The British Airlines Pilots Association has called in Virgin Atlantic management for a crisis meeting, in a dispute over working conditions.
BALPA plans to meet with Virgin tomorrow for "last ditch talks to avoid confrontation between the airline and its pilots".
The union claims pilots are being denied their entitlement to 120 days off a year, in addition to holiday, in return for working over weekends and bank holidays.
Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the pilots union, said: "BALPA always does what it can to assist airlines through downturns, as many airlines will testify, and we did this with Virgin during these past difficult years.
"To now find that the company is breaching an agreement and denying many pilots their entitlement to the equivalent of a weekend off is a real slap in the face and one which we cannot accept."
A Virgin spokeswoman confirmed Virgin be meeting with pilots on Tuesday, but said it is a "routine, monthly" occasion.
The spokeswoman said Virgin would be "discussing any issues that arise, in that forum".
Reports suggest BALPA may be preparing to ballot its members on industrial action if the dispute cannot be resolved.
Virgin said it has had no notification of a ballot.
www.virgin-atlantic.com www.balpa.org