LAX FORECASTS RECORD 817,000 TRAVELERS DURING LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND
(Los Angeles, California – September 1, 2016) Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) officials are forecasting a record 817,000 travelers will pass through the airport this Labor Day holiday weekend – an increase of 7.2 percent over last year’s 762,000 passengers. The holiday weekend begins Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5. Friday is expected to be the busiest day with more than 223,000 travelers, followed by Monday with nearly 219,000 travelers.
Passengers and motorists should plan ahead and be prepared for traffic congestion on the roadways in and around LAX and crowded terminals. The volume of traffic in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) is expected to be slightly higher than normal over the holiday weekend, with Friday and Monday the busiest days with nearly 95,000 and 93,000 vehicles, respectively. Normal daily average is 90,000 vehicles. Motorists are advised to expect and plan for delays during periods of traffic congestion in the CTA.
Information on traffic conditions in the LAX Central Terminal Area and surrounding streets is now available on the WAZE community-based navigation app. Road closures, parking facility closures, and other traffic information are now posted by airport staff at www.waze.com.
To reduce traffic congestion, passengers are encouraged to take shared-ride public transportation to/from LAX, including: Metro Rail Green Line; door-to-door shuttle vans; and long-distance and municipal buses. The airport also provides inexpensive and convenient FlyAway® buses from Hollywood, Long Beach, Metro Orange Line (San Fernando Valley), Santa Monica, Union Station, Van Nuys, and Westwood/UCLA.
New real-time, monitoring systems were installed on the LAX website this summer that passengers waiting for the FlyAway® buses and LAX-operated shuttle buses can use to track the locations of their buses in real time. To track LAX Shuttle Bus A-Airline Connections, Bus G-Metro Rail Green Line Aviation Station, the LAX ADA by-request vehicle for passengers with disabilities, and shuttle buses to employee lots East and West, visit www.ridelax.com. Shuttle Bus C to LAX Economy Parking Lot C will be added in the future. To track FlyAway® buses, visit www.LAXFlyAway.org, click on the specific route, then “Where’s My Bus?”
Rather than circling the Central Terminal Area until arriving passengers reach terminal curbside for pick up, motorists can park and wait up to two hours free at the LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot at 6221 West 96th Street (96th Street and Vicksburg adjacent to the entrance of LAX Parking Lot C).
Airport officials recommend departing travelers factor in the additional time for traffic congestion and arrive in their airline terminals at least two hours prior to boarding time for domestic flights and at least three hours before boarding time for international flights.
Travel experts attribute this holiday’s record passenger increase at LAX to several factors: more available seats as airlines at LAX continue to transition existing flights to larger aircraft with extra seats; the addition of five new international airlines during the first six months of this year; current airlines adding flights on existing and new routes; increased tourism in Los Angeles; and lower airfares compared to last year due to lower jet fuel prices.
For a comprehensive list of items that are permitted and prohibited in carry-on or checked luggage, visit www.tsa.gov. Travelers also are encouraged to enroll in TSA Prev® or other trusted-traveler programs such as Customs & Border Protection’s Global Entry, which improve security and reduce wait times.
On-Going Construction Impacts to Roadways, Sidewalks and Terminals
The public is reminded that LAX’s multi-billion-dollar modernization program is still on-going. When coming to LAX, passengers should look for and follow way-finding signage near all construction sites to ensure their safety and to enhance mobility. For real-time LAX traffic conditions, information on the status and locations of airport construction, “insider” traffic tips, and videos showing short-cuts, Motorists and travelers also can receive real-time status of airport conditions by accessing @FlyLAXairport and @LAAirportPD Twitter feeds.
Airport Safety and Security
The safety and security of passengers, airport workers, and visitors is the number one priority of Los Angeles Airport Police Division (APD). In light of the recent false active-shooter incident and the Labor Day holiday travel period, Airport Police remains vigilant and will be highly visible on foot, motorcycles, and bicycles; in patrol vehicles; and managing traffic.
There have been no credible threats made to LAX. Airport Police constantly assesses intelligence and events, both domestically and abroad. Airport Police officers assigned to the Joint Regional Intelligence Center and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force receive and share real-time intelligence to proactively mitigate security threats.
Airport Police constantly reviews the security measures in place, and will enhance and improve security as needed. The traveling public is encouraged to report all suspicious activity to Airport Police at 310-646-4268 or at 877-A-THREAT/877-284-7328. If you “See Something, Say Something. Security is Everybody's Business.”
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the seventh busiest airport in the world and third in the United States. LAX served more than 74.9 million passengers in 2015. LAX offers 742 daily nonstop flights to 101 cities in the U.S. and 1,273 weekly nonstop flights to 76 cities in 41 countries on 64 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.1 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 655,564 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2015.
An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,610 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
For more information about LAX,follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport , and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1 . Information about LAX’s ongoing multi-billion-dollar LAX Modernization Program, as well as tips and shortcuts to help navigate LAX during construction
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