A WAVE of strikes which could have thrown summer flights from Southampton Airport into chaos have been called off.

Unions have secured a new pay deal with airport chiefs which will prevent industrial action being launched by the terminal's firefighters at the busiest time of the year.

As previously reported Unite was locked in a battle with airport owners AGS over pension changes the union claimed would be "significant and detrimental" to firefighters pension schemes.

Without the firefighters being on duty, the airport, which deals with nearly 1.8 million passengers a year, would have to close down.

Now Unite union revealed workers had unanimously voted in favour of a new offer on their pensions in a deal brokered following two days of negotiations between union chiefs and airport bosses.

The unions had been pushing for the pension scheme to remain open to future accrual for existing members.

They were also fighting for a new pay deal for 2016.

Now 97 per cent of workers have backed a new pay deal which had been drawn up by both sides following talks with the conciliation service Acas.

Unite members also overwhelmingly agreed a pay deal for 2016 which was also part of the Acas brokered package. The pay year runs from January-to-January and the deal will be backdated.

Unite regional officer Phil Silkstone said: “Unite is pleased to announce that our members at Southampton Airport have accepted by a very large majority the Acas brokered deal on pay and pensions.

“This lifts the threat of industrial action at the airport which could have disrupted summer holiday flights.”

The ballot of the Southampton workers follows the decision that about 480 Unite members at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports were also balloting for strike action, after 98 per cent of workers rejected proposed changes to their pensions.

AGS Airports is a partnership between Ferrovial and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA), established in 2014 to acquire Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.

A spokesman for AGS Airports said: "We are pleased to confirm that the proposal discussed between the company and the Trade Unions at Acas has now been fully endorsed by the members."