Employees of Virgin Atlantic and airport authority BAA are being balloted for potential industrial action, meaning that passengers could face disruption to their flight plans in the new year.
The Unite union is asking more than 3,000 Virgin Atlantic cabin crew members for their views on a possible strike over a pay dispute, arguing that their pay lags behind that of British Airways employees.
The ballot will close on December 20, the same day that a separate BAA strike ballot is due to close. The BAA dispute concerns the proposed closure of the company pension scheme.
BAA operates major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“This raises the prospect of severe airport and airline disruption early in the new year,” a spokesman for Unite said. A strike by key workers such as security staff and firefighters could affect the travel plans of up to a million passengers.
The union is legally required to give seven days’ notice before taking industrial action, meaning no strike could take place until after Boxing Day.
A BAA spokesman said: “BAA regrets the union’s threat of industrial action, particularly in the Christmas period. It is unnecessary and it fails to put the interests of passengers first.”
