The overall director of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) commits suicide... now his two underlings spar amongst themselves for his former position and title, by attempting to prove they can handle the pressures of operating one of the world's largest and busiest aviation gateways.

When a coffin arriving as baggage on an in-bound flight is discovered to contain a living person, Harley and Roger with the help of Henry, Betty, and Nick locate the missing corpse/stow-away. Elsewhere, Tony tries to secure twelve seats to Albany for a little league team trying to make their first national championship, while the airport staff tests out new tactics to deal with the airports bird problem

An arab couple is involved in a custody dispute and the case revolves on whether a U.S. or Egyptian court has jurisdiction. The child was born in the U.S. and the wife, who is an old friend of Harley's, claims the husband tricked her into going to Egypt where she has no rights by saying it was a vacation.

Also Roger is having chest pains. And despite misgivings, Tony hires a new employee who has an influential and wealthy father.

Thanksgiving Day at LAX bring about some interesting events, both personal and professional, when Henry and Caitlin deal with the fallout when an airline goes out out business and cancels all its flights, leaving hundreds of stranded passengers and a handful of layed off employees in the terminal. Harley and Rodger also deal with a sudden strike by the ground crew, and Harley's estranged younger sister, Julie, shows up and asks her to spend Thanksgiving with their parents, which Harley dispises. Meanwhile, Tony takes charge of overseeing a 10-year-old boy traveling alone to meet his parents, and whom has a big attitue.

An incoming airliner ""accidentally"" squawks (jargon for transponder code) a Hijack warning. This leads to a full emergency, SWAT, the lot.. Which also leads to a crime of monumental cunning.. Meanwhile, Eddie engages in some crime of his own, Roger's life takes an unexpected complicaturn and Harley moves house.