LOS ANGELES | LAX Modernization Plan

[Quixote]

Then there's Madrid Barajas, which I consider to have the nicest architecture (RIP Richard Rogers) of any airport. This opened in 2003, yet it's cooler than any airport terminal that has been built since.


https://aviationbeast.com/europes-se...adrid-airport/

[Quixote]

It's really not that complicated. I came up with this design in 5 minutes.

[plutonicpanda]

I fail to see the issue with the remodeled terminals. They are very nice. It would be nice to have something like Dubai or Singapore but the newer parts of LAX are very nice.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by plutonicpanda

I fail to see the issue with the remodeled terminals. They are very nice. It would be nice to have something like Dubai or Singapore but the newer parts of LAX are very nice.

I agree. Ive flown out of LAX several times in the last 6 months and i really like all the improvements honestly.

[202_Cyclist]

New LAX people movers on track for 2023 completion

By Sean Cudahy
The Points Guy
March 27, 2022


New LAX people mover station at consolidated rental car facility. (Photo courtesy of Los Angeles World Airports-- via The Points Guy)

"The end is in sight for a project that leaders hope will cut down on traffic outside one of the nation’s busiest airports.

Construction crews are nearing a milestone in a multi-billion dollar project to significantly upgrade public transportation at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). By next week, the concrete guideway that will eventually house a brand new Automated People Mover (APM) system will reach 99% completion, setting the stage for testing of train cars later this year. Construction is slated to wrap up next year..."

https://thepointsguy.com/news/new-la...23-completion/

[tdawg]

I was in LA for a wedding last weekend and flew through LAX (whatever terminal JetBlue flies to NYC out of) and it was horrible. Overcrowded and with only like 3 restaurant options, all of them packed and spilling out into the terminal and only offering stuff like chicken fingers. It made me appreciate our new LaGuardia a lot. It was cool to see the light rail under construction though, something we still can't seem to figure out for LGA.

[Easy]

Originally Posted by tdawg

I was in LA for a wedding last weekend and flew through LAX (whatever terminal JetBlue flies to NYC out of) and it was horrible. Overcrowded and with only like 3 restaurant options, all of them packed and spilling out into the terminal and only offering stuff like chicken fingers. It made me appreciate our new LaGuardia a lot. It was cool to see the light rail under construction though, something we still can't seem to figure out for LGA.

I think that terminal 5 hasn't been renovated yet. It should be nicer by the time the Olympics arrive.

https://www.lawa.org/transforminglax/projects

[tdawg]

That's good to know and my only experience with LAX over the past few years has been T5.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

It's literally the only terminal that hasn't been remodeled yet lol

[edale]

To be fair, even some of the newly constructed/renovated terminals are extremely overcrowded. I recently flew in/out of T2 (Delta), and it was just a completely miserable experience. Crazy long lines to check bags, just a handful of restaurants were open and all were completely slammed, very overcrowded seating areas. I think they are working on T3 (which will also be Delta), so maybe once that opens T2 will be better. Still, outside of the Tom Bradley Terminal, which is very nice, I think LAX is a total shithole, and I dread going there. I always try to use Burbank when possible.

That said, I am excited to see the progress the people mover is making. Removing much of the traffic and chaos from the drop off/pickup area will be a big improvement.

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by edale

To be fair, even some of the newly constructed/renovated terminals are extremely overcrowded. I recently flew in/out of T2 (Delta), and it was just a completely miserable experience. Crazy long lines to check bags, just a handful of restaurants were open and all were completely slammed, very overcrowded seating areas. I think they are working on T3 (which will also be Delta), so maybe once that opens T2 will be better. Still, outside of the Tom Bradley Terminal, which is very nice, I think LAX is a total shithole, and I dread going there. I always try to use Burbank when possible.

That said, I am excited to see the progress the people mover is making. Removing much of the traffic and chaos from the drop off/pickup area will be a big improvement.

