Annual Salary
£15,000 to £28,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Airport baggage handlers load and unload luggage and cargo from aircraft.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts
There will be
0.2% more Airport baggage handler jobs in 2027.
You could:
You could work on an aircraft, at an airport or in a warehouse.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant courses include the Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Aviation Environment.
You'll usually need:
You could train for this role through an intermediate apprenticeship as an aviation ground operative or an aviation ground handler.
This will usually take 12 months to complete. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time at a college or training provider.
You'll usually need:
There are no specific entry requirements but some employers may prefer you to have a few GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), particularly in maths and English.
Experience of warehouse work and an LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) or forklift truck licence could be helpful when applying directly for this role.
You'll need to:
Seasonal work may be available, with large increases in the number of travellers in busy holiday periods.
Jobs may be advertised on the websites of airport authorities and agencies, recruitment agencies and in local newspapers.
With experience, you could work as a 'lead ramp hand', lining up planes ready for the next flight. You could also train staff on equipment and procedures.
You could move into supervisory management or passenger handling operations.
You can find out more about working as a baggage handler from Careers That Move.
You'll need: