REAL-TIME LAX CONDITIONS ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012

UPDATE #4 AT 2:10 P.M. PST -- According to Los Angeles Police Department officials, the labor demonstration has concluded and northbound Sepulveda Boulevard re-opened shortly after 2 p.m. Traffic flow on City streets adjacent to LAX is expected to return to normal shortly; and traffic on Central Terminal Area upper and lower roadways continues to flow smoothly. During the demonstration, airlines at LAX reported no flight delays nor any major issues with passengers missing flights. For a two-hour period, LAX buses from one of the airport employee parking lots experienced up to 20-minute delays due to the need for that service to change its normal route into the Central Terminal Area. =================================================

UPDATE #3 AT 1:15 P.M. PST -- According to Los Angeles Police Department officials, Century Boulevard eastbound and westbound directions at the entrance to the LAX Central Terminal Area have fully re-opened, completing the first phase of the temporary street closures. Northbound Sepulveda Boulevard between Imperial Highway and 98th Street was temporarily closed shortly before 1 pm. Westbound I-105 exit to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard remains open and traffic coming out of the north side of the Sepulveda Tunnel is either going into the airport or being diverted onto eastbound Century Boulevard. Traffic continues to flow smoothly on CTA upper and lower roadways. Airlines are reporting no delays. =================================================

UPDATE #2 AT 12:20 P.M. PST -- According to Los Angeles Police Department officials, westbound and eastbound Century Boulevard between Airport and Sepulveda boulevards were temporarily closed shortly after 12 noon as part of a traffic management plan to respond to a scheduled labor demonstration. While eastbound Century Boulevard has reopened, vehicular traffic on westbound Century Boulevard continues to be diverted to northbound Airport Boulevard to westbound 98th Street to northbound Vicksburg Avenue to the 96th Street Bridge into the LAX Central Terminal Area (CTA). Traffic continues to flow smooth on CTA upper and lower roadway. =================================================

UPDATE #1 AT 9:15 AM PST -- While some local media are reporting “over 100” flights nationwide have been cancelled at Chicago O’Hare International Airport due to current fog conditions there, the four airlines at LAX that provide nonstop service to/from ORD currently report there are no cancellations for either arriving or departing flights. The 7 departures to ORD so far this morning have been generally on time. =================================================

INITIAL STATUS AT 6:30 AM PST -- Good morning! LAX Public Relations will provide updates on airport conditions from the LAX Airport Response Coordination Center throughout the day today. LAX has entered its morning peak travel period between 6 am and 9 am, and vehicular traffic in and around LAX is flowing normally at this time. While today is NOT forecasted to be the traditional “busiest travel day of the year,” nonetheless, it is expected to be busy. About 1,700 flights (total landings and takeoffs) are regularly scheduled for today. There are no reports of unusual weather in other parts of the U.S., so nonstop flights to the more than 90 U.S. cities served by the nearly 75 airlines at LAX are expected to operate normally. A union representing some workers contracted by some of the airlines at LAX has scheduled a labor demonstration from 11 am to 4 pm on City streets adjacent to LAX. There are NO reports of scheduled airport-wide workers or Los Angeles City employees planning to strike (walk off the job) during the demonstration. In response to the scheduled demonstration, a Unified Command comprised of local, state and airport law-enforcement officials, as well as airport operations, has developed a traffic management plan that includes PHASED, temporary closures of two major entryways into LAX during the period of the demonstration. LAPD and LADOT will first temporarily close westbound Century Boulevard between Airport and Sepulveda boulevards during the start of the demonstration. When the demonstration transitions from Century Boulevard to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard, northbound Sepulveda Boulevard will close between Imperial Highway and 98th Street, and westbound Century Boulevard will reopen. When northbound Sepulveda Boulevard closes, the California Highway Patrol is expected to also close the westbound I-105 Century Freeway exit onto northbound Sepulveda Boulevard. Motorists exiting the Central Terminal Area will be directed to southbound Sepulveda Boulevard and eastbound Century Boulevard only. Police officers and signage will direct motorists to use alternative routes when the temporary street closures occur. Airport officials advise motorists coming to LAX between 11 am to 4 pm to add 90 minutes to their planned drive time to accommodate expected traffic congestion and delays.