Los Angeles International Airport

"LAX" redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation).

Los Angeles International Airport
IATA: LAX – ICAO: KLAX – FAA LID: LAX
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		City of Los Angeles
Operator		Los Angeles World Airports
Serves		Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location		Los Angeles, California, United States
Hub for		Alaska Airlines American Airlines Great Lakes Airlines Horizon Air United Airlines
Elevation AMSL		126 ft / 38 m
Coordinates		33°56′33″N 118°24′29″W
Website		www.lawa.org
Maps
FAA airport diagram
LAX Location within the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
6L/24R	8,925	2,720	Concrete
6R/24L	10,285	3,135	Concrete
7L/25R	12,091	3,685	Concrete
7R/25L	11,096	3,382	Concrete
Helipads
Number	Length		Surface
	ft	m
H3	63	19	Concrete
Statistics
Passengers (2011)			61,859,523
Aircraft operations (2011)			601,416
Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX) is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually (el-ay-ex). LAX is located in southwestern Los Angeles in the neighborhood of Westchester, 16 miles (26 km) from the downtown core and is the primary airport of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), an agency of the Los Angeles city government formerly known as the Department of Airports.

In 2011, LAX was the fifth busiest airport in the world, with 61,862,052 passengers.

LAX is the busiest airport in California in terms of flight operations, passenger traffic and air cargo activity. Although LAX is the busiest airport in the Greater Los Angeles Area, the region relies on a multiple-airport system because of its sprawl; Bob Hope Airport, John Wayne Airport, Long Beach Airport, and LA/Ontario International Airport also serve the region.

The airport occupies some 3,500 acres (5 sq mi; 1,416 ha) of the city on the Pacific coast, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of downtown Los Angeles. The airport's coastal location renders it liable to low-lying cloud or fog conditions, requiring flights to be occasionally diverted to LA/Ontario International Airport, 47 miles (76 km) to the east.

History

Los Angeles Municipal Airport on Army Day, c. 1931

Hangar No. 1 was the first structure at LAX, built in 1929, restored in 1990 and remaining in active use.

Los Angeles International Airport with Marina Del Rey in the foreground and Palos Verdes Peninsula in the background

In 1928, the Los Angeles City Council selected 640 acres (1.00 sq mi; 260 ha) in the southern part of Westchester as the site of a new airport for the city. The fields of wheat, barley and lima beans were converted into dirt landing strips without any terminal buildings. It was named Mines Field for William W. Mines, the real estate agent who arranged the deal. The first structure, Hangar No. 1, was erected in 1929 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mines Field was dedicated and opened as the official airport of Los Angeles in 1930, and the city purchased it to be a municipal airfield in 1937. The name was officially changed to Los Angeles Airport in 1941, and to Los Angeles International Airport in 1949. The main airline airports for Los Angeles had been Burbank Airport (then known as Union Air Terminal, and later Lockheed) and the Grand Central Airport in Glendale. By 1940 most airlines served Burbank only; in late 1946 most airline flights moved to LAX, but Burbank always retained a few.

Mines Field did not extend west of Sepulveda Boulevard (backwards 1939 aerial view); Sepulveda was rerouted c. 1950 to loop around the west ends of the extended east-west runways (now runways 25L and 25R), which by November 1950 were 6,000 feet (1,800 m) long. (Aerial view looking south) A tunnel was completed in 1953 allowing Sepulveda Boulevard to revert to straight and pass beneath the two runways; it was the first tunnel of its kind. For the next few years the two runways were 8,500 feet (2,600 m) long.

On July 10, 1956 Boeing's 707 prototype (the 367-80) visited LAX. The Los Angeles Times said it was its first appearance at a "commercial airport" outside the Seattle area. [1]

The April 1957 Official Airline Guide showed 66 weekday departures on United Airlines, 32 American Airlines, 32 Western Airlines, 27 TWA, 9 Southwest, 5 Bonanza Air Lines and 3 Mexicana Airlines; also 22 flights a week on Pan American World Airways and 5 a week on Scandinavian Airlines (the only direct flights to Europe).

