In the midst of vehicle traffic, thousands of passengers and hundreds of daily flights, Los Angeles International Airport is transforming into the new LAX.
Maligned for decades for congestion on its roadways, in the terminals and in the skies, the nation’s second-largest airport has embarked on a multi-year, $8.5 billion capital improvement program that aims to dramatically enhance the traveler’s experience.
Leading the transformation is Deborah Flint, the recently appointed executive director of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), who was named by Mayor Eric Garcetti in June to head the mammoth transportation agency comprised of LAX, Ontario International Airport and Van Nuys Airport.
Flint previously served as director of aviation for Oakland International Airport where she successfully completed a range of capital projects including the opening of a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station, connecting the airport to the huge population throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
(By Cora Jackson-Fossett, LA Sentinel Staff Writer) Expressing excitement about similar customer-oriented advances planned for LAX, Flint said, “It’s a pivotal time to change and transform LAX. My vision is to restore it in all aspects to the iconic image that people have of LAX and to lead in the global rankings of airports the way that we should in this great city.”
The restoration Flint referred to contains several components already underway. The new Tom Bradley Terminal, which will be fully completed this year, features 18 new aircraft gates, expanded security screening areas, and a Great Hall offering premier dining and shopping. Also, Terminal 1, home to the ever-busy Southwest Airlines, is being renovated to enhance the building’s interior; aircraft ramp and traffic flow around the Central Terminal Area.
Click here to read the full story at LA Sentinel.
