Monday newspaper round-up: Airport workers, supercars, National Grid
More than two in five airport workers are considering quitting, research suggests, which could escalate delays already seen at terminals due to low staffing numbers. A survey of 1,700 workers by the UK jobs site CV-Library found reasons for wanting to leave the industry included wanting better pay and less stress. However, only 5% of respondents blamed the current situation at UK airports, where there have been long delays in recent months. – Guardian
Wealthy people in the UK are splashing out on more luxury supercars than ever before, official figures show. More than 18,000 supercars – such as Ferrari, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Maserati and Koenigsegg models – were registered at UK addresses in 2021, a 19% increase on 2020. Prices range from hundreds of thousands to more than £1m each, but concerns about the economy and the cost of living crisis for people on more modest incomes has done nothing to dampen enthusiasm for the trophy vehicles. – Guardian
National Grid was forced to issue an emergency appeal to Belgium to keep Britain's lights on as the market was roiled by surging prices ahead of a looming winter crisis. The power network's electricity system operator (ESO) issued an emergency instruction to operators of the Nemo cable running between Belgium and the UK to make sure supplies were sent to Britain last week, after failing to secure enough in the normal market. – Telegraph
Britain’s next prime minister must accelerate the pursuit of trade deals to prevent a further sharp rise in costs as global supply chains are overhauled, according to the country’s leading business group. Tony Danker, director-general of the CBI, warned that the West’s shift away from countries including Russia and China risked becoming “incredibly expensive” for consumers as companies stopped sourcing goods from the “cheapest and most economically efficient” markets. – The Times
The number of jobs being advertised offering bonuses has more than doubled since the start of last year, as employers seek to fill staff shortages without committing to inflation-proof pay rises. Mounting concerns that the UK is headed into an economic downturn have led companies to contain costs while trying to attract talent amid record levels of vacancies. – The Times