Millions face Easter getaway chaos after peace talks fail but BA bosses threaten to go to court to halt strikes

The pilots, who are paid up to £120,000, are threatening to walk out in a pay dispute - a move certain to bring chaos to airports.

If the strike goes ahead it will "effectively ground BA worldwide", the pilots' union warned. But BA is ready to seek a legal injunction to stop any action.

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A spokesman for BA said: "If strike dates are issued we will act to protect our customers by applying for an injunction."

Late last month the British Air Line Pilots' Association voted to strike over claims that BA intends to outsource flying duties to less qualified pilots on lower pay at Open Skies, its new airline subsidiary.

Balpa spokesman Keith Bill said: "Talks have broken down and we are now pondering our next step after BA said that if we announce a strike date they would go to a high court to seek an injunction.

"We have no date pencilled in and are taking it one step at a time."

Union officers met BA officials last week at conciliation group Acas but talks broke down at the weekend.

A walkout would infuriate thousands of families planning to fly over the long Easter weekend.

If action carried on a few days later, to March 27, it would leave BA facing the humiliation of opening to passengers its long-awaited Heathrow Terminal 5 in the middle of a strike.

About 2.5million holidaymakers left the country last Easter with the majority flying abroad for a week of sunshine or skiing.

Industry experts say a strike could cost the airline up to £25milliona day. The union, which represents more than 90 per cent of BA's pilots, must give at least seven days' notice of any action.

BA will launch Open Skies in June, operating flights between Paris, Brussels and New York. The pilots recruited for the subsidiary will be paid about 25 per cent less than BA pilots, according to the union.

It fears management will use the lower-paid Open Skies pilots as a "Trojan horse" to force down pay and conditions.

Jim McAuslan, Balpa's general secretary, said: 'We have seen it happening around the world.

"BA pilots are determined not to let the same thing happen to them and to their families. That is why Balpa has drawn a line in the sand."

BA admits its Open Skies pilots will have different terms and conditions, but insists this is necessary for a start-up airline.

Despite serial industrial problems at the airline with other staff, BA's 3,200 pilots are rarely militant.

They voted to strike over pay in 1996, but the dispute was resolved before they took action. The last strike, in 1980, only lasted a day.

But the pilots voted overwhelmingly for a strike in last month's ballot with 86 per cent saying Yes.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We are proud of the professionalism and high reputation of our pilots and have never sought conflict with them."