RE-OPENING OF TUNNEL AT LAX TERMINAL 6 IMPROVES PASSENGER FLOW AND CONVENIENCE WITH ADDED ART BENEFIT

(Los Angeles, California – August 8, 2011)  The re-opening today of a pedestrian tunnel for arriving passengers at Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX’s) Terminal 6 to reach baggage claim has significantly reduced congestion on the departures level.  Until recently both arriving passengers and departing passengers had to make their way past each other within the same boarding gate concourses. 

The underground connector tunnel used to take passengers under the airfield when LAX’s concourses were stand-alone satellites.  The tunnel was closed after the connector between the concourse and the curbside terminal was built for nearly 30 years.   Following the closure the area was used for offices and storage space.  As a result of the re-opening, arriving passengers will now have a clearer pathway to baggage claim and ground transportation, and also enjoy the decorative mosaic tile that lines the tunnel wall.  Commissioned in 1961 and installed at the direction of noted Los Angeles design firm, Pereira & Luckman, the various colors of the tile depict a journey across the United States.  These decorative tiles are also installed in the tunnels at Terminals 3 and 4 and are considered Kratka’s best-known Modernist effort. 

            A major renovation at Terminal 6 has allowed for the opportunity to re-open the tunnel and improve passenger flow. Construction began summer of 2010 and is scheduled for completion summer 2012.  The project will completely remodel and modernize the terminal and will include major upgrades to the ticketing lobby, boarding gates, security screening, U.S. Customs facilities and the baggage claim area.  In addition a new in-line baggage screening system will be installed. 

A $4.11-billion capital improvement program is underway overall at LAX, generating nearly 40,000 local jobs.  The program’s centerpiece is the $1.5-billion Bradley West Project with new gates for latest-generation aircraft; new concourses and seating areas; new retail and food-and-beverage offerings reflecting Los Angeles’ cuisine and culture; and expanded areas for more efficient security screening, immigration and customs processing.  There also are several major airfield and facility projects, including a new Central Utility Plant, new taxiways and taxilanes, and multi-million-dollar renovations (undertaken by both LAWA and the airlines) to other terminals.