Unite said thousands of its members will walk out at 6am on January 9 and again at 6am on January 16 after voting heavily in favour of industrial action.

The workers voted by 1,497 to 605 to back strikes, a majority of around 70%. The union balloted 3,100 workers, with around two-thirds taking part in the voting.

Unite said it was the first time in the airline's history that cabin crew voted to strike, which showed the strength of feeling over pay.

Virgin said it will do everything it can to get passengers to their destinations.

Unite national officer Brian Boyd said: "Virgin Atlantic's cabin crew have voted for strike action for the first time in the airline's history.

"They've not taken this decision lightly. They are a world-class crew who've been undervalued for too long. They are seeking a long-term solution to pay which recognises their loyalty and professionalism. Unite is calling on Virgin Atlantic to get back around the negotiating table to get through this impasse and avoid disruption in the New Year."

Steve Ridgway, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: "We would like to reassure passengers that our flying programme is operating as normal at this time, and will continue to do so over the Christmas and New Year period.

"We are disappointed that some of our cabin crew have voted this way but we will do everything we can to get our passengers to their destinations during the threatened industrial action. "It is surprising that Unite has taken this step of calling action when they had previously helped to put together the deal and strongly recommended that its members accept it.

"Virgin Atlantic cabin crew put their heart and soul into their work and can be truly proud of what they've achieved. However, there comes a time when good management has to draw a line in the sand in the interests of all employees. There will be no 11th hour change to our pay offer."