British Airways is set to lose more business from the trade after the Unite union again backed strike action this week.

Operators said they were being forced to put clients on other airlines even if they wanted to support BA because of the fresh uncertainty.

Aito council member John Tangey, owner of Tangey Tours, said he was booking customers on to El Al, Jet2 or easyJet to Israel as they did not want to take the risk with BA.

He said continuing uncertainty was having a long-term impact on BA and the union’s vote would damage the airline and its members’ jobs.

Unite must start any strike within 28 days of announcing the ballot result on Monday which means that any industrial action must begin by March 22.

The union is required to give BA seven days’ notice before staging a walk-out so any strike announcement will have to be made by March 15 at the latest.

BA and Unite were holding fresh talks after the strike vote as TTG went to press.

Travel plans were already disrupted by strike this week when French air traffic controllers started a five-day strike which led to a quarter of flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle, and about half from Paris Orly being cancelled.

Lufthansa pilots also started a four-day strike, but returned to work within 24 hours when fresh talks started. However, the strike could resume on March 8.