A GLOBAL courier company is closing its Stansted Airport operation leaving almost 100 employees facing redundancy. TNT Express Worldwide will transfer its aircraft-maintenance work, currently carried out at the airport, to Belgium by the end of the year.

A GLOBAL courier company is closing its Stansted Airport operation leaving almost 100 employees facing redundancy.

TNT Express Worldwide will transfer its aircraft-maintenance work, currently carried out at the airport, to Belgium by the end of the year.

One employee who lives in Saffron Walden, but did not wish to be named, said: "It's really horrible - everyone has been made redundant. One of my colleagues burst into tears when we were told.

"What made it worse was that the senior directors flew over from Belgium in an expensive private jet to break the news. It was like rubbing salt in the wound."

Staff who work at TNT's Stansted Airport-based operation are three weeks into a 90-day redundancy consultation.

A TNT spokesman said: "TNT Express Worldwide can confirm plans to consolidate and transfer work, presently conducted by its aircraft maintenance team at Stansted Airport, to the company's main European Air Hub at Liege in Belgium by the close of 2009.

"The engineering facility at Stansted provides support and technical advice to TNT Airways European fleet, but the function will switch to Belgium in 2010 as part of the company's rationalisation programme following the economic downturn.

"The move will impact on 91employees designated at Stansted, but the company is hopeful that a significant number of those involved will be offered alternative employment opportunities with the company.

"A consultation process with all affected employees is now underway and this remains ongoing."

Most of the TNT employees who work at Stansted, which includes engineers working in the hangar as well as administration staff in the office, live locally to the airport.

"It's not going to be easy to find new jobs, especially in this climate," said the employee. "They have been a good company to work for and I have been here for about 10 years - some people have been here longer. It has been a real shock for everybody.