SUSTAINABILITY ELEMENTS

Guest Experience

Environmental Stewardship

Protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources.

Economic Viability

Efficient operations of all facilities, stimulation of local and regional economic growth, and generating economic value through employment and procurement practices.

In 2015, LAWA launched an LAX Guest Experience Initiative that included an airport-wide brand, LAXceptional Xperience, to provide an overarching service delivery road map for all who work and/or do business at LAX.

The LAX experience is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is shaped by the individual contributions of all the stakeholders, business partners, agencies, and employees who provide services to those who travel through the airport. The Guest Experience Initiative reflects a culture change that fosters a shared vision and an exceptional guest experience ethic among all who work and do business at the airport.

Our Stories

LAXceptional Xperience - Building the LAX brand in collaboration with the airport community

LAXceptonal Xperience represents a promise to LAX’ guests to strive for service excellence each and every day. The LAXceptional Xperience brand is based on a hospitality mindset. In line with this, passengers and meeters/greeters are referred to and treated as guests, which connotes that they are special, welcomed, valued, and treated hospitably. The LAXceptional Xperience brand assures that “At LAX, we strive to make our guest visits efficient, hospitable and memorable by providing modern, world-class facilities and services that showcase the ambiance and excitement of Los Angeles and the lifestyle and warmth of sunny Southern California. It’s all about an LAXceptional Xperience!”

Enhancing Guest Satisfaction and Airport Performance Management

To fulfill the spirit of the LAXceptional Xperience brand, it is important that LAWA, in collaboration with the airport community, monitors the key drivers of guest satisfaction and manages performance airport-wide to assure service continuously improves. To provide the tools to assist with these important activities, LAWA has entered into two contracts to assess guest feedback with the LAX experience. One, with Airports Council International (ACI), allows LAX to participate in the ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey. ACI ASQ has approximately 300 airports participating worldwide and allows LAWA to benchmark how it compares with other participating airports, determine LAX’ guest priorities, and better understand how guests rate LAX’s performance. Another contract with the nationally recognized airport consulting firm, Unison Consulting, Inc. allows LAWA to probe guest satisfaction and airport performance beyond the information provided by ACI ASQ. LAWA has also released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a third party contractor to perform mystery shops to add to the guest experience management tools available to enhance the services provided to LAX guests.

Engaging and Educating Airport Employees because people never forget how you made them feel

In addition to embracing high-tech innovations to satisfy the needs of today’s LAX guests, airport staff remain a key component of a premiere travel experience. The attitude, appearance, and knowledge of airport staff are fundamental to an LAXceptional Xperience. And when things go awry, a high-touch response is especially important. As a result, LAWA has issued an RFP to select an expert business partner to engage and train airport employees to deliver exceptional service to the millions of diverse LAX guests. LAXceptional Xperience training is expected to begin in the latter part of 2016 starting with LAWA staff.

Implementing Recognizable LAXceptional Xperience Programs

LAWA has implemented several exceptional programs to assist guests and make their journey more enjoyable and memorable. They include:

Guest Experience Members - GEMs
GEMs assist guests in a multitude of important and time-sensitive ways including answering a myriad of questions, helping guests find their gates or other airport locations, facilitating navigation of the customs and immigrations processes, assisting with transferring from one terminal to another, keeping queues orderly, translating for guests arriving from foreign countries, and creating a soothing, caring ambiance in an environment which can often be stressful.

Volunteer Information Professionals – VIPs
VIPs, like GEMs, put a friendly face on the LAX experience. They assist guests with way-finding, finding accommodations, and flight information. LAX has a VIP booth located in the baggage claim area of each terminal except TBIT which has information booths on both upper and lower levels.

Pets Unstressing Passengers - PUP
The LAX Pets Unstressing Passengers, fondly known as the “PUP” program, provides stress relief and comfort to guests through interaction with pets. LAWA was a pioneer among airports when it introduced its PUP program on April 15, 2013. In 2015, 52 Alliance of Therapy Dogs logged 1,727.5 hours creating an exceptionally “PAWSitive” experience at LAX. Therapy dogs and handlers roam the departures levels in the gate areas of each terminal, visiting guests awaiting flights and providing comfort along with airport information.

Holiday Entertainment Program and Guest Assistance
At LAX, in-terminal entertainment and activities to enhance the opportunities for fun include musical performances by local schools, universities, and community choirs; visits and photos with recognizable characters such as Santa Claus; children’s arts-and-crafts activities at designated “Holiday Hangars” ; and flowers and make-up makeovers for the ladies. Airport employees also assist guests in all terminals during LAX’s busiest days (the Wednesday and Monday around Thanksgiving weekend, and the day before Christmas Eve.)

 

Holiday Entertainment Program
Entertainment and fun are welcomed amenities at well-rated airports around the world. At LAX, in-terminal entertainment and activities to enhance the opportunities for fun include musical performances by local schools, universities, and community choirs; visits and photos with recognizable characters such as Santa Claus and LAX’s popular PUP (Pets Unstressing Passengers) Alliance of Therapy Dogs; children’s arts-and-crafts activities at designated “Holiday Hangars” ; and flowers and make-up makeovers for the ladies. Airline terminals are decorated with red banners designed with “snowflakes” made of airplanes and with poinsettias placed on baggage-claim carousels, while wreaths are hung on LAX shuttle buses.

Holiday Guest Assistance
Wearing red vests, airport employees assist guests in all terminals during LAX’s busiest days (the Wednesday and Monday around Thanksgiving weekend, and the day before Christmas Eve.) This is in addition to the Volunteer Information Professionals and the Guest Experience Members regularly assigned to assist guests in the terminals.

Keeping Guests Informed and More in Control of their Journey

LAX website
LAWA is in the process of beta-testing a newly designed LAX airport website especially geared for guests navigating LAX. The new website is customer-centric, user friendly and responsive to suit various technology modes

Cell Phone Lot Promotion
LAX’s Cell Phone Lot was established to enhance the pick-up process for millions of arriving guests as well as ease congestion and increase safety on the roadways in front of the terminals. To promote awareness of the LAX Cell Phone Lot, printed maps have been produced to assist drivers find the lot. Successful promotions have been held in the lot to attract drivers to experience a more re-LAXed pick-up experience complete with coffee, tea, snacks and goodies.

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