ON THE 27th ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS REMINDS PASSENGERS OF THE PROGRAMS AND AMENITIES AT LAX AIMED AT MAKING TRAVEL EASIER AND SAFER FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES
Los Angeles County’s Access program, the county’s ADA Complementary Paratransit service, is one of the many ADA-related services provided at LAX.
(Los Angeles, California – July 26, 2017) As part of its ongoing commitment to ensuring the civil rights of all our guests, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) celebrates the 27th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The act, which was signed on July 20, 1990, ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. Since its passage, LAWA has worked with its airline, government, private industry, and law enforcement partners throughout the airport community to ensure that these accommodations are available and publicized for our guests, and to promote understanding of disabilities throughout the aviation community.
 LAWA ADA Coordinator Lawrence Rolon (left) offers information on assistance programs to convention attendees. |
To promote understanding within the airport community, LAWA frequently offers its employees seminars and training events to familiarize them with the challenges faced by those who have disabilities. Recent seminars have included instruction in introductory American Sign Language, how to address those with cognitive impairments traveling in an airport environment, and in conjunction with LAWA Emergency Management, training for safe terminal evacuation and repopulation from the perspective of people with disabilities.
LAWA also works with its airport partners to promote greater understanding of the realities faced by people with disabilities, as well as create comfortable environments for those with disabilities to experience the LAX. In February, LAWA and All Nippon Airways (ANA) hosted the fourth installment of its “Autism Flight Experience” program, which welcomed over 40 families with children who have autism to experience the security screening, plane boarding and Customs screening processes in a pressure-free environment. As part of the experience, officers from LAX Airport Police, the Transportation Security Agency, and Customs and Border Protection interacted with families and offered encouragement in addition to educating attendees about their roles at the airport. This coming Saturday, LAWA Emergency Management and the Office of the ADA Coordinator have partnered with LAX Airport Police for the “Families with Disabilities Day” event, which will feature interactive demonstrations and information on airport accessibility.
LAWA and its partners have also used cutting-edge technology in innovative ways to help travelers with disabilities navigate the airport. In December 2016, LAWA and Aero Port Services (APS) began a unique pilot program that uses Bluetooth beacons to track and monitor wheelchair deployment throughout the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). The system, called WAIS-Track, offers centralized monitoring of wheelchair requests coming from 38 foreign air carriers operating in TBIT, while real-time tracking and two-way communication between APS’ central dispatch and its wheelchair assistance via APS’ proprietary app.
These are just a few of the programs and amenities that LAWA provides for its guests, partners, and employees. For more information on LAWA’s ADA Program, including a list of Disability Services available to guests
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fourth busiest airport in the world, second in the United States, and was named one of Skytrax’s 2017 Top 10 Most Improved Airports. LAX served more than 80.9 million passengers in 2016. LAX offers 737 daily nonstop flights to 100 cities in the U.S. and 1,386 weekly nonstop flights to 88 cities in 44 countries on 73 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016.
An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,600 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 also the second most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with 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, are available
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
