Threat of UK air chaos averted

The threat of a strike that would have closed six UK airports has been lifted.

The Unite union and the UK airports’ operator BAA agreed a “basis for settlement” following a day of talks.

A strike was threatened this month at Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton after engineers and other ground staff rejected a pay deal.

Unite said that BAA had tabled a “much improved” offer, and airport workers would be urged to accept the deal.