New strike threat at UK airports

More travel chaos looms for air passengers traveling in and out of the UK following a decision by staff at six UK airports owned by BAA to strike in a dispute over pay.

Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports would have to close if strikes went ahead, BAA said, as key staff such as firefighters were due to take part.

Unite said it would be meeting on Monday to discuss a strike plan, leaving the weekend open for talks.

It would have to give a minimum of a week's notice, meaning walkouts could begin from the week starting 23 August.

The BBC said 220 airlines use the six airports, servicing 300,000 passengers daily and 2,561 flights a day

Unite is currently also in a dispute with British Airways, which has resulted in 22 days of strikes so far this year.

The union has threatened to ballot for further strikes at the airline starting in September.

It has been a summer of misery for air passengers in Europe with the severe disruption caused by Iceland's volcanic ash cloud compounding the impact of strikes by British Airways cabin crew.

In better news, Spanish air traffic controllers this week called off a strike during the peak August holiday period.

Their union said it would not strike this month because of the disruption it would cause holidaymakers and the impact on the tourism industry, which accounts for 11 percent of Spain's economy.