London , England ( CNN ) -- Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow Airport threatened Wednesday to strike during the week of Christmas , as British Airways went to court to try to stop a strike called by its cabin crews . The planned industrial action looked set to throw one of the world 's busiest airports into chaos over Christmas -- while United Kingdom-based drivers of the Eurostar train announced they would go on strike at the same time . British Airways hopes a London court will order cabin crews to stay on the job , despite a vote by 92 percent of members of the Unite union to walk out . The strike could threaten 1 million passengers ' holiday travel plans . BA made its case before Judge Laura Cox at London 's High Court Wednesday . Unite also is expected to present its views Thursday and the judge could rule the same day . The airline held emergency talks with union leaders even as it sought the court order to block the 12-day walkout . The two sides talked for about four hours on Wednesday afternoon , a BA spokeswoman told CNN , without disclosing the contents of the discussions . She declined to be named . BA is challenging the Unite union 's ballot of its 12,500 cabin crew members , arguing that some workers who had taken voluntary redundancy -- or buyouts -- took part in the voting even though they would have left the airline by the time the strike took place . Unite , which said British Airways cabin crews will strike from December 22 to January 2 , also announced the threat of the second air travel strike as BA fought its case in court . Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow and at Aberdeen airport in Scotland will strike next week unless there is movement on resolving a pay dispute , Unite announced . The strike is not related to the BA dispute . The baggage handlers and check-in staff are employed by SAS Ground Services UK Ltd. Unite said the strike would affect travelers on Turkish , Emirates and Thai airlines at Heathrow and passengers on KLM , Air France , Wideroe and Atlantic at Aberdeen . The walkout , which is over pay and pensions , is scheduled for December 22 to 24 , December 26 to 27 and January 3 to 4 , 2010 . SAS said it was preparing a statement in response . Opening the British Airways hearing at London 's High Court , the airline 's legal counsel , Bruce Carr , told the presiding justice that the balloting process contained `` serious and substantial irregularities . '' He called the union 's action in choosing to strike over Christmas `` willfully disproportionate and clearly unlawful . '' Carr referred several times to the serious disruption that will be felt by the airline 's passengers , saying some `` ordinary people will find it very difficult to understand . '' Passengers angry and despairing . Meanwhile the Unite union said it had accepted an offer from British Airways to meet for talks Wednesday afternoon . `` We are pleased the company has seen sense and will meet with us to seek an opportunity to get the talks back on track , '' union spokeswoman Pauline Doyle told CNN . Those talks do not affect the airline 's attempt to seek an injunction to prevent the strike . Unite union members voted in November to walk out because of planned changes to cabin crew conditions . The union 's Deputy General Secretary Len McCluskey announced the result of the ballot Monday . The strike vote came after the airline introduced cost-cutting measures , including a two-year pay freeze and reducing the numbers of cabin-crew members on long-haul flights . Tell us about your BA travel troubles . British Airways says the changes , introduced in the wake of a record pre-tax loss of more than $ 485 million for the six months from April to September , will save the airline $ 665 million . Meanwhile , Eurostar train drivers based in the United Kingdom announced Wednesday they will strike Friday and Saturday , and again December 26 and 27 . Eurostar , however , said service would not be affected , because drivers from France and Belgium would be used . The train line provides service between London and both Paris , France , and Brussels , Belgium . Talks between the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen and Eurostar `` concerning international allowances '' broke down , the union said . The dispute is over how much drivers ' meal allowances should be when they are in Paris and Brussels . A Eurostar spokeswoman said it offered the drivers what it believes is a reasonable amount , but the drivers rejected the offer . She would not divulge specifics of the offer , saying only that it was `` enough for a good meal . '' Separately , the International Air Transport Association , an umbrella group for the air travel industry , predicted Tuesday that the world 's airlines will lose $ 5.6 billion in 2010 . That 's more than the group 's previous prediction of a $ 3.8 billion loss in 2010 , but still only half as much as it expects the industry to lose this year . `` The world 's airlines will lose $ 11 billion in 2009 , '' said Giovanni Bisignani , the association 's director general and CEO , in a statement . `` Between 2000 and 2009 , airlines lost $ 49.1 billion , which is an average of $ 5 billion per year . '' Analysts warn strike could wreck BA . If the BA strike goes forward , passengers will find themselves unable to take their flights or be stranded at their destinations , unable to return home , said travel expert Simon Calder of The Independent newspaper on CNN 's `` Quest Means Business '' Tuesday . British Airways has said passengers holding tickets for the strike period may rebook for any date in the next 12 months with no penalty , but ticketholders still hoping to fly over the holidays are faced with a dilemma . What 's the advice for travellers affected by the strike ? The airline has said it will refund a passenger 's ticket only if their flight is canceled , and so far it has not canceled any flights because of the strike . Passengers not willing to wait to see whether their flight will be canceled can try to rebook on another airline , but British Airways has said it will not reimburse them for the cost of that ticket if their original flight goes ahead as planned . There is little availability on other airlines , and any tickets are likely to be expensive , Calder said . Follow news of strike on Twitter . CNN 's Alysen Miller contributed to this report .
Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Aberdeen airport threaten to strike over 12 days . BA starts legal action in bid to prevent strike by cabin crews that could threaten two passengers ' travel plans . Cabin crew union Unite meanwhile accepts the International Air Transport Association offer to meet for talks . Union plans to begin action from Christmas for 12 days .