The Unite union claims airport security staff are being unfairly dismissed.

Security jobs could be lost at the airport as the service may be contracted out later in the year.

The Department of Infrastructure has confirmed it is consulting with the 16 staff involved and unions about possible changes to aviation security and how this service is run in future.

But the Unite union said: ’The ports director is in the process of unfairly dismissing the airport security section as a whole under the guise of redundancy.’

Unite said staff could not accept losing £15,000 a year each to make an identified saving of £250,000.

The union said redundancy occurs when a service or post is no longer needed. But aviation security is a legal Civil Aviation Authority requirement.

’You as the travelling public are being left protected by an inferior replacement service,’ said Unite regional officer Debbie Halsall.

A DoI spokesman insisted: ’No decisions have been made and none will be made until the period of consultation has concluded.’