In 1958 the architecture firm Pereira & Luckman was contracted to design a master plan for the complete re-design of the airport in anticipation of the "jet age." The plan, developed along with architects Welton Becket and Paul Williams, called for a massive series of terminals and parking structures to be built in the central portion of the property, with these buildings connected at the center by a huge steel-and-glass dome. The plan was never realized, and shortly thereafter the Theme Building was constructed on the site originally intended for the dome.

The distinctive white "Theme Building", designed by Pereira & Luckman architect Paul Williams and constructed in 1961 by Robert E. McKee Construction Co., resembles a flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. A restaurant with a sweeping view of the airport is suspended beneath two arches that form the legs. The Los Angeles City Council designated the building a cultural and historical monument in 1992. A $4 million renovation, with retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, was completed before the "Encounter Restaurant" opened there in 1997. Tourists and passengers are able to take the elevator up to the roof of the "Theme Building", which closed after the September 11 attacks for security reasons and reopened to the public on weekends beginning on June 10, 2010.

American Airlines' 707-123s flew the first jet passengers out of LAX to New York in January 1959; the first wide-body jets were TWA's Boeing 747s to New York in early 1970. All terminals were originally satellite buildings out in the middle of the tarmac, reached by underground tunnels from the ticketing area.

In 1981 the airport began a $700 million expansion in preparation for the 1984 Summer Olympics. To streamline traffic flow and ease congestion the U-shaped roadway leading to the terminal entrances was given a second level, with the lower level for arriving passengers and the upper level for departing. Connector buildings between the ticketing areas and the satellite buildings were added, changing the gate layout to a "pier" design and completely enclosing the facilities. Two new terminals (Terminal 1 and the International Terminal) were constructed and Terminal 2, then two decades old, was rebuilt. Multi-story parking structures were also built in the center of the airport.

On July 8, 1982, groundbreaking for the two new terminals were conducted by Mayor Tom Bradley and World War II aviator General James Doolittle. The $123 million, 963,000-square-foot (89,500 m²) International Terminal was opened on June 11, 1984, and named in Bradley's honor.

On April 29, 1992 the airport was closed for violence and cleanups after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots over the Rodney King beating.

The airport was closed again on January 17, 1994 due to the Northridge earthquake.

In 1996 a $29 million, 277-foot-tall (84 m) air traffic control tower was built near the Theme Building. Its overhanging awnings make it vaguely resemble a palm tree.

The Theme Building decorated with light displays for the Christmas season

In 2000, before Los Angeles hosted the Democratic National Convention, fifteen glass pylons up to ten stories high were placed in a circle around the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Century Boulevard, with additional pylons of decreasing height following Century Boulevard eastward, evoking a sense of departure and arrival. Conceived by the designers at Selbert Perkins Design, the towers and 30 foot "LAX" letters provide a gateway to the airport and offer a welcoming landmark for visitors. Illuminated from the inside, the pylons slowly cycle through a rainbow of colors that represents the multicultural makeup of Los Angeles and can be customized to celebrate events, holidays or a season. This was part of an overall face-lift that included new signage and various other cosmetic enhancements that was led by Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects. The LAX pylons underwent improvements in 2006, as stage lighting inside the cylinders was replaced with LED lights to conserve energy, make maintenance easier and enable on-demand cycling through various color effects.

At various times LAX has been a hub for TWA, Air California, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Pacific Southwest Airlines, US Airways, Western Airlines, and the Flying Tiger Line.

Starting in the mid-1990s under Mayors Richard Riordan and James Hahn, modernization and expansion plans for LAX were prepared, only to be stymied by a coalition of residents who live near the airport. They cited increased noise, pollution and traffic impacts of the project. In late 2005, newly elected Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was able to reach a compromise, allowing some modernization to go forward while encouraging future growth among other facilities in the region.

It is illegal to limit the number of passengers that can use an airport; however, in December 2005 the city agreed to limit their construction of passengers gates to 163. Once passenger usage hits 75 million, a maximum of two gates a year for up to five years will be closed, which theoretically will limit maximum growth to 79 million passengers a year. In exchange, civil lawsuits were abandoned, to allow the city to complete badly needed improvements to the airport.

