Major modernization contracts for LAX approved

More than $1.1 billion in construction contracts to renovate facilities at Los Angeles International Airport were approved today by L.A.'s airport commission.

The plan, a major step in the modernization of LAX, also calls for building new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners awarded two contracts to the Walsh Austin Joint Venture, which will reconfigure the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

“This action is a tremendous step forward in the modernization of LAX,” said commissioner Walt Zifkin. “Nothing has really happened since 1984. Hopefully, it won’t take this long to do the next modernization project.”

More than $1.1 billion in construction contracts to renovate facilities at Los Angeles International Airport were approved today by L.A.'s airport commission.

The plan, a major step in the modernization of LAX, also calls for building new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners awarded two contracts to the Walsh Austin Joint Venture, which will reconfigure the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

“This action is a tremendous step forward in the modernization of LAX,” said commissioner Walt Zifkin. “Nothing has really happened since 1984. Hopefully, it won’t take this long to do the next modernization project.”

The Bradley terminal “is the centerpiece of the current modernization program,” Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, said in an earlier interview. “The project will change how the airport looks to passengers and how international passengers arrive and depart. We are completely redoing the front door.”

Airport officials plan to add 1 million square feet of space to the terminal to make room for ticket counters, security checkpoints and passenger lounges, as well as expanded customs and immigration facilities. Restaurants and retail stores will occupy a grand central hall.

The so-called Bradley West project also calls for nine new gates that will handle the latest in large commercial airliners, such the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the giant Airbus A380, which can carry more than 800 passengers depending on the seating arrangement.

Two of the gates are scheduled to open by January 2012. The overall project is expected to be completed by mid-2013.

Except for the current remodeling of the terminal’s interior, it has not had any major improvements since the 1984 Summer Olympics. The aging facility often receives poor to average marks from passengers and airlines.

Airport officials are proceeding with the Bradley project despite a severe national recession and the worst economic downturn in the history of the airline industry, which has led to the cancellation and postponement of orders for aircraft, including the new wide-body designs. As a result, major airports around the country have been postponing expensive improvement projects.

The latest forecasts by the Boyd Group, an aviation research and consulting firm in Colorado, predict that the number of passengers at LAX will decline from about 59 million in 2008 to about 55 million by the end of this year. The volume is expected to dip to 51 million in 2011 and recover somewhat by 2014. The passenger volume at LAX peaked at about 68 million in 2000.

Despite the economy, Lindsey said she is optimistic that the airport will be able to finance the project by selling bonds to investors in the months ahead. To cover the debt payments, she said, the airport must carefully manage its operations to save money, increase revenue from concessions and parking, push Congress to increase the passenger-facilities fee and gradually raise fees and rents for the airlines.

-- Dan Weikel

Photo: Architectural rendering of the Bradley West concourse. Credit: Fentress Associates / Los Angeles World Airports

The so-called Bradley West project also calls for nine new gates that will handle the latest in large commercial airliners, such the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the giant Airbus A380, which can carry more than 800 passengers depending on the seating arrangement.

Two of the gates are scheduled to open by January 2012. The overall project is expected to be completed by mid-2013.

Except for the current remodeling of the terminal’s interior, it has not had any major improvements since the 1984 Summer Olympics. The aging facility often receives poor to average marks from passengers and airlines.

Airport officials are proceeding with the Bradley project despite a severe national recession and the worst economic downturn in the history of the airline industry, which has led to the cancellation and postponement of orders for aircraft, including the new wide-body designs. As a result, major airports around the country have been postponing expensive improvement projects.

The latest forecasts by the Boyd Group, an aviation research and consulting firm in Colorado, predict that the number of passengers at LAX will decline from about 59 million in 2008 to about 55 million by the end of this year. The volume is expected to dip to 51 million in 2011 and recover somewhat by 2014. The passenger volume at LAX peaked at about 68 million in 2000.

Despite the economy, Lindsey said she is optimistic that the airport will be able to finance the project by selling bonds to investors in the months ahead. To cover the debt payments, she said, the airport must carefully manage its operations to save money, increase revenue from concessions and parking, push Congress to increase the passenger-facilities fee and gradually raise fees and rents for the airlines.

