Heads Up: Union Strikes May Hamper Thanksgiving Week Travel

Right to the Point: With an airline catering strike expected during the busy travel week, it’s quite possible airlines — particularly American Airlines — will face delays and flights that are lacking meals and provisions. 

Thanksgiving week is here, which means a serious uptick in travelers to get to Grandma’s house. 2.8 million people are expected to flock to U.S. airports this year.

Beyond just the usual struggles of a busy travel week, passengers may also have to contend with an airline catering strike expected to take place at 17 nationwide airports. The workers behind Gate Gourmet and LSG SkyChefs, the two largest airline catering companies in the U.S., are expected to go on strike on Tuesday, November 26.

These airports include: 

• Charlotte
• Chicago O’Hare
• Dallas
• Denver
• Detroit
• Honolulu
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Minneapolis
• Newark
• New York JFK
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Reagan National Airport D.C.

Catering Workers Targeting American Airlines

Unite Here is the union that represents airline catering workers, and they say that this is direct protest targeting American Airlines.

In a press release, Unite Here says that “one in four workers who provide food and drinks to American Airlines at its hubs and who work for subcontractors LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet earn less than $12 per hour, including many who have been in their jobs for over a decade.”

The union is supporting a minimum $15 national wage floor in addition to other benefits. American Airlines is taking a hands off approach by saying it does not directly employ the catering workers. However, an American spokesperson said they are aware “a new contract will, ultimately, increase the costs to customers, including American.”