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Families hoping to fly home or jet off on holiday over Christmas face travel chaos after airport staff voted to strike on December 23 and 24.

Check-in workers and cargo handlers voted for industrial action over the busy Christmas period in a dispute over pay.

Unite said its members employed by dnata at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester had voted by more than 4-1 in favour of walkouts in protest at an imposed 2.2 per cent wage increase.

The strike could affect check-in desks at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports

The union said supervisors were being paid a rise of 4.5 per cent, creating a workforce of 'haves and have nots'.

Unite called for peace talks to avert the threat of a two-day strike on December 23 and 24.

Regional officer Kevin Hall said: 'It is extremely disappointing that dnata has acted in such a high-handed way and sought to split the workforce between the haves and the have nots.

'Strike action is very much a last resort and our members are mindful of the potential disruption it could cause. But they feel frustrated with an employer that has refused point blank to go to Acas and negotiate in a sensible manner.

Unite union has called for peace talks to avoid disruption at airports on December 23 and 24

'Instead hardworking staff have seen their supervisors enjoy a pay rise double the amount that was imposed on them.

'Our members are angry over the inequality being shown within dnata and we would urge management to join us at Acas to reach a fair pay deal.'

The union has around 460 members involved in the dispute, working in check-in, driving and cargo handling.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said: 'Virgin Atlantic is aware of the planned strike action by a small number of Dnata staff next week.

'We are being kept informed of the situation and will continue to monitor it closely. Should the strike action take place, we are confident that Dnata will have contingency plans to keep disruption to passengers to a minimum.' 

The union has around 460 members involved in the dispute, working in check-in, driving and cargo handling.

Gatwick Airport confirmed that passengers will be unaffected by walkouts and can expect all check-ins to run as normal in the busy travel period.

Five million Christmas travellers are set to pass through UK airports in the next week

Airlines that use services by dnata include Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Iran Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airways, New Zealand Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, US Airways, Eva Air, Qantas Airways and Oman Airways.

Five million passengers are set to take to the skies in the UK over the festive period. 

As many as 116,700 passengers are expected to depart from London's Heathrow airport on Friday December 19, with 698,438 expected to fly out over the following five days.

Over the next week 43,405 flights will depart and arrive from UK airports with 22 per cent of these flights departing from Heathrow and mainly to long haul destinations.