Gatwick's £300 bonus offer to staff for clearing queues

Gatwick's new owner is offering £300 bonuses to staff who agree to work longer hours to clear lengthy security queues. It wants to eliminate tedious waiting in line at the airport by summer next year.

Chief executive Stewart Wingate told his 2,500 staff that queuing "damages our reputation as well as the experience of passengers and employees".

Security staff would work extra-long days when queues threaten to get out of control, such as when curbs on liquids in hand luggage were imposed in 2007.

Under proposed new working arrangements, bonuses worth up to £1,500, including the £300 for longer hours, would be offered in lieu of a pay rise.

But Unite, the union representing Gatwick staff, is calling for an inflation-linked pay boost. It has so far rejected the deal.

US firm Global Infrastructure Partners bought Gatwick from BAA for £1.5 billion in October.