Strike-hit Gatwick carries on flying

A strike by baggage handlers and maintenance workers at Gatwick airport failed to disrupt flights yesterday.

A strike by baggage handlers and maintenance workers at Gatwick airport failed to disrupt flights yesterday.

The workers mounted picket lines outside Gatwick as they launched a 24-hour walk-out in protest over their workloads as well as the suspension of a union official.

The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) said the stoppage was "solidly supported". Around 300 Servisair workers had been due in yesterday morning but the TGWU claimed that none had turned up.

Servisair handles more than 20 airlines at Gatwick, including Ryanair, Air Malta, Britannia, Thomas Cook, easyJet, Excel Airways, Delta, MyTravel and Continental.

The airlines drafted in other workers to handle passengers' luggage.

"We had a full programme of 366 flights and none of them were cancelled," said a spokeswoman for Gatwick.

Servisair confirmed there had been no adverse impact. "We are pleased with the success of our contingency plans," said a spokesman.

* Around 70 passengers were yesterday finally let off a ferry to Belfast, having been stuck for 24 hours because the crew could not open its doors. The Lagan Viking had left Liverpool at 2.20pm on Friday and passengers were finally able to disembark at 2.40pm.