Baggage handlers at Gatwick are to stage two fresh strikes in a row over workloads, it was announced yesterday.

About 600 members of the Transport and General Workers Union will walk out for 12 hours on October 6 and 9, threatening disruption to flights.

The workers, employed by ground services company Servisair, staged a 24-hour strike on Saturday and will walk out again tomorrow.

They are complaining about heavy workloads and the dispute worsened following the suspension of a union official.

Companies, including Thomas Cook and MyTravel, brought in extra staff last Saturday to handle customers' baggage and said there was no disruption.