Virgin Atlantic pilots have planned more dates for their strike action, which will have the potential to affect flights well into 2019.
The announcement follows the decision by the union last week that its members will be striking over the busy Christmas and New Year period.
The Professional Pilots Union (PPU), which represents approximately 400 of Virgin’s 965 pilot workforce, are taking industrial action over the company’s refusal to include them in talks over pay and benefits changes.
The new stoppage plans will be announced at short notice, meaning more holiday travel plans and business trips into are likely to be affected.
Spokesman for the PPU, Steve Johnson, said the union has approached the arbitration service ACAS in a bid to avoid industrial action and bring Virgin’s management to the table. ACAS is understood to be in contact with the airline.
In the meantime the PPU met over the weekend to agree its next steps and further strikes.
Johnson said: "We have not heard from Virgin Atlantic directly, but note from their short statements to the media that they believe there will be no disruption to flights. With a third (304) of Virgin’s active pilots PPU members not available to fly, that’s difficult to believe.
"The company appears willing to spend a huge amount of money to mitigate our action, yet they could simply talk to us for free, avoid passenger disruption, and all the damage that will do to the company and its relationship with customers and pilots."
He added: "I do hope Mr Branson is watching this situation in his airline going from bad to worse. It contrasts with his recruitment slogan, where he says: ‘Treat your staff well and they will look after your customers. It’s as simple as that’.
"Our message to Mr Branson and his CEO Craig Kreeger is that our pilots are certainly not feeling very well treated, and his customers will be the ones suffering as a result."
Stoppages are already planned for December 22-25; December 30-January 2 and January 4-7 inclusive.
Dates for further four-day strikes will be announced shortly by the PPU.
