LAX protest expected to affect LA travelers

LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KABC) -- If you're heading for Los Angeles International Airport during the busy Thanksgiving travel period, it's a good idea to plan ahead. It could get difficult Wednesday because of a planned labor demonstration.

With Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members preparing signs for Wednesday's planned demonstration just outside LAX, airport officials are advising anyone who is planning on coming to the airport to allow extra time to get to the terminals.

Officials normally recommend you arrive two hours before your domestic flight leaves. Because of the traffic problems the protest is expected to cause, you're advised to add an extra hour and a half.

Representatives from Aviation Safeguards, airport employees that include skycaps and ticket verification workers, are asking the union not to disrupt holiday travel.

Aviation Safeguards, which employs 450 workers at LAX, cut ties with SEIU a year ago.

"Be prepared maybe for some traffic delays once they get here. Once they get here, I think they're going to be all right. They're going to get through this situation. This demonstration, whatever it's going to be, and they'll be all right," said Frederick McNeil, an Aviation Safeguards employee.

According to LAX officials, approximately 1.8 million travelers will be flying in and out of the airport this long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

According to Travelocity, the day before Thanksgiving is no longer the busiest travel day of the year.

"As travel schedules or work schedules have evolved, certainly school schedules with kids getting off, the leaving for Thanksgiving holiday has been spread between Saturday and Wednesday. So things are getting a little spread out," said Michael Brophy, a Travelocity spokesman.

LAX officials say there is a five-hour window, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the SEIU demonstration will impact traffic.

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holiday, thanksgiving, airport news, protest, los angeles news, sid garcia

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