Union bosses have agreed to hold last-ditch talks today in a bid to stop a series of strikes from causing Christmas chaos at Gatwick.

The Transport and General Workers Union yesterday agreed to join airport operator BAA and another union, Amicus, for peace talks over a pay dispute.

If the talks break down, holidaymakers face six one-day strikes over the Christmas period.

Tim Lyle, T&G national secretary, said: "The T&G has agreed to accept the invitation for talks. We hope that the talks will prove productive and fruitful."

The talks will be led by independent conciliation service ACAS. If they fail, the first day of strike action by airport firefighters, security workers and other staff is planned for Thursday next week.

The strikes will also affect another six UK airports - Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Further strikes are due to take place on December 2, 10, 15, 23, and January 2.

The unions have rejected a pay offer worth 1.7 per cent from last April plus £150, with a further £150 lump sum and a one per cent rise from next April.

Airport authorities say Gatwick will be crippled if the strikes go ahead.

A spokesman for BAA Gatwick said: "We are optimistic these talks will bear fruit, although we do expect them to go on throughout the day."

But the union warned that airport chiefs would have to come up with significantly better terms.

A spokeswoman for T&G said: "The ball is very much in BAA's court. They know the strikes are going to go ahead unless they come forward with a new pay offer.

"The downturn after September 11 has been turned around and BAA's last six month profit reports were something like £670million.

"Our members are also having to engage in increased security, which takes longer, and to them the offer of just 1.7 per cent was seen as not really recognising that extra input."