London's Heathrow Airport was threatened with closure as talks aimed at averting strikes next month have ended without agreement.
No further dates for negotiations between airports operator BAA and Britain's biggest trade union Unite were scheduled as a row over BAA's decision to close its final salary pension scheme to new employees continued.
Unite has said that the decision was made by BAA's Spanish owner Ferrovial without its input.
Two 24-hour strikes on 7 and 14 January, and a 48-hour walkout on 17 January are set to hit all of BAA's airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Unite has warned that all seven face closure if the strikes, which involve crucial staff including firefighters, and security and maintenance workers, go ahead as planned, after union members voted by more than a 2:1 margin backing industrial action last week.
Union officials said there was still time, though, to reach agreement before the first strike, and avert travel chaos in the country.
