More Construction on Deck at LAX

Los Angeles International Airport is in the midst of a $4.11 billion makeover, and that means a lot of new construction. While this will undoubtedly improve airport conditions in the long run, it will also affect the travel plans of millions of Angelenos. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, there are at least five upcoming construction projects at LAX that may increase your travel times.

Tom Bradley International Terminal

Starting this week, the screening area on the terminal’s south side will be closed. However, the Transportation Security Administration is taking steps to alleviate the congestion from the shuttered checkpoints by opening additional checkpoints near the back and center of the ticketing area. These conditions will be in effect until fall.

Terminal 4

The Connector Project is currently underway, creating a bridge between Terminal 4 and the Bradley terminal. Until it’s completed, travelers will be bused from one to the other. Unfortunately, the bridge isn’t expected to be completed until late next year.

Terminal 5

This Delta terminal is currently undergoing construction upgrades. However, the worst you can expect here is the additional noise that comes from this kind of work. Construction is scheduled through next year.

Sidewalks

Additional shuttle rides and security checkpoint detours aren’t the only things that could delay your travel and cause you to miss flights. Sidewalk construction will reroute passengers near the Bradley terminal’s Upper Level, Terminals 1 and 7, and parking structures 1 and 7. So be on the lookout for additional foot traffic in these areas.

Lane Closures

The inner lane on the Lower Level roadway is set to be closed to allow crews to reinforce the Upper Level. The area of the lane closure will move around the roadway between the hours of 1 and 8 a.m. for the next month. This is the arrivals area of the terminal.

Rather than battle it out in this traffic, why not park off-site and take a shuttle to the terminal? Our Hilton LAX Parking has complimentary shuttle service every 15-20 minutes, helping you avoid the construction hassles and inevitable delays that come with them.

LAX Experiences On-Site Parking Issues

www.latimes.com

The flight delays that plagued Los Angeles International Airport and several other airports in the region last month also caused a host of problems for travelers beyond missed flights: the on-site parking lots were also clogged beyond capacity. According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, the “ground stop” that left so many flights to be delayed also forced LAX officials to ask drivers to file into parking lots 1, 2, and 7, as well as offsite Economy Lot C at 96^th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard. The lots that drivers often use when dropping off and picking up loved ones – lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 – were flooded with people waiting for passengers stuck on delayed flights.

According to the article, these lots are especially prone to clogging, even without the unusual flight delays. The reason for the crowding is their close proximity to the terminals. When seeking to relieve traffic, officials directed drivers to other lots off site. It seems that, when it comes to avoiding long parking delays at LAX, even airport officials recommend using an off-site lot.

Rather than drive all the way to the terminal, only to be redirected to Sepulveda and 96^th, why not take advantage of the parking concierge service at the Hilton LAX? Like other off-site lots, we offer complimentary shuttle service to and from LAX. But unlike some of those lots, our shuttles run every 15-20 minutes like clockwork. Other amenities offered by our Hilton Airport Parking include covered and secured parking, WiFi access, and a 24-hour Bistro serving up Starbucks coffee and quick eats. If you were traveling through LAX when the “ground stop” occurred, how much more convenient would it have been to park with us? When driving to the airport, avoid the delays of parking near the terminal by parking with us.

Flights Resume Regular Schedule at LAX

Flights out of Los Angeles International Airport have resumed their regular schedule after a “ground stop” was issued yesterday afternoon. The reason behind the delays was a “computer issue,” according to statements made by Federal Aviation Administration officials in an article by KTLA. This glitch in the system, although apparently rare, was serious enough to ground flights throughout the region. In addition to LAX, other airports affected included Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Long Beach Airport, and Ontario International Airport. They were also delays at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City International Airport.

The ground stop was initially announced via Twitter at 2:13 p.m. on Wednesday. A spokesman for the FAA announced that the system was being restored around 3:30 p.m. Although the problem was being addressed in a little over an hour, it was long enough to cause numerous disruptions to the flight schedule. Approximately 27 inbound flights were diverted, 27 were cancelled, and 212 flights were delayed as a result of the glitch. More than 30 flights out of LAX were held on the ground, in some cases spending up to two hours on the tarmac. 23 outbound flights were cancelled altogether.

Although flight delays can be a real inconvenience, it’s always important to make sure you arrive at the airport on time for your scheduled flight. Most of the time, flight delays are announced shortly before the scheduled departure time. Fortunately, Hilton LAX Parking’s shuttle service can get you to the airport on time, every time. Although we can’t control unscheduled air traffic control issues, we can make sure that you don’t miss your flight. With shuttles departing every 15 minutes, you can be sure that you’ll arrive on time, even if your flight doesn’t.

PUPS Relieve Travel Stress at LAX

At LAX Hilton Parking, we are continually looking for ways to make the whole process of traveling by plane easier for everyone. It’s why we offer complimentary shuttle and concierge services to our customers. So, as you can imagine, we were delighted to hear that officials at LAX have been running a new program to alleviate the stress associated with flying out of the airport.

The program, known as Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUPS), is currently celebrating its one-year anniversary. Through the PUPS program, 29 service dogs of all breeds – including an Irish wolfhound named Finn – greet passengers after they go through security screenings. The dogs and their handlers are identifiable by the red vests they wear. The goal of the program is to take advantage of the calming effects that dogs can have on travelers.

The use of service dogs for their calming abilities is already a fairly well-accepted practice for individual travelers. If you have flown out of LAX recently, chances are you have encountered at least one other passenger going through the terminal with a service dog. Since many people experience anxiety when flying, holding a dog can be a great source of comfort.

The dogs used in the PUPS program are registered with Therapy Dogs, a national organization with the goal “to provide registration, support, and insurance for members who are involved in volunteer animal assisted activities.” Dogs registered with this program usually visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, and special needs centers, among other places. The therapeutic benefits of having these dogs around have been proven, with new benefits discovered all the time.

When it comes to LAX, keeping passengers calm with these service dogs seems like a no brainer. The therapeutic effects of petting and interacting with these dogs are seen every day in the terminals at LAX. The next time you travel, keep an eye out for the dogs in the red vests to see if they can alleviate your travel stress.

Utility Upgrade Underway at LAX

Los Angeles International Airport has broken ground – or concrete, anyway – on the construction of a new Central Utility Plant as of this past Tuesday. The process has begun with the demolition of the old Central Utility Plant, which has been providing heating, air conditioning, and lighting to travelers since 1961. The new facility promises to provide improved climate control within the airport and boasts of improved energy efficiency.

The renderings of the new plant, linked above, depict a modernized facility that blends well with the existing architecture of LAX, including the famous Theme Building. All LAX buildings will remain open throughout the construction process, meaning travelers will not have to put up with delays once inside the airport. Traffic conditions, on the other hand, may degenerate as temporary lane closures and detours are enacted throughout the process. In other words, getting dropped off and picked up from the terminal may be more trouble than it’s worth.

Fortunately for travelers with their own vehicles, the Hilton Airport Parking service will be in full effect throughout construction of the new Central Utility Plant. Our shuttles will continue to run every 15-20 minutes to ferry you to the terminal and back. Just arrive 30 minutes prior to when you have to be at the airport and you’re all set. Lane closures or not, our shuttle service will continue to run on time so you can avoid delays.

The new Central Utility Plant will offer you improved utility services and safety during your time in the terminal. And it’s being built with an eye toward sustainability, so you can enjoy the comforts of climate control while knowing that it’s being provided with excellent energy efficiency. Construction is set to be completed by September 2014.