Delta is doing all its operations out of T2 while T3 is shut down for a complete rebuild. T2 hasn’t gone through it’s full renovation either, it only got a mild facelift. They just opened the new Delta Headhouse this month which will remove the security area out of T2 and will allow the expansion of amenities, space and seating. They also have the extender coming that will connect it to T3 and the new headhouse. Delta is operating all of its services out of one terminal when it used to have almost double the capacity when T3 was open.

Once Delta’s T3 re-opens, and after they demolish the T2 security area and move the sky lounge to the new headhouse, there will be way more space in T2 and Delta can relieve the pressure off of T2. And I totally get it, right now T2 is a crowded mess. I fly through that terminal about once a month and it is definitely overcrowded

[Quixote]

I’m sitting in T6 as I type this. While this terminal and others are being renovated, it’s still lipstick on a pig and woefully inadequate for one of the world’s most important airports. Every single terminal needs to be torn down and rebuilt, even TBIT in 20 years. The new Delta T3 is a disgrace.

The problem is that LAX doesn’t have the room to shut down an entire terminal, move operations elsewhere, demolish, and construct a new one. Maybe once Terminals 0, 9, and the MSC South are done.

Only thing I like about LAX, besides it being my home airport, is how quickly you’re able to get from curb to gate.

[MAC123]

You're thinking a "LaGuardia-esque" kind of rebuilding?
Yeah but considering what they're already doing I doubt anything will be done about it for a while yet.

[Quixote]

^ More terminal by terminal. Once Terminals 0, 9, and MSC South are done, that will be an additional 29 gates — potentially 35 with a later expansion of T9. At that point, I would imagine United consolidates in T9, fellow Star Alliance member Air Canada moves from T6 to T9, and Alaska shares with T5 with American, which moves some flights to TBIT / MSC South.

Then we can demo Terminals 6-8 and build a brand new facility for American or Delta.

Then Terminals 2-3 can be demoed for Delta/American.

Or we reconfigure the airport west of the MSC, construct more gates there, and build a sterile underground people mover stopping at all terminals. It’s a joke that we have to bus passengers to other terminals for connections. Don’t care if we’re an “origin-destination” airport. This is one of the world’s busiest airports and the gateway to the Pacific Rim on this side of the world.

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by Quixote

^ More terminal by terminal. Once Terminals 0, 9, and MSC South are done, that will be an additional 29 gates — potentially 35 with a later expansion of T9. At that point, I would imagine United consolidates in T9, fellow Star Alliance member Air Canada moves from T6 to T9, and Alaska shares with T5 with American, which moves some flights to TBIT / MSC South.

Then we can demo Terminals 6-8 and build a brand new facility for American or Delta.

Then Terminals 2-3 can be demoed for Delta/American.

Or we reconfigure the airport west of the MSC, construct more gates there, and build a sterile underground people mover stopping at all terminals. It’s a joke that we have to bus passengers to other terminals for connections. Don’t care if we’re an “origin-destination” airport. This is one of the world’s busiest airports and the gateway to the Pacific Rim on this side of the world.

LAX wanted to start new on the north side in the late 2000's when they were planning to expand the north runways 07L/25R by demolishing the entire T1-T3; and create a brand new central terminal area where the parking garages currently stand, all connected with an underground people mover. But that failed when the community voiced support for a more scaled back plan. The city does what the most enrolling and/or most vocal citizens advocate for. You seem passionate and capable of delivering great concepts and visuals. I’m sure they could use the support from community stakeholders. Be free to become a proponent for LAX…

[IMG]Untitled by Hugh B, on Flickr[/IMG]

LAXAAC Public Meeting Agendas & Minutes
Meetings are held the second Thursday of the month, 7 p.m., at the Samuel Greenberg Board Room in the Clifton A. Moore Administration Building at Los Angeles International Airport #1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

[hughfb3]

Today I flew in and got to experience the brand new Delta Headhouse and the PARTIALLY opened T3. I also got to visit the new SkyLounge but didnt take pictures. I really see that LAX has added a completely new level to the entire airport, much like how the 1980's expansion brought the construction of an entirely new 2nd level for departures only. The old T2 security area is now closed off for construction.

