The first four of five days of industrial action due to begin on Thursday will not go ahead so members can consider an improved pay offer, said the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G).

It is only right and proper that the membership is given the right to vote on the total final package

T &G spokesman

But the smaller union Amicus is still in talks over the pay offer and has not suspended its proposed action.

And some air passengers travelling on Monday face disruption because British Airways announced it has cancelled dozens of flights ahead of strike action by French air traffic controllers.

A total of 62 flights to and from Gatwick and Heathrow will be grounded just before and during the 32-hour strike, which begins at 2000 GMT on Monday.

A further 12 return services operated by BA's CitiExpress from UK regional airports have also been cancelled.

A BA spokesman warned that, although 19 flights from Heathrow remain unaffected, there may be re-routing.

Revised pay offer

T&G, which represents staff including firefighters, security staff and other workers at seven airports, said it had suspended the first four days of strikes after British Airports Authority (BAA) upped its offer to an average increase of 7% on basic pay over two years.

Sunday's announcement came after talks at the conciliation service ACAS.

Tim Lyle, T&G national secretary for civil air transport, said: "The final offer made by BAA represents a significant improvement and, given the democracy enshrined in the T&G, it is only right and proper that the membership is given the right to vote on the total final package."

However a further 24-hour walk-out will still go ahead on 23 December unless the dispute is finally resolved.

T&G members will now be balloted on the offer, which BAA says represents an average salary increase of �1,400 .

BAA owns Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports.

Talks ongoing

Meanwhile talks continue with Amicus, which has around 600 members involved in the dispute.

Union members voted by 2-1 in favour of the strikes after rejecting the BAA offer.

They still intend to walk-out on Thursday as well as 2, 10, 15 and 23 December.

BAA director Tony Ward said: "We are confident that our staff, most of whom do not want to strike, will recognise this as a fair deal.

"There are still other issues outstanding which we are committed to resolving but this is a very positive step forward."

He hoped talks with Amicus would continue.

Increased workloads

Workers from both unions initially voted for industrial action after BAA's offer of a minimum of 6.3% over two years.

They were said to be frustrated given the company's profits over the past year compared with their own increased workloads following the 11 September terror attacks.

Away from the skies, French truckers are preparing to set up road blockades from 2200 GMT on Sunday in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Ports are bound to be targeted by the action - hitting cross-Channel ferry passengers and UK hauliers.

The British freight transport industry was severely hit by lengthy action by French transport workers back in 1996 and 1997.