Stansted Airport staff say passengers who spat at and racially abused colleagues were STILL allowed to fly

A Unite poll of 1,800 air transport workers revealed that 82% of Stansted staff faced abuse at least once a month, 27% had been physically assaulted, and 94% had seen a colleague targeted. Alcohol was the leading cause, with flight delays and baggage issues close behind. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called on airports and airlines to take stronger action, saying workers were being "left in harmful positions."

One security worker recounted an incident in which a colleague was told 'I hope you die on your way home in a car crash' — and the passenger responsible was still permitted to board the flight.

Unite is pushing for abusive passengers to be banned across every UK airport, rather than only at the one where the incident occurred.

The Department for Transport is working on a data-sharing scheme between airlines to identify and flag disruptive passengers — though no such ban is currently in force.