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Protests Disrupt Thanksgiving Travel at LAX — Travelers Abandon Cars to Reach Terminals

Hundreds of protesters blocked roads outside Los Angeles International Airport during the Thanksgiving travel rush, forcing many travelers to abandon cars and walk to terminals. Police cleared the main intersection shortly after 6:15 p.m., and traffic later resumed. A related demonstration occurred in Terminal 7 involving security officers. The actions are part of a labor dispute with Flying Food Group, with Unite Here Local 11 pressing for higher wages and better safety; a city ordinance will raise airport and hotel worker wages to $30 by 2028.

06:57 AM, 11/27/2025Conflict

Holiday travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) faced major disruptions when hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads outside the terminal during the Thanksgiving travel rush. Congestion near the main terminal forced many passengers to leave their vehicles and walk to the airport to catch flights on time.

What happened

On Tuesday, demonstrators marched onto Century Boulevard, obstructing a primary entrance and shutting down access to the airport’s main pickup and drop-off zones. Police in riot gear arrived and cleared the intersection shortly after 6:15 p.m., after which traffic was gradually allowed to resume.

Related actions and labor dispute

A separate demonstration took place in Terminal 7 the following morning involving members of the United Service Workers West (USWW), a large security officers’ union. The protests are tied to a widening labor dispute with Flying Food Group, one of LAX’s major airline caterers.

Unite Here Local 11 and employees of Flying Food Group are seeking a new contract with higher wages and improved safety and labor protections for catering staff. Earlier this year the union helped secure a city ordinance that will raise the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers to $30 by 2028.

“Honestly, people don’t care about the people who make food and put it on their plates,” said Susan Minato, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. “We wanted to make a statement.”

Minato acknowledged the disruption but said staging demonstrations during peak travel periods is intended to draw public attention to workers’ demands. Authorities remained prepared for further disruptions during the holiday travel surge and advised passengers to allow extra time when traveling to and from the airport.

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