving, with '90 per cent' of passengers getting through in less than 30 minutes over the last fortnight, up from 78pc in the first two weeks of April.

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Despite these signs of light, passengers are still being asked to arrive three hours before their flight and are reminded to get to grips with security rules around hand luggage to speed up the process. But it's a fine balance; the airport is also warning customers not to arrive too early because this can lead to extra queues - and their check-in and security desks may not yet be open.

Hard on the heels of the pandemic, the last few months