British Airways (BA) is expected to announce which flights will be cancelled because of strike action next weekend.
12,000 cabin crew are planning a walk-out over reduced staffing levels and pay. The first strike is due to start on 20 March, and last for three days. A second four-day walkout is scheduled to start on 27 March.
BA has stressed that it will operate about 70 per cent of its flights overall. Most cancellations - which will be announced this afternoon - are expected to be domestic or short-haul flights.
At least 23 aircraft will be operated with replacement crews, drawn from other BA staff.
The Guardian reported last night that Gordon Brown personally intervened, calling Unite's general secretary, Tony Woodley, to discuss potential solutions to the dispute.
According to the BBC, a Downing Street source refused to confirm whether this was the case. Yesterday, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis condemned the strike as "totally unjustified".
BA says that the cabin crew changes, made last November, were vital cost-cutting measures to secure the airline's future in the face of record losses, including a pre-tax loss of £401m last year. Unite says that the changes are disproportionate.
The union has called for BA to "put back on the table" the settlement offer it made last week, which was withdrawn as it was condition on strike action being averted.
The offer included commitments on working hours and annual pay rises, in return for agreement on the planned £6.25m cost cuts.
Industry figures released today show that airlines have suffered during the downturn, with UK airports handling 7.4 per cent fewer passengers than in 2008. This equates to a fall of 17 million.
