subject: Bigger Airplanes, Bigger Airports - Approach Los Angeles Airport Parking [print this page] According to statistics provided by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2011, Los Angeles International Airport, more commonly known as LAX, served 61,859,523 airline passengers and was home to 601,416 aircraft operations. That year, it was the busiest airport in the Greater Los Angeles Area and in California, the third busiest airport (after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago OHare International Airport) in the United States, and the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. With new developments in aviation technology producing larger, more fuel efficient airliners, airports all across the globe are sure to feel the imminent increase in passenger traffic and the need for more Los Angeles Airport Parking. LAX has already started the construction to accommodate the approaching masses.
The Tome Bradley International Terminal at LAX has been undergoing a massive $1.5billion renovation project since February 22, 2010. New airliners such as the superjumbo Airbus A380 are simply too large to fit in the majority of LAX boarding gates; currently, only two gates at LAX are capable of accommodating such large airplanes. Although construction was originally set to be completed by December 2012, weather problems and an unanticipated relocation of some utility lines have pushed back the slated opening date to spring 2013 and the construction completion date to the end of 2013. The new west side boarding dates, the great hall, and a new retail and dining area will open during spring 2013, with the phase two east boarding gates to be completed by the end of 2013. There will be a total of eighteen new gates; nine of which have been built specifically to accommodate the ever-expanding airliners.
In order to support the higher traffic of passengers who are sure to travel on larger aircraft such as the Airbus A380, the Los Angeles Board of Airports Commissioners has commissioned the redesign of a new baggage screening system within the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Although it was installed only two years ago, operational issues have plagued the system, which only manages to screen between 1,500 - 1,800 pieces of luggage per hour instead of the expected 3,240 pieces of luggage it was initially designed for. At the behest of several air carriers, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners has approved the addition of a new outdoor lounge terrace for the comfort of the increasing number of travelers. There will also be an overhaul of the overall architecture of the terminal, perhaps also to the LAX Airport Parking structure outside the terminal. Construction on a pair of additional taxi lanes is also in the works.
