Swissport provides ground-handling services at Stansted Airport

Swissport said the posts were to go because of a reduction in the number of Ryanair flights from the Essex airport.

Swissport holds the ground-handling contracts for Ryanair and Easyjet and a number of the holiday charter airlines who use Stansted.

The company has begun talks with staff affected by the cuts as well as with union officials.

"The number of staff employed by Swissport is directly related to the size of Ryanair's operation," a Swissport spokesman said.

"With a substantial reduction in the airline's operation, there has to be a consequent reduction in the number of staff."