British Airways management and union officials are today set to reveal the outcome of last-ditch talks aimed at averting a strike. Thousands of cabin crew are poised to begin a series of walkouts on Tuesday, in a bid to ?almost totally disrupt BA services?.

The move is expected to cause six days of cancellations or major delays, spread over three weeks, on the route between Bermuda and the UK. Last night, BA chief executive Willie Walsh and Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) boss Tony Woodley met to try to head off strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr. Woodley said he would meet cabin crew representatives this morning, with an announcement expected to follow.

Strikes which will affect Bermuda remain earmarked for Tuesday and Wednesday next week, as well as on February 6 and 7, and February 13 and 14, when T&G members have pledged to halt flights from airports including Gatwick.

It means Bermuda passengers will have to make inconvenient diversions via North America.

Business leaders fear the move will throw the Island?s vital connection with the UK and Europe into temporary disarray and have repeatedly called for BA?s staff and bosses to avoid any strike.

BA bosses say they are doing everything they can to ensure disruption will be kept to a minimum.

Anybody due to travel between next Tuesday and February 16 can rebook their flights for a different date, while passengers holding a booking for a flight departing next Tuesday or Wednesday can get a refund.

The action comes after staff claimed managers capped pay by limiting promotion opportunities and forced them to work while unwell under new sickness absence rules. An overwhelming 96 percent voted for industrial action in a ballot of the more than 11,000 cabin crew.

Earlier this week, BA asked conciliation service Acas ? a mediator between unions and management in the UK ? to step in to help with the talks, which centre around sickness, pay and staff issues.

However, it is understood the union has strongly resisted speaking to Acas.

The dispute originally centred around plans to reduce BA?s $4 billion pension deficit, which entailed later retirement for the airline?s 45,000 employees.

However, that part of the row was resolved after BA Forum, which represents the airline?s four unions, recommended acceptance of suggested changes to the scheme.

BA agreed to make a one-off contribution of $1.5 billion into the fund subject to acceptance of benefit changes.