MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES 'LYFT-OFF' AT LAX
(Los Angeles, California – December 22, 2015) To make mobility in Los Angeles easier for residents and visitors, Mayor Garcetti announced that pick-ups from transportation network companies (TNCs) will officially launch tomorrow – just in time for the rush of holiday travel.
At 8 a.m. tomorrow, December 23, Lyft will begin pick-ups at LAX, making the rideshare company the first TNC to be licensed for this service at the airport, and expanding transportation options for travelers who already enjoy access to taxis, shuttles, and the popular FlyAway ® service.
“Tomorrow, we will have ‘Lyft-off’ at LAX, giving our passengers what they have been asking for, another safe and convenient way to get to and from the airport," said Mayor Garcetti. "As we continue rebuilding nearly every terminal at the airport, and work to bring rail to LAX, our passengers deserve access to all available options to ensure they have an excellent experience.”
Mayor Garcetti has made improving amenities at LAX a priority, leading efforts to allow pick-ups by transportation network companies (TNCs) at LAX. Now allowed to pick up passengers on the upper Departure level of LAX, transportation network companies who successfully complete the application process will pay the airport $4 per trip, while following rules to reduce congestion in the central terminal area. Tomorrow culminates a thorough policy development process during which Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) staff held several public comment periods and considered input from dozens of stakeholders, including passengers, neighborhood groups, transportation network companies, taxicab companies, limo companies, disability advocates, and environmental advocates.
The Los Angeles City Council approved the license agreement that came out of that policy development process earlier this year, paving the way for TNC pick-ups at LAX.
"Innovative app-based transit options like Lyft have fundamentally altered the way Angelenos experience our city,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, the chair of the Los Angeles City Council’s Innovation, Grants, Technology, Commerce and Trade Committee, which oversees the airport. “I was proud to work with Mayor Eric Garcetti to bring TNCs to LAX in a way that is convenient, regulated, and above all, safe, to ensure Los Angeles residents and visitors access and continue our push to make Los Angeles the most forward thinking big city in America."
TNC's that successfully apply for and obtain a license from LAWA will now be permitted to both pick up and drop off at LAX, giving passengers the power to choose their preferred transportation option.
"I am stoked that we are leading the way in passenger convenience by allowing Lyft to operate at LAX," said Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents LAX and nearby neighborhoods. "Lyft will broaden the range of choices for passengers, making it easier to go to and from the airport. The agreement negotiated by the Board of Airport Commissioners protects nearby neighborhoods with technology that prevents drivers from parking on their streets while they wait for calls. This is a 'win-win' for passengers and neighborhoods that we should all celebrate."
Other TNCs are currently in various stages of LAWA's application process to obtain a license agreement. Prior to issuing a license agreement to a TNC, LAWA carefully reviews each application to ensure the TNC and its drivers are able to comply with the rules and regulations necessary to ensure safe and reliable service for passengers at LAX.
Deborah Flint, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, added "LAX passengers can now make use of the same transportation options at the airport that they already have throughout Los Angeles. The license agreement governing Transportation Network Companies was designed to benefit travelers, help decrease traffic congestion at the airport, promote fair competition among transportation companies in both regulations and fees, and generate revenue from commercial users of airport property that can be invested to further improve the guest experience at LAX.”
"We’re excited that Los Angeles visitors and residents will be able to get a Lyft ride to and from LAX, just in time for the holiday season," said Bakari Brock, Lyft's Senior Director of Business Operations. "This is a big step forward for consumers, and we want to thank the Los Angeles World Airports Board of Airport Commissioners and Mayor Garcetti for their work to bring modern transportation options like Lyft to the airport."
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fifth busiest airport in the world and second in the United States. LAX served nearly 70.7 million passengers in 2014. 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 59 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over two million tons of air cargo valued at nearly $96.3 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, 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 at
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.
