Last month BA cabin crew voted for strike action over jobs, pay and changes to working conditions including BA's decision last November to reduce the number of cabin crew on long-haul flights and initiate a two-year pay freeze from 2010.
The union argued that these, and other changes, would impact negatively on passenger services, as well as the earnings and career prospects of cabin crew.
On Wednesday negotiations between British Airways and Unite, held under TUC auspices, reached an unresolved end. Unite leaders have until Monday 15 March to announce strike dates after which, their mandate runs out.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Despite a prolonged period of negotiations it has not been possible to reach agreement between BA and Unite. Both parties will be reflecting on the position and the TUC will be keeping in touch but at this stage no further negotiations are planned.'
Since then BA announced it is "open for talks", and Unite responded that "the lines of communication are still open".
BA also claims to have arranged a contingency plan to maintain normal service in the event of a strike. The airline is thought to have trained 1,000 staff as cabin crew and has arranged to fly its own passengers on other airlines if necessary.
Jamie Bowden, an aviation analyst and former BA employee, said BA still has 7,000 available crew in spite of the proposed action. "With 7,000 crew ready to work the strike cannot be as effective as Unite would like it to be," he said.