On March 25, 2007 Runway 7R/25L reopened after being shifted 55 feet (17 m) south to prevent runway incursions and prepare the runway for the Airbus A380. Additional storm drains and enhanced runway lighting were added. Runway 25L is now 800 feet (240 m) south of the parallel runway centerline to centerline, allowing a parallel taxiway between the runways; the taxiway was completed in 2008.

On September 18, 2006 Los Angeles World Airports started a $503 million facelift of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Improvements include installing new paging, air conditioning and electrical systems, along with new elevators, escalators, baggage carousels, and a digital sign that will automatically update flight information. Also a large explosives-detection machine will be incorporated into the terminal's underground baggage system, and the federal government will fund part of the system.

According to the Los Angeles Times, in February 2007, many Pacific Rim carriers began reducing flights to LAX in favor of more modern airports, such as San Francisco International Airport, due to the aging facilities at Tom Bradley International Terminal.

On August 15, 2007 the Los Angeles City Council approved a $1.2 billion project to construct a new 10-gate terminal to handle international flights using the A380. Adding the first new gates built since the early 1980s, the new structure is to be built directly west of the Tom Bradley International Terminal on a site that is occupied mostly by aircraft hangars, with passengers to be ferried to the building by a people mover extending from the terminal. It is expected to be completed in 2012.

On March 19, 2007 the Airbus A380 made its debut at LAX, landing on runway 24L. Though LAX was originally supposed to be the first US city to see the A380, Airbus later decided to forgo LAX in favor of New York's JFK. After city officials fought for the super-jumbo jet to land at LAX, the A380 landed simultaneously in New York's JFK airport and LAX.

On March 31, 2008 the Los Angeles Times reported that foreign carriers were once again flocking to LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal. The weaker dollar caused a surge in demand for US travel, resulting in airlines either adding new destinations or increasing frequencies to existing routes. New airlines that introduced flights to LAX are Virgin Australia and Emirates Airlines. In 2011, nonstop service to Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport was inaugurated by Turkish Airlines, providing the first nonstop service between Los Angeles and Turkey, while Iberia Airlines reinstated nonstop Los Angeles-Madrid flights as part of its inclusion in the Oneworld alliance. Meanwhile, Korean Airlines, Qantas, Air China, and Air France have all augmented their services to Los Angeles by adding new flights to existing routes. The influx of new flights comes amidst the renovation of the airport and consolidates LAX's status as the premiere international gateway to the Western United States.

Qantas launched service with the Airbus A380 on October 20, 2008, using the west side remote gates. Though initially deployed between LAX-SYD, Qantas' A380 service was extended to the popular LAX-Melbourne route. In July 2011, Singapore Airlines began service with the Airbus A380 on a Singapore-Tokyo-Los Angeles routing, followed shortly by Korean Airlines, which initiated nonstop Seoul-Los Angeles service with the Airbus A380 in October 2011. In addition, Air France has announced its intent to launch A380 flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Los Angeles in May 2012. With the addition of these services, LAX boasts five daily flights on the Airbus A380.

Today, the airport is a major hub for United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Great Lakes Airlines and a focus city for Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Virgin America. It also serves as an international gateway for Delta Air Lines. Following United's merger with Continental Airlines, the airport will be the seventh largest hub for United.

The "X" in LAX

Before the 1930s, existing airports used a two-letter abbreviation based on the weather stations at the airports. At that time, "LA" served as the designation for Los Angeles Airport. But with the rapid growth in the aviation industry the designations expanded to three letters c. 1947, and "LA" became "LAX." The letter "X" has no specific meaning in this identifier. "LAX" is also used for the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and by Amtrak for Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

Aircraft spotting

The "Imperial Hill" area (also known as Clutter's Park) in El Segundo from which the South Complex of the airport can be viewed is a prime location for aircraft spotting. Another spotting location sits under the final approach for runways 24 L&R on a lawn next to the Westchester In-N-Out Burger. This is one of the few remaining locations in Southern California from which spotters may watch such a wide variety of low-flying commercial airliners from directly underneath a flightpath.

