Staff lobby for airport expansion

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Airport workers have been demonstrating at a public inquiry into whether Stansted can be expanded.

Workers with the Unite union said plans for increased flights and passenger numbers would bring hopes of new jobs.

The protest began after MP Sir Alan Hazelhurst said Stansted did not need to grow, and that expansion would bring more problems than benefits.

British Airports Authority said the development could see 10 million extra people fly from the airport.

Baggage handlers, aircraft dispatchers and security staff are among those who formed a picket line outside the public inquiry.

Better prospects

They accused Sir Alan of "having something against" workers' job security, but he denied the claim.

He said: "There is a misconceived idea that somehow I am anti-jobs and that is most certainly not the case.

"The fact is the jobs at the airport at the current time are not in any way threatened by any evidence I've given.

"I'm talking purely about whether this airport should be expanded."

One worker who formed part of the demonstration told BBC Essex: "It should expand because it's protecting my job at present and it's going to create employment in the future for many people in the area.

"It is going to generate money and prosperity for all local businesses and it will give us the prospect to negotiate better terms and working conditions at the airport."

Another worker said: "Obviously we will get more airlines in, so hopefully better pay deals and more opportunities for people to move up in the world."

The expansion plans have attracted widespread opposition from people living near the airport, environmentalists and the National Trust.