The threat of a damaging strike at airports during the height of the holiday season receded today when an improved pay offer was tabled.

Airport baggage handlers and check-in staff had already rejected two pay offers from their employer, Aviance.

Having voted by nine to one in favour of industrial action, the workers were poised to stage a series of one-day strikes later this month.

But even as the result of the second rejection of the pay offer came through, union-management talks were continuing.

And the GMB union said it would be recommending that its members should accept the latest offer.

Staff, many of whom work at Gatwick and Heathrow, will now be balloted on the improved offer, with the result expected in about ten days' time.

The GMB did not disclose details of today's latest offer, except to say that it was "substantially improved".

The staff involved deal with check-in and baggage handling for leading airlines including Virgin Atlantic, bmi, Monarch and Singapore Airlines.