Yesterday's announcement of massive job losses at Gatwick have raised fears that British Airways will pull out of the airport for good.

BA is cutting 5,800 jobs worldwide, including 3,000 at Gatwick, a decision which will have far-reaching effects throughout Sussex.

Mark Froud, operation director of Sussex Enterprise, predicted another 500 jobs would go in the county as a direct result of the BA losses.

Union leaders warned BA would withdraw from Gatwick completely within two years.

BA chief executive Rod Eddington recorded a special telephone message for staff explaining that action was needed to lead BA out of a "crisis".

The GMB union accused BA of "stabbing workers in the back".

Officer Allan Black said: "BA workers have made massive sacrifices to support the company in the wake of the tragedy of September 11 and this is how they have been repaid.

"How can the company possibly justify job losses on this scale?"

Members believed BA would withdraw from the airport completely by 2005, despite assurances the company had no immediate plans to pull out.

Mr Black said managers had told union leaders yesterday they would review BA's position at Gatwick in two years.

He said: "It's very gloomy for Gatwick and I don't think it is finished."

Staff were extremely despondent and feared they would be unable to take jobs at other airlines because they would probably be making their own cuts.

Roger Lyons, general secretary of union Amicus, said: "This is a devastating body blow to staff who have acted impeccably in responding to the needs of the company to safeguard jobs during recent months."

Workers were carrying on today not knowing if their jobs were safe.

A BA ground staff member said: "I've been working here for 25 years. It is a shame we can't weather a low in passenger numbers.

"It is so sad to see lots of the big flights moving to Heathrow."

A loading supervisor was more optimistic, saying: "I think things will be okay.

"There has been a lot of uncertainty but I think the jobs going will be management staff."

Asked if he had confidence in BA's top management, he said: "I am hoping they are going to get it right. It's my future that's involved."

A BA porter said: "Staff have been quite worried but if it's going to happen, it's going to happen."

BA, which is losing £2 million a day, is hoping to lose the jobs through natural wastage rather than compulsory redundancies.

It has not yet made clear which jobs will go at the airport, apart from 550 from customer services, which deals with passengers before they board their flights.

The 5,800 losses announced yesterday come on top of 7,200 announced in September, most caused by the downturn in air travel in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

Transport and General Workers' Union spokesman Brendon Gold said the union, which represents most of the BA workers, would not accept compulsory redundancies.

He said: "We have made it clear we will deal with BA and negotiate on a voluntary basis.

"People at Gatwick feel extremely let down, worried, frustrated and angry. It is worse than they had hoped."

Mr Froud, concentrating on the effects on Sussex, said: "Airline catering firms will suffer because they will not be needed by budget airlines moving into Gatwick.

"There will also be a knock-on effect on the retail trade because people who have lost their jobs will not be able to buy so many things."

But the job losses were not a disaster for the area.

He said: "The economy in and around Crawley is robust and will be able to soak up all the losses.

"Sussex Enterprise, which is the Chamber of Commerce for Sussex, will be working closely with those affected to find alternative employment with local businesses, either at the airport or in the surrounding area.

BA plans to shrink its operation at Gatwick gradually until 2004, concentrating more on short-haul routes. The workforce will be reduced from 8,000 to 5,000.

Eight flights are being moved to Heathrow: Four long-haul services this summer and four short-haul next summer.

BA had started to change direction at Gatwick before September 11.

It was cutting down on its long-haul flights and had begun using its base in the north terminal predominately for short-haul point-to-point routes, which do not involve transfers.

Four days before the planes struck the twin towers, it announced it was shedding 1,800 jobs globally by the end of March this year.

On September 21 it came out with the news that another 5,400 jobs were to go, bringing the total before yesterday's announcement to 7,200.

This earlier review of the company also led to 20 aircraft being grounded and a reduction in flying of ten per cent This was followed by the cancellation of the usual extra week's Christmas bonus pay for cabin crew and ground staff.

Managerial staff had a five per cent pay cut, senior staff ten per cent and the leadership team 15 per cent.

Low cost carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet were able to ride out the post-September 11 crisis by lowering fares. It took BA a month to copy them.

It offered £69 tickets to cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona and Madrid and other tickets ranging from £89 to £189 for Russian cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg.

Mr Eddington said yesterday's package of measures was designed to return the airline to profitability.

He said: "We started this review with one clear objective in mind - to turn this company around.

"We will remain true to our heritage of being a full- service network carrier committed to customer service excellence and world class products."