Manchester Airport security staff to start four-day strike

More than 500 security staff at Manchester Airport are due to start a four-day strike at midnight.

The British Transport & General Workers' Union claims the action will cause disruption for thousands of holidaymakers.

But an airport spokeswoman denies this, and says it will be "business as usual".

An estimated 160,000 people will be using the airport over the Easter weekend as the TGWU moves into its eighth week of industrial action.

The union says a strike last weekend caused hundreds of delays, but the airport says the disruption was due to air traffic control - not the security dispute.

This involves in the strike until midnight on Easter Monday are protesting against new contracts which would bring pay cuts and changes to shifts and rosters.

TGWU regional secretary Dave McCall says: "We apologise in advance for the inevitable delays that the travelling public will experience.

"However the future of an effective, properly trained, valued and rewarded security service remains the main issue.

"We reject and continue to reject attempts by Manchester Airport to have a cut-priced service based on burger bar rates of pay."

A Manchester Airport spokeswoman dismisses claims that the strike will cause delays, and says: "Contingency plans are in place and extra security staff drafted in. Security at the airport will not be compromised."

Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly to Manchester Airport.