British Airways scrapped a controversial proposal to give its non-executive directors free unlimited first-class travel anywhere in the world, a spokeswoman for the company confirmed on Wednesday.

The plans had infuriated union leaders following a bitter dispute over pay and sickness absence that almost led to a two-day strike this week by thousands of cabin crew which was only averted by a last-minute deal Monday.

"There was a proposal internally to make some changes to the travel conditions for non-executive directors, but there's been no changes agreed," the spokeswoman told AFP.

"The proposal has never been discussed by the board. It was rejected by the executive management ... led by (BA chief executive) Willie Walsh," she said.

She said that the existing arrangements -- which gave the airline's nine non-executive directors "high priority" for the most expensive seats -- remained in place.

BA agreed Monday a deal with unions that awarded a two-year wage rise to cabin crew worth 4.6 percent this year, followed by a hike in line with inflation next year.

While the threatened two-day strike was avoided, many passengers were not able to reinstate their travel plans and many BA planes flew nearly empty on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The controversy comes as baggage handlers and other workers belonging to the GMB union are being balloted for industrial action in a long-running row over pensions.

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny was quoted by an early edition of The Times's Thursday newspaper as saying: "That BA has backtracked now after media exposure shows that they have to take account of public intolerance for their cosy 'upstairs-downstairs' view of Britain."