The Unite union is planning to appeal against the High Court’s ruling that declared the planned British Airways cabin crew strikes are illegal.

Unite plan to be at the Appeal Court on Tuesday and a successful appeal could see strikes go ahead later in the month, but if this fails Unite says it will ballot members again on industrial action.

It would be the third ballot since November last year - the first two were declared invalid by the High Court on technicalities.

A High Court judge ruled yesterday that Unite had failed to tell its members about the number of spoilt ballot papers in the last strike vote.

The first strike had been scheduled to begin on Tuesday and end on 22 May, with the three further strikes planned to begin on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.