REMOTE AIRLINE AND BAGGAGE CHECK-IN SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE AT PORT OF LOS ANGELES WORLD CRUISE CENTER FOR PASSENGERS DEPARTING FROM LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

(Los Angeles, California -- September 29, 2006) Passengers on cruise ships arriving at the Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center in San Pedro now can remotely check-in with their airline and check luggage for a departing flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). When they arrive at LAX, passengers using the service can proceed directly to passenger security screening.

The new service – known as remote airline and baggage check-in – allows U.S. domestic travelers to obtain boarding passes and check luggage for a nominal fee before arriving at LAX. This service is facilitated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) in collaboration with airlines at LAX, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Baggage Airline Guest Services (BAGS), Inc., Metro Cruise Services, and several cruise lines that dock at the cruise center.

"Remote flight and baggage check-in for LAX travelers is a key element of the LAX Customer Service Improvement Program," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "It benefits travelers, federal security screeners, the airlines and the airport. It eliminates a passenger’s need to wait in line at the airport to check bags. Passenger security is increased because congestion is reduced in the terminal lobbies and on the sidewalks in front of the terminals."

Cruise ship travelers can obtain airline boarding passes and check up to two bags for a fee of $10 to $15 per person, depending on the cruise line. BAGS is working with Metro Cruise Services, operator of the cruise center, to provide remote check-in service to passengers of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian cruise lines. Cruise passengers using the service also must have reservations on domestic flights operated by American, American Eagle, Alaska, Continental, Delta, Horizon, Northwest, Ted, United, and United Express/Skywest Airlines. Other ship cruise lines and airlines are expected to join the program soon.

While this service is available on flights to all 50 U.S. states, it is not available to passengers on flights to international destinations, nor to the U.S. territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center site adds to the number of other locations that offer remote airline and baggage check-in service: the Van Nuys FlyAway bus terminal in the San Fernando Valley, the Union Station FlyAway bus stop at Patsaouras Transit Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, both in downtown Los Angeles.

LAWA Executive Director Lydia Kennard said, "The possibilities for remote flight and baggage check-in are limitless. LAWA is pleased there are four sites open in Southern California in just the first month of the service’s inauguration. We are exploring other future locations, such as airport parking lots, hotels and rental car facilities, and possibly an off-airport, drive-through facility."

Baggage Airline Guest Services uses proprietary technology through its partnership with ARINC Incorporated to access airline reservation systems to facilitate the automated check-in process. Its agents are trained and credentialed to adhere to strict TSA regulatory practices.

For more information, visit the LAWA website at www.lawa.org under the title remote airline and baggage check-in.