As voting started in the rerun of last November's ballot, the Unite trade union poured scorn on the airline's plans to tackle any industrial action.

Len McCluskey, Unite's assistant general secretary, was scathing about the airline's plans to train other staff - including pilots - to work as cabin crew.

"With a cabin crew of 13,500 does BA seriously think this handful of inexperienced individuals will be able to operate a service?" he said.

BA has announced that it is seeking volunteers ready to undergo a basic training course which would enable at least some of its 650 daily flights to operate.

The airline, which declined to disclose how many volunteers it had found, said its contingency plans were intended to enable the airline to "operate the best flying programme possible under the circumstances".

A spokesman added: "Any temporary crew will be trained to meet all the standards and requirements of British Airways and all regulatory authorities. The safety of our customers and staff is always our over-riding priority and we would never do anything to compromise that."

Those who are undergoing the training course, which has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, will be be given instruction in some of the key safety areas - such as aircraft layout, first aid and how to operate the emergency exits.

Ground staff who volunteer to fill in for the strikers will be given essential safety training but not taught how to provide food and drink for those on board.

But according to Ken Ablard, who left BA after 37 years as a cabin crew member, the rest of the service will be rudimentary.

"You need several flights to know where everything is in the galley. People will keep bumping into each other, it will be chaos up there.

"Goodness knows how they will cope."

BA crew were due to stage a 12-day strike over Christmas, following a ballot in which they voted nine to one in favour of a walk-out in protest at a package of cuts demanded by the airline.

The result of the latest ballot is due towards the end of next month, paving the way for a strike in early March. However the Unite has said it will not take industrial action over the Easter holiday.