LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AMONG TOP 10 WINNERS IN USA TODAY’s 10BEST READERS’ CHOICE TRAVEL AWARDS HIGHLIGHTING DINING, RETAIL OFFERINGS
LAX Also A Winner for Overall Best Airport Shopping

            Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was voted among the Top 10 winners in seven categories of USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards contest of airport concessions.  Six of the 10 dining and retail winners represent popular local restaurants and stores, reflecting well on the airport’s on-going transformation of its concessions program to provide dining and retail offerings that meet the demands of today’s travelers.  One award was for overall “Best Airport Shopping.” 

“We are honored and excited that the public voted and recognized LAX’s food, beverage, and retail offerings,” said Los Angeles World Airports Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint.  “With our concessions partners, our focus is to continue putting “the L.A. back into LAX” by replicating the very best of Los Angeles’ diverse cuisine, culture and lifestyle.”

            Nominees for all categories were vetted and chosen by a panel of relevant experts, including editors from USA TODAY and 10Best.com, and readers voted digitally over three weeks for their favorites.  LAX placed among the Top 10 winners in seven of 10 categories:

·               Best Airport for Shopping – 8^th Place

·               Best Airport Shop for Local Merchandise – 4^th Place:  Fred Segal (Hollywood’s renowned boutique for upscale hip and eclectic clothing in the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s Great Hall) 

·               Best Airport Newsstand/Travel Essential

o       5^th Place:  7 Eleven (first-ever airport location of the popular convenience store in

the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s Arrivals Hall)

o       6^th Place:  Univision (the Spanish-language broadcast network’s first-ever retail store offers travel essentials and items representing Latin America at two locations in Terminal 2)      

o       7^th Place:  Hudson News (news and gifts in the Tom Bradley International Terminal with other stores in Terminals 4 and 7

·               Best Airport Sitdown Dining – 10^th Place:  Wolfgang Puck Express (fast-casual menu of sandwiches, soups, salads and the celebrity chef’s famous pizzas in Terminals 2 and 7)

·               Best Airport Local/Regional Dining

o       8^th Place:  Ford’s Filling Station (sandwiches, tacos, and small-plate menu in local Chef Ben Ford’s first-ever airport gastropub in Terminal 5)

o       9^th Place:  Lemonade (local c afeteria-style seasonal and organic comfort-food menu paired with many types of lemonade in Terminal 5)   

o       10^th Place:  Border Grill (gourmet Mexican menu by celebrity Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger in the Tom Bradley International Terminal and food truck concept in Terminal 4)

·               Best Airport Grab-And-Go Dining – 6^th Place:  Lemonade (in Terminal 5)

·               Best Airport Bar – 7^th Place:  Vino Volo (expertly selected wines and small plates in the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s Great Hall)

            LAX’s food-and-beverage and retail program offers travelers from around the world premier dining and retail options curated by concession partners:  Westfield; Areas USA; Bim and Partners; Crews of California; CMS Hospitality/Camacho’s; Delaware North; DFS Group; HMSHost; and Hudson Group joint ventures with Magic Johnson Enterprises, Concourse Ventures, The Zaman Group, and Soto & Sanchez.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

            LAX is the seventh busiest airport in the world and third in the United States.  LAX served more than 74.9 million passengers in 2015.  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 more than 2.1 million tons of air cargo valued at over $86.9 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.