A driver sacked from his job at Gatwick after being banned for drink-driving has lost his claim for compensation.

Richard Hill, of St Joan's Close, Crawley, claimed at an employment tribunal he was unfairly dismissed by British Airways.

He said the company was a major employer and should have offered him another job at the airport.

BA denied treating him unfairly. It said Mr Hill had breached his contract, which required him to have a clean driving licence.

It tried to help him find another job but there were no suitable alternative posts at the time and it had no option but to dismiss him.

Mr Hill, who worked for BA for eight years, was a flight deck services assistant, delivering charts and technical manuals to aircraft on the runway before take-off.

He was sacked in February after being disqualified for three years by magistrates for driving while over the legal alcohol limit.

He told the tribunal in New England Road, Brighton, that when he had previously been banned for drink-driving for 12 months in 1995, the company had found him another job in administration until he had got his licence back.

Mr Hill said BA should have taken the same action again this time instead of dismissing him.

He said: "The way I was treated was wrong. I was a damn good employee and did my job to my utmost. I was loyal."

Terry Kemp, a manager in the BA's flight operations department, said: "About 80 per cent of the job is driving. He was aware of the requirements to have a full driving licence and knew if he was disqualified, he would lose his job."