Prestwick Airport workers insist they are NOT out to cripple holidaymakers ahead of strike action this week.
Staff will down tools from 6am on Friday with a raft of critical employees walking off the job.
Security, firefighters, airfield operators, ground crew, ground handling, cargo, customer services and cleaners will all be affected.
The dispute centres on the airport's refusal to pay shift allowances and meet the Real Living Wage (£9.90) rate for new starters.
Strike action will continue over four weeks on every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Union bosses insist they will continue to hit the airport hard until meaningful talks over pay take place.
David McRonald, Unite convenor at the airport, said: "You work to get better off — you work to provide for your family.
"You don't work to take on a second job, to take on overtime — or to go to foodbanks just to get your food.
"We can't have this as a society and we can't have this at the airport.
"The real living wage was promised to us in 2020 and in 2021 they refused to pay it — that's the minimum the workforce should be getting."
Airport staff are seeking a shift allowance payment to accompany their wage rise, but talks have so far hit a brick wall.
David added: "The company came back and said they want to pay zero. Zero for our contribution through these times.
"So the members have decided they've had enough.
"We're not here to cripple the airport — we're only here to try and get a fair pay for our members.
"We're starting at 6am in the morning — the reason we chose that time is because we didn't want to affect the first wave [of holidaymakers] going out in the morning.
"We're hoping not to affect the public in their holidays, we're more interested in getting the airport back round the table.
"But at the end of the day we must show the company we're serious about what we're doing and this is only the beginning — this will continue until the management change their ways."
Prestwick councillor, Cameron Ramsay, added: "It's a last resort and it's unbelievable that the workers have had to stand there whilst the hierarchy of Prestwick Airport have slapped them in the face by offering them a 'pay rise'."
Airport chiefs have so far slammed the "confrontational approach" of the strike action which they say "jeopardises the fragile recovery of the airport".
A spokesperson said: “Following extensive negotiations with unions the airport made an enhanced pay offer which will see 70 per cent of our 300-plus employees receiving a pay increase of 6.5 per cent or above, improvements to allowances, increased annual leave entitlement, enhanced sick pay provisions, and up to two per cent more employer pension contributions.
"All qualified permanent staff will earn above the real living wage.
“This deal was accepted by the majority of our staff, including Prospect union members, but disappointingly was rejected by Unite.”
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