DENVER -- People hoping to get away on United Airlines during the Fourth of July weekend may have reason to be a little nervous as the holiday travel period begins.

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Flight attendants for Denver International Airport's top carrier are threatening a strike to protest United's decision to hand over their pension plans to the government.

Association of Flight Attendants spokeswoman Sara Nelson Dela Cruz said the union is considering "intermittent strike actions," meaning workers could walk off some flights at some airports with no warning.

For example, the attendants could strike at just the odd-numbered gates at DIA and at even-numbered gates somewhere else.

The union claims United altered its contract without permission, giving members the right to strike. The union said the strike is their last option.

"This is the holiday weekend for Independence Day, right? The birth of our nation. And our forefathers said, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men were created equal.' Well, tell that to Glenn Tilton, our CEO, who has his $4.5 million pension trust intact while he's terminating the retirement security of all the employees," said Dela Cruz.

United officials say they're preparing "legally and operationally" for a strike.

Dela Cruz said the coordinated action would be designed to create "chaos," the details of which would be a "closely-guarded secret" and that neither the media, United Airlines passengers, nor management would know about it ahead of time.

The strike is meant to create havoc, with no rules and no warning.

Dela Cruz said the goal is to "execute the chaos with the greatest impact and the least risk to the flight attendants."

United alleges such action would be illegal, and is threatening to fire anyone who takes part.

Travelers at DIA have mixed feelings about a possible strike.

"I would be pretty mad because it will stop me from being somewhere I have to be," said traveler Lauren Lowther.

"The flight attendants have to be pretty naive to think that this would change United's position," said her husband Brandon Lowther.

But some travelers like Kim Hoog, whose brother-in-law is a United pilot, understand.

"I think they have given up a lot and deserve to get some of it back," said Hoog.

Hoog said she'd give back by jumping in a car and driving the 14 hours home -- but that doesn't seem to thrilling for her kids.

"It is the only way for labor. Unfortunately, if labor feels the only way to get their point across, the final attempt is to disrupt the service, as much as we hate to do it, we feel we have only one avenue have left," said union spokesman Ken Kyle.