Although shuttles can be one of the most convenient ways to
get to and from Los Angeles International Airport – travelers who use our convenient LAX parking
can attest to that – it can be a real chore for travelers who are already in
the airport. But as it stands now, many travelers are routinely deplaned at the
airport’s remote gates, simply because the main terminals are not equipped to
accommodate wide-body aircraft. But thanks to the approval of a new terminal,
this inconvenience will soon be but a distant memory for those flying in and
out of LAX.
Currently, wide-body aircraft dock in the airport’s remote
terminal. Passengers are forced to deplane there, before boarding shuttle buses
to the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s immigration, customs, and baggage
claim areas. The construction of the new terminal will eliminate most of the
need for buses, although they will still be used for some passengers until the
completion of a separate project, a proposed people-mover.
Even with some buses still in use, the trip will be much
shorter than it currently is. Right now, passengers deplaning at the remote gate
have to take a bus trip of a mile and a half. The new terminal, by contrast,
will be less than a quarter mile from the Bradley Terminal.
As wide-body aircraft make up a larger share of flights, the
need for a terminal that can handle these super-sized jets will only increase. And,
although we can personally attest to the convenience of shuttle buses, you
shouldn’t have to take them once you’re already in the airport. This project
was approved by the airport commissioners, with contracts scheduled to be
awarded in January
2015. The upgrades can’t come soon enough for some passengers.
