Unions representing British Airways cabin crew warned last night that strike action is “inevitable” unless a compromise can be reached at a meeting on Monday.

Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA, will meet Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley, the joint heads of the Unite union, to try to break the deadlock on Monday.

Bassa, the division of Unite that represents BA cabin crew, said in a letter to members yesterday: “If no progress is made at that meeting, a ballot for industrial action is inevitable.”

BA wants to save £140 million a year from its cabin crew budget, but it also wishes to make radical changes to working practices.

The talks between Unite and BA have dragged on since June and the airline’s management said last week that it would start imposing limited changes from November 16.

Among the conditions that BA wants to impose are a reduction in crew numbers on some flights. It will also force senior cabin crew to participate in normal food and drink service and new recruits will be employed on different terms and be paid less.

Unite’s negotiators were scheduled to meet BA on Wednesday at Acas, the conciliation service, to discuss a range of other issues, such as a two-year pay freeze, but the meeting broke down because the union refused to participate unless the airline removed the threat of imposed changes. BA’s negotiators would not remove it and the deadlock will be left to Mr Walsh and the Unite general secretaries to resolve.

If the threat of imposition is removed, Unite said that negotiations would continue on October 21.

If, however, the two sides are unable to reach agreement on Monday, the prospect of strikes later this year will become almost certain. A strike could ground BA’s entire fleet and ruin the holiday plans of tens of thousands of passengers.

In recent weeks the cabin crew’s union has stepped up the rhetoric in preparation for a showdown with the airline’s bosses. In a recent message to members, the union said: “We now urge all our members to join with us and stand strong with us to prepare for the battle we face ahead. Have no doubts that the fight is coming, but together we are at our strongest and together we will win.”

BA launched its cost-cutting programme last year in response to a dramatic decrease in passenger numbers as a result of the economic slowdown. It has eliminated about one third of its managers and wants to remove 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs from its 14,000 cabin crew.

The airline is also looking to eliminate another 1,400 to 1,700 jobs among ground staff and has reached an agreement with its pilots to reduce their pay packages.

BA lost £401 million last year and has warned that it is fighting for survival. However, as economic gloom has eased in recent months, unions have dug in to fight changes to cabin crew pay and conditions.

Over the years, BA’s cabin crew have accumulated numerous perks and benefits and in some cases senior cabin crew can earn more than a first officer or a pilot. According to Civil Aviation Authority figures, BA’s cabin crew are paid, on average, £29,900, about twice as much as Virgin Atlantic’s average of £14,000.

A spokesman for BA said: “We remain available for talks at any time.”

On a wing and a prayer

14,000 Number of BA cabin crew

2,000 Full-time air crew jobs BA wants to save

£140m Savings sought from cabin crew budget

£29,900 Average crew salary at BA, twice as much as at some of its competitors

£401m Losses made by BA last year

Source: British Airways

Times Recommends

• Lies and cover-up at MG Rover exposed by report
• High oil prices push manufacturing costs up
• Primark founder steps down as chief executive