Airport Experience® News - Conference Issue 2026

At Long Beach Airport (LGB) , the city council imposed a $23 minimum wage that will increase to $29.50 by 2028. Passed in August, the move matched those afforded to hotel workers a year earlier. Lindsey Phillips-Flores, a spokeswoman for the airport, says LGB did provide to the city the potential financial impacts of the decision, but didn’t take a formal position on the increase and made no comment during the discussion. The airport also did not implement any financial accommodations or adjustments for operators tied to the increase. “All concessionaires and partners continue to operate under their existing agreements,” she says. “No special considerations were provided as a result of changes in labor costs.” Holiday Strike Threats Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday last year, workers at several airports around the country threatened strikes. About 250 food service workers at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (MSP) averted a strike at the last minute when members ratified a contract that included significant wage increases. “It is an historic agreement that includes the highest wage increases ever won at the airport,” noted labor group Unite Here 17 in a statement.

Not The Only One While increases at LAX are the highest impact labor cost increase of 2025, airport workers in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Long Beach also will have a little extra money in their pockets this year as their representatives claimed significant victories in labor standoffs.

Above: Concessions at LAX - like this Fat Sal’s, operated by Crews - will feel the impact of labor costs rising by 40% over a three-year period, Nick Crews says.

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AX NEWS MARCH 2026