Holidaymakers face delays at airports if firefighters go ahead with their planned strike starting tomorrow.

The GMB union said it would tell its ground services members at Gatwick not to work if airport fire fighters join the picket line.

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by workers at Gatwick and other leading airports were resuming today.

Union leaders said some progress had been made in a meeting with officials last night with the British Airports Authority.

Ed Blissett, GMB aviation senior organiser, said in a statement: "If the airport's fire services go on strike on November 28 and there is no alternative fire service cover, I cannot instruct my members, who load and work on the aircraft - which are a possible terrorist weapon and target, to continue to work.

"I will recommend they stop work until adequate fire cover is provided by BAA."

Firefighters, security staff and other workers at seven airports, Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, voted earlier this month to take industrial action over pay.

The Transport & General Workers Union and Amicus announced a series of 24-hour strikes, starting on November 28, unless the dispute was resolved.

BAA said its pay offer was worth a minimum of 6.3 per cent over two years which was well above the rate of inflation.