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Threatening to inconvenience air travelers throughout the Labor Day weekend, several hundred airline service workers — including baggage handlers, security personnel and janitors — walked off the job Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport after months of inconclusive contract talks with their employers.

Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 1877 went on strike about noon at the Tom Bradley International Terminal and other terminals serving American, United, Southwest and Northwest airlines — some of the largest at the airport.

Union officials say the number of workers participating in the action could increase through the holiday weekend, a traditionally busy time of the summer for LAX, which is expected to handle about 850,000 passengers.

As of Thursday afternoon, airline and airport officials said the strike had not disrupted operations or delayed flights, but they cautioned travelers to arrive at the airport two hours before their departures for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights.

"Everything is calm and going fine," said LAX spokesman Michael Molina. "We are anticipating no delays at the airlines."

Airline service workers are employed by private companies that contract with the airlines at LAX. Those firms provide about 5,000 janitors, skycaps, baggage handlers, aircraft cabin cleaners, security personnel and attendants for travelers with disabilities. About 2,500 of the workers are represented by the SEIU's airport division, the union said.