I look forward to the new head houses for American (T4/T5) and Alaska (T6). All the headhouses look the same on the exterior but I wonder why United T7/T8 don’t get a headhouse. Can anyone share why they aren’t getting a standard headhouse??? Anyone seen pictures or know what they are getting and also if the security area in Tom Bradley will also move into its new head house or stay in the main hall?

To summarize the expansion of LAX and added levels

1961-1984 Jet Age LAX
L1 - Arrivals/Baggage Claim, Departures/Ticketing, Security, Taxi, Hotel Shuttle buses, Rental car shuttle buses, other buses

1984-2022 Modern LAX
L1 - Arrivals/Baggage Claim, Hotel Shuttles buses, Uber/Taxi/Lyft, Rental Car buses, other buses
L2 - Departures/Ticketing & TSA

2022-Future LAX
L1 - Arrivals/Baggage Claim
L2 - Departures/Ticketing
L3 - TSA

L3+ ("L4") - People mover to...
Offsite Intermodal facilities - Hotel shuttle buses/other buses(flyaway etc), Uber/Taxi/Lyft, Rental Car Access, LA Metro Rail


[IMG]Untitled by Hugh B, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]Untitled by Hugh B, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]Untitled by Hugh B, on Flickr[/IMG]

[bzcat]

LAX map shows T3 have the same layout as T4 and T5

L1 arrival baggage claim
L2 ticketing and check in
L3 departure and TSA
L4 lounge

There is also L5 connector to TBIT in T4 but that's not shown (yet) in T3

I think the APM connectors will also eventually connect to L3 like the parking garage connectors.

Also of interest, the interactive map on LAX website does not list T2 anymore (the static PDF map still has T2) - it only list "Terminal 1" and Terminal 3" on the north side and the old T2 is shown as a concourse of the new "Terminal 3".

I suspect once the AA renovation to T4 and T5 is complete it will similarly be re-branded as a single "Terminal 4" with 2 concourses. And likewise, when Concourse 0 is built, T1 will have two concourses too.

https://maps.lawa.org/?s=eyJvbmxpbmU...0sIm9yZCI6M319

[Quixote]

I didn't know that they already chose the architect (Woods Bagot) for the MSC South project in 2019.

The good: The design is classy and could (emphasis on could) serve as a baseline standard for future terminal architecture projects.

The bad: They aren't demolishing the AA hangar, which prevents two more gates from being built. The concourse will also be half the width of the rest of the MSC, and it'll make TBIT even more of an architectural Frankenstein.


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[Quixote]

Thanks for the photos. This is a total yawner... and it's supposed to be brand new?

Originally Posted by hughfb3

[IMG]Untitled by Hugh B, on Flickr[/IMG]

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I didn't know that they already chose the architect (Woods Bagot) for the MSC South project in 2019.

The good: The design is classy and could (emphasis on could) serve as a baseline standard for future terminal architecture projects.

The bad: They aren't demolishing the AA hangar, which prevents two more gates from being built. The concourse will also be half the width of the rest of the MSC, and it'll make TBIT even more of an architectural Frankenstein.



LAWA

This all seems about right... The smaller footprint of the concourse is too small to have international arrival's secure areas and the planes have to be smaller to fit in the space between the taxiway and concourse. And rather than expanding TBIT for more international gates, the newish concept of Star Alliance expanding at LAX moves and shifts things probably from when the initial TBIT and West gates were conceived.

Just guessing, this looks to be American Airlines next eagles nest as the current eagles nest will be demolished next year or early '24 for the incoming T9 Star Alliance International Terminal. And being that American is not demolishing their hangar, it would make sense that they may have lobbied the airport to just give them the South/West gates extension in exchange for allowing their eagles nest to be demolished for their competitor, Star Alliance to use

Originally Posted by Quixote

Thanks for the photos. This is a total yawner... and it's supposed to be brand new?

Regarding Delta's T3. Only 2 of the gates are currently opened and much of what you are seeing in my pictures are false walls. Delta still has a second head house to be opened at T3 west head house and also the rest of the gates, amenities, windows and skylights as well as the higher end Delta One Sky Lounge. The base sky lounge opened last month in the conjoined head house and is quite large.