More misery is on the way for travellers this Christmas after Virgin Atlantic pilots voted to take industrial action and a separate dispute saw 1,500 airport baggage handlers voting to strike.

Check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew at 18 airports will strike for 48 hours just before Christmas in a long-running pay dispute.

Members of Unite employed by Swissport will walk out on December 23 and 24 at Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Doncaster, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Leeds/Bradford, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton and Stansted.