Terminals

LAX handled 28,861,477 enplanements, the total number of passengers boarding an aircraft, in 2008. This makes LAX the third busiest airport in the U.S. in terms of enplanements. It was the world's sixth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and eleventh-busiest by cargo traffic, serving over 60 million passengers and more than two million tons of freight in 2006. It is the busiest airport in the state of California, and the third-busiest airport by passenger traffic in the United States based on final 2006 statistics. In terms of international passengers, LAX is the second busiest in the U.S. (behind only JFK in New York City) and 26th worldwide. The airport also claims to be "the world's busiest origin and destination (O & D) airport"in 2011 — i.e., the busiest airport as measured by the number of passengers who are not changing planes. The number of aircraft operations (landings and takeoffs) has steadily increased to 603,912 in 2011, up from 575,875 in 2010.

LAX connects 87 domestic and 69 international destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. Its most prominent airlines are United Airlines (18.24% of passenger traffic, combined with United Express traffic), American Airlines (14.73%) and Southwest Airlines (12.62%). Other airlines with a presence on a lesser scale include Delta Air Lines (11.12%), Alaska Airlines (4.74%), and Continental Airlines (3.76%).

The LAX control tower and Theme Building as seen from Terminal 4

LAX has nine passenger terminals arranged in a "U," also called a "horseshoe." The terminals are served by a shuttle bus.

United Airlines/United Express operates the most departures from the airport per day (210), followed by American Airlines/ American Eagle (126), and Southwest Airlines (123).

United Airlines operates to the most destinations followed by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines/Horizon. The largest international carriers at LAX include Qantas, Air New Zealand, Air Canada, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Korean Air.

In addition to these terminals, there are 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m²) of cargo facilities at LAX, and a heliport operated by Bravo Aviation. Qantas has a maintenance facility at LAX even though it's not a hub.

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 has 15 gates: 1–3, 4A–4B, 5–14 and houses Southwest Airlines, US Airways, and US Airways Express. Terminal 1 was built in 1984 and was occupied by Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA), AirCal, Muse Air, and USAir. It is the largest of all the terminals in terms of number of gates, and busiest terminal for regional flights.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 has 11 gates: 21–21B, 22–22B, 23, 24–24B, 25–28. It hosts most foreign airlines not using the Tom Bradley international Terminal along with a couple domestic airlines: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air France/KLM, Air New Zealand, Alitalia, Hawaiian Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, TACA/Lacsa, Virgin Atlantic, Volaris and WestJet.

Terminal 2 was built in 1962 and was the original international terminal. It was completely torn down and rebuilt in 1984. Terminal 2 has CBP (Customs and Border Protection) facilities to process arriving international passengers. For many years, it housed Northwest Airlines until services moved to Terminal 5 in 2009 following its merger with Delta Air Lines.

Note: Air France's A380 flight will utilize the International Terminal's A380-capable gates, which are lacking in Terminal 2. Some TACA/LACSA arrivals are processed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 has 12 gates: 30, 31A–31B, 32, 33A–33B, 34–36, 37A–37B and 38 (gate 39 was removed to make room for Virgin Australia 777 operations at gate 38.) Terminal 3 opened in 1961 and was Trans World Airlines' terminal. It formerly housed some American Airlines flights after that airline acquired Reno Air and TWA in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Eventually, all American flights were moved to Terminal 4. As of October 2010, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines and its subsidiary Horizon Air, JetBlue, Virgin Australia and Virgin America are the primary tenants of Terminal 3. Alaska Airlines plans to move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 6 in late 2011 and is expected to begin operations there in early 2012.

Note: Alaska Airlines international arrivals from airports without United States border preclearance are processed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Virgin America uses Terminal 2 for arrivals from Cancun and Virgin Australia uses Terminal 5 for arrivals from Australia.

Terminal 4

Interior view of Terminal 4

Terminal 4 has 14 gates: 40–41, 42A–42B, 43–45 (gate 44 is for the bus to the American Eagle satellite terminal), 46A–46B, 47A–47B, 48A–48B, 49B. Terminal 4 was built in 1961 and, in 2001, was renovated at a cost of $400 million in order to improve the appearance and functionality of the facility. It is home for American Airlines, which operates its West Coast hub at the Airport, and for its subsidiary commuter carrier, American Eagle. American is the only tenant at T4, other than daily Qantas departures to Auckland and Brisbane. An international arrivals facility serving American Airlines flights was also added in the renovation in 2001.

