A less-crowded LAX this Thanksgiving

With this economy, it stands to reason that fewer people will be going home for the holidays. And given the already tough air-travel business, that means you could have less company at LAX. From the Daily Breeze:

About 1.6 million travelers are expected to make their Thanksgiving pilgrimage through Los Angeles International Airport during the 10-day surge that begins Friday, marking a dramatic 14.3 percent drop from the same period last year, airport officials said. The decline comes as LAX is losing nearly 20 percent of its flights and 13 percent of available airline seats this month, compared to November 2007. "We are not surprised with the double-digit declines because we were told by the airlines last summer that the fall and winter schedules would experience significant reductions," LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said. "It's not just a Los Angeles phenomenon, it's a worldwide decline due to the economic situations around the world and in the United States."

--Shelby Grad

Photo: LAT file