Passengers on Cathay Pacific - the Asian carrier known for its excellent in-flight service - may be in for a bit of bah humbug this holiday season.

Flight attendants on the airline are considering providing services on a selective basis. This could include, according to AFP, withholding smiles and meals.

So why the Grinch-y attitude? The Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union is in a dispute with the carrier over a salary increase. The flight attendants are looking for a five percent raise. Cathay announced last month that it would give a two percent pay raise to its employees in 2013, on top of a discretionary one-month bonus for 2012, falling short of the union's demands.

The union voted on Monday in favor of labor action. The form and date of the action is yet to be decided.

"We will be selective in providing our services," union general secretary Tsang Kwok-fung told AFP. "This could include not smiling at passengers, not providing certain types of beverages - such as alcohol - or stop serving meals," he said.

"In a nutshell it means passengers will still be able to reach their destinations, except they are paying a five-star price to get a three-star service," Tsang said.

Cathay Pacific could not immediately be reached for comment.