Note: American Eagle flights operate from a remote terminal just east of Terminal 8. Gate 44 serves as the shuttle bus stop at Terminal 4. The remote terminal is also connected by shuttle buses to Terminals 2 (Gate 22A), 3 (Gate 35) and 5, because of Eagle's codesharing with Hawaiian, Alaska and Delta, respectively.

Terminal 5

Delta Boeing 757-200 at LAX in August 2003

Terminal 5 has 14 gates: 50B, 51A–51B, 52A–52B, 53A–53B, 54A–54B, 55A, 56–57, 58A, 59. Western Airlines occupied this terminal at its opening in 1962, and continued to do so until Western was merged with Delta Air Lines on April 1, 1987. Terminal 5 was re-designed, expanded to include a connector building between the original satellite and the ticketing facilities and remodeled from 1986 through early 1988. It was unofficially named 'Delta's Oasis at LAX' with the slogan 'Take Five at LAX' when construction was completed in the summer of 1988. Northwest Airlines moved all operations to Terminal 5 and Terminal 6 alongside Delta Air Lines June 30, 2009 as part of their merger with the airline.

Terminal 6

A Virgin America Airbus A319 at Terminal 6. In December 2008, Virgin America moved to Terminal 3.

Terminal 6 has 14 gates: 60–61, 62–62A, 63–66, 67A–67B, 68A–68B, 69A–69B. Parts of this terminal have changed little from its opening in 1961; in 1979, new gates were expanded from the main building, as is obvious from the rotunda at the end. Four of these gates have two jetways, which can accommodate large aircraft.

Terminal 6 hosts airline tenants with a variety of relationships with the Airport. Continental built and owns the Connector Building (which links the Ticketing and rotunda buildings), and leases much of the space in the Ticketing Building. Continental in turn leases some of its Connector gates to Delta, supplementing its base at Terminal 5. United leases space from the Airport in Terminal 6, in addition to its base at Terminal 7. Most of the rotunda gates can feed arriving passengers into a sterile corridor that shunts them to Terminal 7's customs and immigration facility. Other airlines, such as Frontier and Spirit, lease space and operate at Terminal 6 under a monthly tariff agreement. Also, one foreign-flag airline, Copa, departs from Terminal 6.

Alaska Airlines in April 2011 agreed to a deal with Los Angeles World Airports to renovate Terminal 6. The airline will move its flights to Terminal 6, and eight other carriers currently operating from the terminal will be relocated.

Terminal 7

Terminal 7 has 11 gates: 70A–70B, 71A–71B, 72–74, 75A–75B, 76–77. This terminal opened in 1962. Four of these gates have two jetways, which accommodate large aircraft. Terminal 7 is the home to United Airlines. The interior of the terminal was renovated between January 1998 and June 1999 at a cost of $200 million and was designed by HNTB. Added were new gate podiums, increased size of gate areas, relocated concessions, expanded restrooms, new flooring and new signage. Also, the roof of the terminal was raised and new, brighter light fixtures were added in order to provide more overall lighting. The terminal also contains a United Club and International First Class Lounge.

Terminal 8

Terminal 8 has 9 gates: 80–88. This terminal was added for smaller jets and turboprops in 1988 and formerly served Shuttle by United flights. In 2002, United moved all non-Express flights to Terminals 6 and 7. However, Terminal 8 is now used once again for mainline United flights.

Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT)

Tom Bradley International Terminal in the early morning

Check-in counters in the Tom Bradley International Terminal

The Tom Bradley International Terminal has 12 gates, including six on the north concourse and six on the south concourse. In addition, there are nine satellite gates for international flights located on the west side of LAX. Passengers are ferried to the west side gates by bus. The terminal hosts most of the major international airlines, with the exception of those housed in Terminal 2.

