Unhappy with the progress of contract negotiations, United Airlines flight attendants plan to stage a protest and picket at airports across the globe on Thursday December 17.
Pickets will be staged at 15 airports worldwide, including London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Newark, Las Vegas, and Narita. The move comes just as the busy holiday season gets underway. The industry is expecting a three percent increase in travellers in the holiday travel period, which officially starts December 18. That day is expected to be one of the heaviest travel days of the season. The flight attendants are protesting against 'unfair' contracts since the airline's merger with Continental.

"It's been five years, and now five holiday seasons since United Airlines initiated the merger," said AFA international president Sara Nelson. "United flight attendants are still without a joint contract, and work another holiday season without sharing in the profits they help create. "A joint contract provides flight attendants, the airline and its passengers with the stability of a fully operational airline."

"With a busy holiday travel season underway, passengers flying United suffer under the inefficiency of its fractured three-part operation," added Nelson. That may be true – but will passengers blame the airline or the flight attendants for disrupting their travel plans. Click here for list of airports and details of the action.