Thoughts on LAX Construction Plans
Posted by Victoria Houghton on October 20, 2009 | No Comments
Much like many other large and busy airports throughout North America, LAX will soon be conducting a $1.3 billion overhaul of its facilities–to be financed with bonds. The skeptics are already questioning the purpose of such a large financial undertaking in this current environment of declining airport traffic and consolidating airline routes, among other factors.
However, when asked by the New York Times about the necessity of the project, Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, couldn’t have said it better: “Yes, there has been a downturn in airport traffic, but the reason this project is needed has nothing to do with the number of passengers. It’s how we handle those passengers.”
I couldn’t agree more. Airports are the public face of aviation in their communities, and they are focused on taking care of passengers and providing excellent customer service. Airlines have been increasingly passing many of their customer service responsibilities to airports. For example, when inclement weather strikes, most airlines not longer provide hotel or meal vouchers and with high load factors it could be a day or more to accommodate some passengers. Airports have worked to ensure that at least one of their food vendors stays open 24 hours, so passengers can purchase food and beverages. Airports may also provide services including cots, sleeping mats, blankets and inflatable pillows—free of charge.
Additionally, airports are planning for the long term. Unlike some of our industry partners, we do not have the luxury of responding immediately to market demands. Airports cannot construct airside or landside improvements to meet passenger demands overnight since these projects take many years to design, finance and build. Runways, terminals, taxiways, and most airport infrastructure projects in general take five or 10 years.
Airports need to invest in infrastructure projects to prepare for the future and the eventual return of traffic. ACI-NA is working hard to ensure that airports have the financial tools necessary to plan for the future, and to ensure that passenger safety, security and customer service needs are met- not only today but in the future.
-Debby McElroy, Executive Vice President, Policy & External Affairs
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