This terminal opened for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and is named in honor of Tom Bradley, the first African-American and longest serving (20 years) mayor of Los Angeles, and champion of LAX. The terminal is located at the west end of the passenger terminal area between Terminals 3 and 4. Tom Bradley International Terminal hosts 27 airlines, and handles 10 million passengers per year.

In 2010, modernization efforts resulted in additional space for inline baggage screening, three large alliance-aligned lounges plus one unaffiliated lounge (to replace the multiple airline specific lounges) and cosmetic upgrades in the departures and arrivals areas.

On November 17, 2008, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled design concepts for LAX's Bradley West and Midfield Concourse projects. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), along with city officials, selected Fentress Architects in association with HNTB to develop a design concept for the modernization of LAX. The emphasis of the modernization is to improve the passenger experience.

On February 22, 2010, construction began on the $1.5 billion Bradley West project. The project will add over 1,250,000 square feet (116,000 m²) of shops, restaurants, and passenger lounges, as well as new security screening, customs and immigration, and baggage claim facilities. The terminal's existing two concourses will be demolished and replaced with a larger pair with 18 gates, nine of which will be able to accommodate the A380. The terminal is expected to open in phases beginning in early 2012, until the entire Bradley West extension completes in early 2014.

Airlines and destinations

LAX handles more "origin and destination" (i.e. not connecting) passengers than any other airport in the world. It is the world's fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic as of 2011. In terms of international passengers, LAX is the third-busiest in the U.S. (behind only New York-JFK and Miami International Airport) and 26th worldwide as of October 2011.

United Airlines/United Express operates the most departures from the airport followed by American Airlines/American Eagle and Southwest Airlines. United also operates to the most destinations, followed by American and Alaska Airlines/Horizon. Qantas operates the most trans-Pacific destinations (4), with nonstop service to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. Lufthansa serves the most destinations in Europe, while Alaska Airlines serve the most destinations in Latin America.