-- Dan Weikel

Photo: Architectural rendering of the Bradley West concourse. Credit: Fentress Associates / Los Angeles World Airports

Comments

[Rich]

This sounds like pork to me! Ontario Airport (Also owned by LAAC) is dying on the vine, and LA's airport managers seem happy to let it die. Meanwhile, we're paying $1 billion for a remodel that really isn't needed? The only thing we airport customers will see is 7 more years of traffic and construction. That money should have been used to run a light rail line directly into Ontario Airport.

[Gene Colburn]

This is the most disgusting idiotic waste of energy and finances the City of LA has ever undertaken in such a period of unprecedented hardship on the taxpayer of LA. I no longer live there and it infuriates me to think you people can go into debt for 1.1 billion dollars and gee, just hope you can pay for it by selling bonds. Who do you people think you are?

There seems to be no one that understands what is required of a business to manufacture a pair of shoes and bring them to mareket. How many shoes it takes to pay a $70k salary, pay into a retirement account, pay $1000 per month for health insurance, allow 3 weeks vacation, and 15 days a year cumulative sick leave. And yet this is what every member of the government sector now is getting on average. I can not even do this for my self let alone my employees. No small business can do that and yet we are expected to pay for this sham. I know government workers that are drawing two and three pensions while their department heads look the other way.

We have a government that is spending us into oblivion, and then wondering why the budget doesn't balance. This is a disaster for the people of LA

There needs to be an effort on all levels of government to reign in spending, and this means hard decisions. 30% across the board reduction in salaries, benefits, and bring the government sector back in line with the private sector. My business is going under because of what is happening in this country, and I have both parties and local and state governments to blame for it. Shame on you when it all crumbles. You know full well you will need assistance from the feds to pay for this boondoggle. Get budgets under control, and then remodel the airport from savings oh and gee, the real airport traffic not some phony consultants projection.

[El Guapo de la cuidad de los angeles]

Maybe it's just me but LAX is one ugly airport.

[Carol]

When has LAX not been modernizing? It's always under construction! I've never been in a terminal not being redesigned, in current construction disrepair.

[Ernest Murphy]

It's about time.

LAX is the slum airport from hell, possibly the worst-designed such facility I've ever had the misfortune to spend time in. Imagine having to ride a bus on the runway to get from one terminal to another ... and then having to go through security clearance again because of that bus ride. What country am I in, anyway?

On top of that, there aren't nearly enough seats for the amount of business the airport does. The carpets and aisles are invariably filthy, the seats themselves are grubby. The food is overprices and generally mediocre.

Living in Hawaii, I often have to spend time in your miserable airport. It is a hellhole. You should be ashamed to inflict it on the traveling public.

Aloha.

[Josh Ooi]

Agreed with Gene Colburn totally. Just look recently at the Chief of DWP. He resigned when the seat gets "hot". Instead of staying on and try to resolve the issues, he resigned and the city employed him back as a consultant at the same cost if not more to do the job? What kind of City Government do we have? All of them should have their pay cut by at least 30%, benefits withdrawn to a level experience by all of us private workers in the city.

It is no wonder that the City is going bankrupt. What is the point of hiring a person when we pay them to retire withing a few months?

I have more horror stories to tell. I have seen it all when they contracted me jobs in the IT department. Frankly the City should audit the IT department. They hire CISCO trained personnel yet they subcontract out jobs to other CISCO trained personnel to do the job. There is so much wastage in there that I cannot bear to even talk about it.

[TheBigPicture]

They need to spend that money on an elaborate camera/security system so they can monitor all of the criminal gang members that they employ....from security to baggage handlers...very sketchy...

[bc]

The improvements are needed - LAX is a dump and is the gateway to high-spending Asian tourists, etc. By the way, the NY Times had a much better article on this story. Nice job LAT - can't even cover your backyard well anymore...

[Ollie]

Just make sure to connect it to the Green Line!

[M.D.]

Instead of beautifying it right now, how about making it more functional by connecting it to the green line and a public bus terminus?