Some Virgin Atlantic pilots are planning to strike on Christmas - and customers are freaking out

Virgin Atlantic Airways

The planned strike is motivated by Virgin Atlantic's decision to exclude the PPU from discussions about potential changes to pilot benefits.

• Some Virgin Atlantic pilots are planning to strike from December 22 through December 25.
• The strike will involve members of the Professional Pilots Union (PPU), which represents around of a third of Virgin Atlantic's pilots, a Virgin Atlantic representative told Business Insider.
• A Virgin Atlantic representative told Business Insider that a "small number" of its pilots planned to strike and said the airline did not expect any disruptions to its flight schedule.
• "We hope that Virgin acknowledge the mandate our members have given us, and help avoid strike action by recognizing the PPU and halt the benefits review that is so damaging to our members long-term security," a PPU representative said.

Some Virgin Atlantic pilots are planning to strike from December 22 through December 25, the Professional Pilots Union (PPU) told Business Insider. The strike will involve members of the PPU, which represents around of a third of Virgin Atlantic's pilots, a Virgin Atlantic representative said. Virgin Atlantic does not recognize the PPU.

The planned strike is motivated by Virgin Atlantic's decision to exclude the PPU from discussions about potential changes to pilot benefits, the PPU said. The December 22 through December 25 strike will be followed by strikes from December 30 through January 2 and January 4 through January 7. 

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A Virgin Atlantic representative told Business Insider that a "small number" of its pilots planned to strike and said the airline did not expect any disruptions to its flight schedule.

"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," the representative said. "We don't expect any disruption to the flying programme."

"We hope that Virgin acknowledge the mandate our members have given us, and help avoid strike action by recognizing the PPU and halt the benefits review that is so damaging to our members long-term security," a PPU representative said. "Our door is - and has always been - open to Virgin to take the necessary steps to prevent any disruption for Christmas travelers."

Some Twitter users expressed concern over the planned strike.

"Not good news - let's hope they change their minds," one Twitter user wrote.

"Virgin pilots striking on 22/12 to 25/12. Not very happy to say the least, have absolutely no clue where we stand," another wrote.

Here's what people are saying on Twitter: