One of the country’s top airlines has threatened to go on strike causing holidaymakers to face a summer of travel chaos.

Staff at British Airways this week rejected cost cutting requests. An insider said ‘the row could lead to union action over the summer’.

Bosses have told them of plans to save £82 million over the next two years.

BA plans to enforce a one year pay freeze, extend hours, stop perks, reduce the number of cabin crew on flights and shorten the length of stopovers.

On Monday over 1,500 staff crammed into Kempton Park racecourse to unanimously reject the proposals with many ready to walk out.

One upset worker said “We are fighting for our livelihoods. This is a vicious premeditated and long planned attack on our terms and conditions.”

In February passenger numbers fell by 8.3% including a decline of 20.2% of higher spending premium passengers.

BA has predicted to make losses of up to £150 million next year with passengers not booking first class or business tickets.

Staff were said to be fuming after finding out that some axed senior managers given six figure payouts, have been re employed as £1000 a day consultants. To calm the row senior managers have given up their annual bonuses.

Chief Executive Willy Walsh is said to have given up his £700,000 windfall.

A source said “BA have been hiring hundreds of new cabin crew on 11 month contracts, paid a pittance of £15,000 a year”.

“They are on standby to take over if there is a cabin crew strike. It seems Mr Walsh is determined to break the cabin crews”. Steve Turner, Unite union’s national officer said “Our members have rejected the proposals put forward by BA management”.

He added that the credit crunch was a “temporary problem”.

A spokesman for BA said “Like all airlines, we have been hit by a worsening economic crisis and to respond to this we need to improve productivity and performance”.