LAX MODERNIZATION UPDATE: GATE CHANGES THIS WEEK IN TERMINALS 5 AND 6 HIGHLIGHT BUSY MONTH AHEAD

(Los Angeles, California – February 1, 2016)  February may be the shortest month of the year, but it will still be quite busy at Los Angeles International Airport, where a multi-billion-dollar modernization effort rolls on with nearly $3 million spent each day on nearly two dozen major construction projects.  The improvements will result in a modern airport that significantly enhances the overall guest experience for the today’s traveler.  Passengers using LAX in February will need to plan ahead to navigate sidewalk and vehicle lane closures and in-terminal work.  Construction alerts showing Central Terminal Area (CTA) roadway lane restrictions and sidewalk closures, as well as a pedestrian walking map and helpful airline terminal finder, can be found at www.laxishappening.com .  LAX is also on Waze, the community-based traffic reporting app, to provide real-time traffic status in and around the CTA.  

American and Delta swapping gates:  

• As the first step in Delta Air Lines’ move to Terminals 2 and 3 later this year, Delta and American have swapped four gates in Terminal 5 and 6.American Airlines passengers who check in online for their flights and are assigned to Gates 50A, 50B, 52 (American Eagle bus gate), 53A or 53B, should arrive at Terminal 5.Delta Air Lines passengers who check in online for their flights and are assigned to Gates 60 through 63, 68A, 68B or 69B, should arrive at Terminal 6.Both airlines have installed additional ticketing counters to serve their passengers. Terminals 5 and 6 are connected by a tunnel past the Security Screening Check Points (see map at http://www.laxishappening.com/assets/pdf/LAX-CTA-South-Tunnel-Map.pdf ), so passengers who are in the wrong terminal will be able to reach their flights without having to exit security.

  Roadway Impacts in and near the CTA:  

• Work to install metal panels on the elevator tower at Parking Structure 3 will require the closure of the two left-most lanes Monday-Saturday mornings on the Lower/Arrivals Level beginning on Feb. 9 and lasting for about a month.
• Portions of the drop-off lane on the Upper/Departures Level in front of Terminal 1 are closed until April 2017 as part of Southwest Airlines’ renovation project.  During busy travel times such as early morning and midday, passenger drop-off causes traffic backups on the roads leading into the CTA, affecting access to all other terminals.  Drivers may find it easier to drop off passengers between Terminals 1 and 2.  The entire drop-off lane is closed weeknights from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. while a canopy is constructed over the sidewalk.  To avoid traffic congestion at LAX from early morning to 2 p.m., motorists are asked to use the Lower/Arrivals Level to drop off passengers, who can take elevators, escalators or stairs up to the departures level.
• Rotating lane closures on the Lower/Arrivals Level may occur overnight into the early afternoon hours.  The leftmost lane on the Lower/Arrivals Level, adjacent to Parking Structure 3, is closed most weekdays from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. for landscaping.
• Redevelopment of Terminal 7 has closed a 135-foot section of the passenger drop-off area on the Upper/Departures Level, which will remain in place through April.
• Work to seal bridges on Interstate 105 in the LAX area will result in some lane and access ramp closures Monday-Friday nights from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning.
• The Century Boulevard Mobility Improvements Project will potentially impact traffic leaving LAX for northbound I-405. The work will continue into March 2017.

Terminal Construction/Renovation :

• Terminal 1:   Phase 2 of Southwest Airlines’ $509-million Terminal 1 Renovation Project continues in the eastern part of the terminal, including the former check-in lobby, with barricades in place.  The pedestrian bridge connecting Parking Structure 1 and the terminal is closed, with signs placed to direct passengers.  The restrooms on the ticketing level have been temporarily replaced by unisex restrooms on the western side of the lobby.  Passengers may also use restrooms located on the Lower/Arrivals Level or in the terminal beyond passenger security screening.  A new, covered skycap baggage check-in area is open on the west side of the terminal.  Gates 16A, 16B, 18A and 18B are temporarily closed.  Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, near Gate 13, and Nektar Juice Bar, in the waiting area near Gate 14A, recently opened.  Work continues in the food court area.  Westfield is phasing in new concessions, with a total of 24 to be installed through 2017. 
• Terminal 2:  Remodeling is almost completed in the ticketing lobby as Los Angeles World Airports wraps up its $332-million Terminal 2 Modernization Project.  An electrical upgrade and tile work are still in progress. Gate 27 is closed through early March.
• Terminal 3:   New concessions are being installed in two locations.
• Terminal 4:   American Airlines’ Admirals Club is being renovated, with expected completion this summer.  Refurbishment in other areas of the terminal, including the ticketing lobby, the food court, baggage claim and the boarding gate seating areas, will continue through March.  A new Automated Screening Lane (ASL) is scheduled to be installed at the TSA Security Screening Check Point in the first quarter of 2017 to reduce wait times.
• Terminal 5:  American Airlines has relocated four gates to Terminal 5.  Terminal 5 is adjacent to the American hub in Terminal 4, improving operations and the customer experience. 
• Terminal 6:  Delta Air Lines will operate for several months from Gates 60-63 in addition to Gates 68A, 68B and 69B.  Gate 69B is closed for passenger bridge replacement.
• Terminals 7/8:   United Airlines is continuing its $573-million Terminal 7/8 Renovation Project scheduled for completion in early 2018.  The Security Screening Check Point at the bridge level is permanently closed.  The bridge from Parking Structure 7 is closed through May 2017 for elevator demolition and construction. Access to the parking structure is available on the Lower/Arrivals Level.  Two new elevators are being constructed near the bridge, and expected to open in May.  Gates 72, 75A and 80 are closed for renovations. A new women’s restroom has opened near Gate 71B.   Work continues on a new Baggage Carousel 1, with temporary walls in place.  The United Baggage Service office is in a temporary location near the new restrooms on the west end of the baggage claim area, and must be accessed from the street.  Terminals 7 and 8 can be reached using East Way, a short-cut accessible from the left lane in front of Terminal 1.

