Virgin Atlantic pilots have announced dates for strikes that will affect flights over Christmas and New Year, with plans to release additional dates that will affect flights well into 2019.
Stoppages are already planned for December 22-25 and 30 and Jan 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Dates for further four-day strikes will be announced shortly by the Professional Pilots Union (PPU).
PPU, which claims to represent about 400 of VS’s 965 pilots, is taking industrial action over the airline’s refusal to include the union in talks over pay and benefits changes.
The PPU told eTNW that the new stoppage plans would be announced at short notice, meaning 2019 holiday travel plans and business trips were likely to be affected.
However, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said that over a period of two years PPU action had had no impact on its scheduled services, or its customers. “We can confirm that only a small number of our pilots have voted for industrial action. We have contingency plans in place and, if a strike does proceed, we expect to fly services as planned. Our absolute priority is to ensure that all of our customers can continue their journeys as planned this Christmas, and we’re working hard to protect all of their trips.”
However, Steve Johnson, spokesman for the PPU, 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 VS’s active pilots PPU members not available to fly, that’s difficult to believe.”
Steve added that the union had approached the arbitration service ACAS in a bid to avoid industrial action and bring Virgin Atlantic’s management to the table. ACAS is understood to be in contact with VS. In the meantime, the PPU met over the weekend to agree its next steps and plan further strikes.
