UP to 149 jobs are to be axed at Manchester Airport under plans by an aircraft maintenance firm to pull out of the UK.
FLS Aerospace will also cut a further 272 jobs at Stansted in Essex blaming reduced workload on the decision. The Danish-owned firm said current volumes of aircraft maintenance work could not justify running operations at the two airports as well as Dublin, where work will now be consolidated.
"The available work in the heavy maintenance market continues to reduce with the retirement of older aircraft and with different maintenance requirements for newer aircraft types," the firm said in a statement.
"While many of the services offered by FLS Aerospace can add value to the business and make a reasonable return, it is clear from results over the last five years that the aircraft activity in the UK has been, and continues to be, loss-making."
"The company has no alternative but to make plans to significantly downsize and rationalise activities in this area if the overall business is to survive and grow."
The Transport and General Workers Union said it would fight the job cuts, which it said were hard to understand given plans to expand Stansted.
John Street, a TGWU official, said: "If FLS think they can do this with the unions simply agreeing they are deluding themselves.
"When aviation is showing steady signs of growth and the future is one of growth, cutting jobs now is unbelievable. We will contest this decision with vigour."
The company maintains and repairs aircraft for a number of airlines including Ryanair and easyJet.
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