Unite members who are employed by Swissport comprising both baggage handlers and ground staff are braced to strike over pay, although talks are set to be held at conciliation service Acas on Tuesday.

There could also be further gloom for travellers if talks aimed at averting a strike by British Airways staff aren’t successful today.

The cabin crew, who also belong to the Unite union, have planned to strike on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in a row over pay.

Talks will be today at Acas.

Elsewhere pilots at Virgin Atlantic have vented their frustration by implementing a “work to contract” action from Friday, in an argument over their union recognition.

Work to contract, or work to rule, is a form of industrial action in which employees are entitled to do only the minimum required by the rules of their contract, and nothing more – for example, not working overtime or during breaks.

A Professional Pilots Union spokesperson said:"Our members have now voted in favour of industrial action in pursuit of sole recognition of the PPU by Virgin Atlantic.

"As we enter the third year of negotiations to achieve this aim, we urge the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic to make a return to the table so that transfer of recognition can be concluded before the start of any action in seven days’ time."

Meanwhile the strikes which have inflicted misery on thousands of Southern rail’s passengers in recent weeks, are set to continue.

Guards on Southern rail will strike on Monday and Tuesday as the dispute over the role of conductors rumbles on.

It means services to Gatwick airport will be affected, with the line warning customers on its Gatwick Express service to expect a “severely reduced and disrupted service every day the industrial action takes place”.

Strikes are set to also affect Southern and Gatwick Express services on December 31 to January 2 and January 9 to January 14.

Prof Roger Seifurt from the University of Wolverhampton told the BBC many of the tensions were longstanding and were "boiling over now because during Christmas they get more media coverage".

He added that worsening pensions, stagnant pay and reduced job security had hit a range of industries, and that he believed the strikes would likely carry on into the new year.

The UK is entering into "a period of quite bitter and prolonged disputes" where unions will take more strike action,” he said.