Workers at airport operator BAA are set to ditch threatened strike action after the Unite union agreed a "basis for settlement" with bosses late last night.
The union said a fair agreement was reached and that it would urge members to accept the offer in a ballot today.
The news will be welcomed by the aviation and business travel sectors who were bracing themselves, once again, for a period of chaos.
The industry has endured a torrid 12 months.
Snow storms in January, the ash cloud crisis in spring and the ongoing British Airways' cabin crew strikes have significantly dented the balance sheets of suppliers and wreaked havoc for business travellers.
The industrial action would have closed BAA's six UK airports: Heathrow, Stansted and Southampton in the south of England, and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen in Scotland.
The dispute started after staff rejected a 1% pay increase.
They had agreed to a pay freeze last year to help the ailing company through the global financial crisis.
BAA was reluctant to increase the offer, claiming it could not afford any more after losing £3 million per day during the ash cloud crisis.
But after nine hours of talks the union said workers would receive an increase they deserved and one the company can afford.