NEARLY THREE MILLION PASSENGERS EXPECTED AT LAX DURING HOLIDAY SEASON; AIRLINE INDUSTRY PREDICTS LAX WILL BE SECOND BUSIEST U.S. AIRPORT THIS HOLIDAY
Airport officials forecast that nearly 2.97 million passengers will pass through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) this upcoming holiday travel season, a 4.1 percent increase over last year’s 2.85 million actual passengers. The 14-day holiday travel period begins Friday, December 19, and continues through Friday, January 2, 2015.
Monday, December 22; Tuesday, December 23; Friday, December 26; and Monday, December 29 are forecasted to be the busiest days of the holiday period with all four days exceeding 211,000 passengers. Because New Year’s Day will occur on Thursday, the weekend of Saturday, January 3 through Monday, January 5 will extend the travel season with additional daily passenger levels exceeding 200,000 travelers. Fewer travelers will fly on Christmas and New Year days.
According to Airlines for America (A4A), the U.S. airline industry association, LAX will be the second busiest U.S. airport this holiday, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Passengers should expect to see busy terminals and many domestic flights 95 percent full or fully booked.
Travel experts attribute the increase at LAX to several new international air carriers, as well as more available seats as some airlines add flights to new cities, use larger aircraft, or reconfigure existing aircraft with more seats on selected flights.
Airport officials recommend passengers planning to depart LAX during daily peak travel periods – from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. – arrive in their airlines’ ticketing lobbies two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
Holiday Entertainment and Activities
To spread holiday cheer, in-terminal entertainment and activities are scheduled, including: musical performances by local schools, universities, and community choirs; visits and photos with Santa Claus and LAX’s popular PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers) therapy dogs; and children’s arts-and-crafts activities at designated “Holiday Hangars” locations. Airline terminals also are decorated with red banners designed with “snowflakes” made of airplanes and with poinsettias placed on baggage-claim carousels, while wreaths are hung on LAX shuttle buses. Some airlines added their own decorations.
On-going Construction Impacts to Roadways, Sidewalks and Terminals
LAX’s multi-billion-dollar modernization program is still on-going, and passengers should allow extra time to ensure they arrive in their airline terminals on time. Visitors can expect to see construction along Central Terminal Area roadways; in Parking Structures 3 and 4 where some elevators will be out of service; and inside Terminals 1, 2, 5, 6, 7/8, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Anticipating an increase in the number of travelers using LAX during the holiday season, there will be periodic construction moratoriums from December 19 through January 5, 2015, on projects causing significant impacts to passenger flow. If coming to the airport, passengers should look for and follow the comprehensive way-finding signage near all construction sites to ensure their safety and to enhance mobility.
For real-time information on the status and locations of airport construction and traffic conditions, visit www.LAXisHappening.com.
In-Terminal Passenger Assistance
To help departing passengers catch their flights on time, the airport will continue its popular Los Angeles World Airports employee volunteer program, “Holiday Helpers.” Wearing red vests, airport employees will roam the Upper/Departures Level in all terminals on the busiest days of the holiday season. This is in addition to the Volunteer Information Professionals and Customer Service Representatives regularly assigned to assist passengers in the terminals.
LAX's cadre of trained therapy dogs and handlers, called PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers), will also roam through the boarding gate areas of each terminal to provide a less stressful airport environment by visiting passengers awaiting flights, providing comfort, and offering airport information.
General Travel Tips
Most domestic air travelers can save time and avoid ticketing counter lines by checking in for their flights through their airlines’ Internet websites before coming to the airport. Passengers also can check on flight status and sign up to receive electronic alerts from their airlines about their flights.
To avoid the hassles of driving and finding a place to park, airport officials encourage passengers to take public transportation to/from LAX, including: taxis, door-to-door shuttle vans, long- distance buses and local buses, Metro Rail to the Green Line/Aviation Station, and the LAX FlyAway® nonstop bus service. The daily, convenient and economical FlyAway® service is available at Hollywood, Santa Monica, Union Station, Van Nuys, and Westwood. Fares on all routes are $8 one way, except Westwood at $10 one way. Two children age 5 and under may ride free with each paying adult. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visitwww.LAXFlyAway.org.
Motorists picking up arriving passengers can wait up to two hours for free in the LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot for their passengers to call to say they are ready for pick up in front of their terminal. The lot is located at 96th Street and Vicksburg, adjacent to the southwest entrance of LAX Economy Parking Lot C.
Passengers should always ensure that any carry-on baggage complies with the airline’s size and weight limitations and that they do not contain items prohibited by federal law. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website atwww.tsa.gov lists items that are permitted onboard with passengers, items which must be packed in checked luggage, and items totally prohibited on flights. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) website at www.cbp.gov advises travelers on what items can be brought into the U.S. from overseas.
Both federal agencies offer programs that passengers can sign up for to expedite processing through their respective inspection areas. The TSA Pre-v (Pre-Check) Program is currently available for passengers traveling on most of the major domestic airlines serving LAX including: Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United, USAirways, and Virgin America. The CBP Global Entry Program expedites international arriving passengers through the passport control process.
Additional time-saving tips to help motorists and pedestrians navigate LAX during the holiday season can be found at www.LAXisHappening.com/holiday.
Airline Relocations
During 2014, the following airlines relocated to other terminals:
o US Airways now operates in Terminal 6
o Air New Zealand now operates in the Tom Bradley International Terminal
o United Airlines no longer operates in Terminal 6, but continues in Terminals 7 and 8
New Dining and Shopping
Passengers can do holiday shopping in any of the terminals. TSA recently started a new policy that allows travelers holding boarding passes for same-day departures to process through passenger security screening in any terminal, regardless of their airline’s terminal, to shop and dine.
New restaurants and shops opened since last year offering passengers more dining, shopping, and personal service options, include:
o Terminal 4: Kogi BBQ Taco Truck, Campanile, Cole’s (originators of the French
dip), La Provence Patisserie & Café, Real Food Daily, and 8 oz. Burger Bar.
o Terminal 5: Ford’s Filling Station and The Original Farmers Market
o Terminal 7 : The Counter, Loteria Grill!, BLD, Yogurtland, The Coffee Bean & Tea
Leaf, and Rolling Stone Bar & Grill
o T erminal 8 : Engine Co. No. 28
o New Tom Bradley International Terminal (New TBIT): Lucky Fish, III Forks,
Petrossian Caviar & Champagne Bar, Larder at Tavern, 800 Degrees Pizza,
Pinkberry, and James’ Beach.
Also, a 971-square-foot children’s play area called “LAX Beach” features hand-
painted, soft, sculpted foam pieces resembling beachscapes is open in New TBIT, beyond passenger security screening.
Timely information on flight status, traffic conditions, and other travel tips is available on LAX’s Internet website at www.lawa.org/lax, and LAX’s Twitter@flyLAXairport and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport. Los Angeles Airport Police's Twitter @LAAirportPD also provides up-to-date information on traffic and parking conditions at LAX.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the United States, serving nearly 66.7 million passengers in 2013. LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 85 cities in the U.S. and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on 62 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over 1.9 million tons of air cargo valued at over $91.6 billion. An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output of more than $39.7 billion. This activity added $2.5 billion to local and state 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, please visit www.lawa.aero/lax or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport , and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1 .
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.
