Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is currently undergoing one of the largest infrastructure programs in L.A The Deputy Executive Director of Operations and Emergency Management for Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), Mr. Keith Wilschet shares more details
As the fourth busiest airport in the world, and second busiest in the United States, LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 91 U.S. cities and 1,220 weekly nonstop flights to 78 international destinations in 41 countries on 66 commercial air carriers. To maintain an excellent level of service for airlines and passengers, LAX has recently undergone major enhancements and will unveil a series of modernization improvements over the course of the next decade.
In May 2017 LAX completed one of the largest terminal moves in the history of commercial aviation. Initiated by Delta Air Lines’ need for more aircraft gates, 21 airlines relocated their service equipment, network infrastructure, employees and aircraft to another terminal. An additional seven airlines also opted to move their ticket counters in their current terminals.
The move provided Delta Air Lines with seven extra gates, whilst giving Delta’s passengers easier access to the airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal and to Delta’s partner carriers. On top of this, Delta is investing $1. 9 billion into terminal improvements, including a post-security connector between Terminals 2 and 3, which enables travelers to catch their next flight at another terminal with ease. The next major renovation at LAX is a $5. 5 billion programs, dubbed LAMP (Landside Access Modernisation Programme), designed to elevate passengers’ arrival and departure experience by giving visitors a swift and reliable way to access the airport.
Construction is scheduled to begin when all environmental approvals are finalized. Completion of phase one, estimated for 2023, consists of four complementary components: two new transit hubs; a consolidated rent-a-car center; an automated people mover that will connect passengers to airline terminals from Metro’s planned transit station and the aforementioned new facilities; and traffic and roadway improvements.
In addition, a LAX Metro station will open in 2024 as part of Metro’s Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, enabling travelers to connect to L.A.’s wider metro system. Alongside these projects, LAX has implemented vital smaller-scale improvements over the past few years. To accommodate the growing number of air routes and aircraft, LAX is building a $1. 6 billion Midfield Satellite Concourse, which will act as a state-of-the-art, five-level extension of the
Tom Bradley International Terminal. The 750,000ft2 extension will feature a new baggage system along with 12 new gates and will be connected to the Tom Bradley International Terminal by a 1,000ft-long underground pedestrian tunnel with moving walkways. In 2016 LAX launched the Terminal 4 connector, allowing post-security travelers to move freely between the international terminal and Terminals 4 to 8.
Culled from Reuters
