At least 5,000 EUjet passengers were left stranded abroad

Workers at Kent International Airport in Manston were told on Monday that 127 people are to be made redundant.

"We have offered support from benefits and state pensions advice to starting your own business," said Graeme Carey of the Redundancy Support Service.

"It is about looking at what skills each individual has."

Airline staff

Grant Thornton, the administrator for PlaneStation, said a skeleton staff of 72 would be kept on to keep the airport operational while it searched for a buyer.

The administrator of EUjet in the Republic of Ireland has not so far given a figure for the number of airline staff who lost their jobs but it is thought to be at least another 100.

Stephen Millen, whose daughter worked for EUjet, said she had not been paid for July and was owed £1,300 in salary.

The Redundancy Support Service is run by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).

Mr Carey said it may not be possible for employees to remain in the airport sector unless they were willing to travel to work.

But he said many would have skills that could be transferred, for example to the retail sector which was buoyant in Thanet.