Sidewalk/Walkway/Parking Structure Restrictions and Closures :

• As part of the Terminal 1 Renovation Project, portions of the sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level will be closed through 2017 with pedestrians routed around barricades.
• Upgrades to the elevators in the east tower at Parking Structure 1 will close a portion of the sidewalk on the Lower/Arrivals Level through February 2017.
• Waterproofing of the roof to Parking Structure 1 is expected to take place in February, with no parking allowed for several days.
• Portions of the sidewalk at Terminals 2  and 3 on the Lower/Arrivals Level are restricted overnight while electrical conduit is installed.
• Work on the west side elevators at Parking Structure 3 has temporarily closed a portion of the sidewalk.  A detour leads passengers safely to the crosswalk to reach Terminal 3.  Signs are also posted to direct passengers to other elevators in the parking structure.
• Work to install security bollards on the Upper/Departures Level will close portions of the sidewalk in front of several terminals.  An ADA-compliant path of travel will be maintained at all times.
• The crosswalk between Parking Structure 3 and TBIT on the Lower/Arrivals Level will be closed until early March.  Alternative routes across World Way include the crosswalk between the parking structure and Terminal 3, the Upper/Departures Level crosswalk between the structure and TBIT, and the crosswalk from the charter bus parking area south of the parking structure.
• Landscaping around Parking Structures 3 and 4 may result in sidewalk restrictions.  Signs will be posted when necessary.
• A blast fence is being installed at the heliport on top of Parking Structure 4, reducing the number of parking stalls on Levels 4 and 5, and occasionally requiring closure of the ramp between Levels 3 and 4. The work will continue through February, from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
• The two elevators in the east tower of Parking Structure 4 are out of service through April, while upgrades are performed.  Two other pairs of elevators remain in service. 
• One elevator will remain available while upgrades to the elevator tower in Parking Structure 5 continue through January.  The sidewalk adjacent to the elevator tower is closed.
• The elevators on the west side of Parking Structure 7 are closed through April, with passengers directed to the recently renovated elevators on the east side of the structure. The adjacent sidewalk on East Way and World Way is also closed.  
• Pedestrians are routed to a bump-out sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level at Terminal 7 while the sidewalk is widened.  A 175-foot-long barricade exists along the easternmost sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level of Terminals 7/8 through 2017. 

Please note that all dates provided in this notice are subject to change.

      Traffic alerts and current airport conditions are posted on LAX’s social media sites at www.Facebook/com/LAInternationalAirport and www.Twitter.com/flyLAXairport .  A construction hotline at (310) 649-LAWA or (310) 649-5292 is also available.  Real-time traffic conditions in and around the airport are available at www.laxishappening.com and by following @LAAirportPDon Twitter.

      Airport officials are asking motorists to help reduce traffic congestion in and around LAX by taking shared-ride public transportation to and from LAX, including the inexpensive and convenient FlyAway® bus service to and from Hollywood, Long Beach, Metro Orange Line Bus stop (in San Fernando Valley), Union Station, Van Nuys and Westwood.  If picking up passengers, motorists are encouraged to park and wait at the free LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot at the intersection of 96th Street and Vicksburg Avenue, next to the entrance of LAX Economy Parking Lot C.

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 80.9 million passengers in 2016.  LAX offers 742 daily nonstop flights to 101 cities in the U.S. and 1,280 weekly nonstop flights to 77 cities in 42 countries on 64 commercial air carriers.  LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion.  LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016. 

An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,610 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion.  This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues.  The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

            LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with 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 .  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 www.LAXisHappening.com .  

            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.