Birmingham-based cabin crew are to join a national protest over Thomas Cook’s plans to axe nearly 500 jobs.

Crews flying from a string of airports, including Birmingham, East Midlands, Manchester, Gatwick, Bristol and others, have voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot for industrial action.

Officials from Unite union, which has around 1,150 members among the company’s 1,800-strong cabin crew workforce, will meet this week to decide what action to take, including potential strikes.

The ballot, which resulted in a vote by 475 in favour of action with 53 against, followed a breakdown in talks with management over its refusal to boost redundancy terms.

Unite had requested a minimum of three weeks per year, plus a lump sum payment of £5,000.

Unite regional officer Mick Whitley said: “The overwhelming vote shows our members’ anger and should be a strong wake-up call for the management to return to the negotiating table with a fair offer.”

Unions say management had “point-blank refused” to enchance its current policy of two weeks per year.