Leeds Bradford Airport could cut more than 100 jobs

More than 100 jobs could be cut at Leeds Bradford Airport as the coronavirus crisis continues to affect the aviation industry.

The airport is "consulting with colleagues" as a result of the impact of the global pandemic.

About 25% of its workforce is under threat, mostly seasonal workers on temporary and zero-hour contracts for the airport's peak summer period.

However, the airport plans to press on with work to build a new terminal.

Chief executive Hywel Rees said: "The summer season really is a bit of a write-off.

"We're seeing some recovery now, we've got some passengers back in the terminal, but we're not going to see anything like the volume that we've seen in previous years."

Although staff had been furloughed, 102 posts are now at risk of redundancy.

However, the airport will push ahead with a planned expansion in the expectation that demand for flights will eventually return to pre-pandemic levels.

Mr Rees added: "This pandemic came upon us quickly and unexpectedly and there is absolutely no reason to believe that aviation will not recover; it will take some time to recover but by the time we have recovered we will need this new terminal building.

"There's a future for aviation, if we're going to have a global economy in a post-Brexit world we're going to need connectivity."

Rachel Dix, regional organiser with the GMB union, said the jobs in question provided "vital incomes to 100-plus households and any job loss is unwelcome irrespective of the nature of the contract".

She said: "The announcement was a shock, although not unexpected.

"We've been working closely with Leeds Bradford Airport and I know the proposals won't have been taken lightly by them.

"Everybody's been working hard to protect pay and jobs since the onset of the pandemic."

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