Airport workers are bracing themselves for another jobs bombshell when British Airways releases figures revealing the full impact of the US terror attack.

Chief executive Rod Eddington has said that more cutbacks are likely if market conditions do not pick up.

BA has already axed 5,200 jobs and grounded up to 20 aircraft since the attacks as passenger demand crumbles.

The latest figures are expected to show a 30 per cent drop in passenger numbers in October, with transatlantic routes showing the worst falls.

Short-haul traffic was also badly affected after parents decided to stay put in half-term week.

The numbers follow a 22 per cent drop in passenger traffic in September and this will contribute to the depressing half-year figures expected from BA.

BA could plunge into the red by as much as £70 million on Tuesday before the gains made on the sale of budget airline Go are taken into account.

The airline made a pre-tax profit of £217 million in the same period last year.