Airlines	Destinations	Terminal
Aeroflot	Moscow-Sheremetyevo	TBIT
Aeroméxico	Guadalajara, Mexico City	2
Aeroméxico Connect	Hermosillo, Leon/El Bajio Seasonal: Culiacán	2
Air Berlin	Berlin-Brandenburg [begins June 2, 2012], Berlin-Tegel [begins May 11, 2012; ends June 1, 2012] Seasonal: Düsseldorf	TBIT
Air Canada	Calgary, Montréal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver	2
Air China	Beijing-Capital	2
Air France	Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle	TBIT (begins May 28), 2
Air New Zealand	Auckland, London-Heathrow, Rarotonga	2
Air Pacific	Nadi	TBIT
Air Tahiti Nui	Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle	TBIT
AirTran Airways	Atlanta, Milwaukee	3
Alaska Airlines	Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Portland (OR), Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Seattle/Tacoma, Vancouver, Washington-National Seasonal: Anchorage	2,3
Alaska Airlines operated by Horizon Air	La Paz, Loreto, Mammoth Lakes, Medford, San Jose (CA), Santa Rosa, Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Sun Valley	2,3
Alitalia	Seasonal: Rome-Fiumicino	2
All Nippon Airways	Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita	TBIT
Allegiant Air	Bellingham, Billings, Des Moines, Eugene, Fargo, Fayetteville (AR), Grand Junction, Idaho Falls, Medford, Missoula, Pasco, Sioux Falls, Springfield (MO), Wichita [resumes May 17, 2012]	6
American Airlines	Austin, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, London-Heathrow, Miami, Nashville, New York–JFK, Newark, Orlando, St. Louis, San Francisco, San José del Cabo, Shanghai-Pudong, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto-Pearson, Washington-Dulles	4
American Eagle	Albuquerque, Denver, El Paso, Fresno, Houston-Intercontinental, Monterey, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Santa Barbara, Santa Fe, Tucson Seasonal: Aspen	4 (Satellite)
Arkefly	Seasonal: Amsterdam [begins June 7, 2012]	TBIT
Asiana Airlines	Seoul-Incheon	TBIT
British Airways	London-Heathrow	TBIT
Cathay Pacific	Hong Kong	TBIT
China Airlines	Taipei-Taoyuan	TBIT
China Eastern Airlines	Shanghai-Pudong	TBIT
China Southern Airlines	Guangzhou	TBIT
Copa Airlines	Panama City	6
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Detroit, Guadalajara, Guatemala City, Honolulu, Indianapolis [begins March 25, 2012], Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New York–JFK, Orlando, Philadelphia [ends June 6, 2012], Salt Lake City, San Francisco [begins April 10, 2012], Sydney, Tampa, Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita Seasonal: Cancún, Columbus (OH), Managua, Puerto Vallarta, Raleigh/Durham	5,6
Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines	Kansas City	5
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines	Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco	5
El Al	Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion	TBIT
Emirates	Dubai	TBIT
EVA Air	Taipei-Taoyuan	TBIT
Frontier Airlines	Colorado Springs [begins May 18, 2012], Denver, Kansas City [ends April 16, 2012]	6
Frontier Airlines operated by Republic Airlines	Denver	6
Great Lakes Airlines	Farmington, Merced, Prescott, Visalia	6
Hawaiian Airlines	Honolulu Seasonal: Kahului [resumes June 21, 2012]	2
Iberia	Madrid	TBIT
Japan Airlines	Tokyo-Narita	TBIT
JetBlue Airways	Boston, Fort Lauderdale, New York–JFK	3
KLM	Amsterdam	2
Korean Air	São Paulo-Guarulhos, Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita	TBIT
LAN Airlines	Lima, Santiago de Chile	TBIT
LAN Perú	Lima	TBIT
Lufthansa	Frankfurt, Munich	TBIT
Malaysia Airlines	Kuala Lumpur, Taipei-Taoyuan [ends March 23, 2012], Tokyo-Narita [begins March 25, 2012]	TBIT
Philippine Airlines	Manila	TBIT
Qantas	Auckland [ends May 6, 2012], Brisbane [moving to TBIT on May 6, 2012]	4
Qantas	Brisbane [begins May 7, 2012], Melbourne, Sydney	TBIT
Singapore Airlines	Singapore, Tokyo-Narita	TBIT
Southwest Airlines	Albuquerque, Atlanta [begins June 10, 2012], Austin, Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Denver, El Paso, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Milwaukee [begins August 12, 2012], Nashville, New Orleans, Oakland, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), Tucson	1
Spirit Airlines	Chicago O'Hare, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas	6
Sun Country Airlines	Minneapolis/St. Paul	2
Swiss International Air Lines	Zürich	TBIT
TACA Airlines	San Salvador	2
TACA Airlines operated by Lacsa	Guatemala City, San José de Costa Rica, San Salvador	2
Thai Airways International	Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Seoul-Incheon [begins May 1, 2012]	TBIT
Transaero	Moscow-Domodedovo [resumes April 29, 2012]	TBIT
Turkish Airlines	Istanbul-Atatürk	TBIT
United Airlines	Baltimore, Boston, Cancún, Chicago-O'Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Guadalajara, Hilo, Honolulu, Houston-Intercontinental, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, León/El Bajío, Lihue, London-Heathrow, Melbourne, Mexico City, New Orleans, New York–JFK, Newark, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, San José del Cabo, Shanghai-Pudong, Sydney, Tokyo-Narita, Washington-Dulles Seasonal: Philadelphia Charter: Havana	6,7,8
United Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines	Durango [begins March 11, 2012]	6
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines	Albuquerque, Austin, Bakersfield, Boise, Carlsbad, Colorado Springs, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Fresno, Imperial, Inyokern, Las Vegas, Monterey, Oklahoma City, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose (CA), San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Seattle/Tacoma, St. George, Tucson, Tulsa, Vancouver, Yuma Seasonal: Aspen, Bozeman, Jackson Hole, Montrose	7,8
US Airways	Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix	1
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines	Phoenix	1
US Airways Express operated by SkyWest Airlines	Phoenix	1
Virgin America	Boston, Cancún, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, New York-JFK, Orlando, Philadelphia [begins April 4, 2012], San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington-Dulles	3
Virgin Atlantic	London-Heathrow	2
Virgin Australia	Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney	3
Volaris	Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Morelia, Zacatecas	2
WestJet	Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver	2

A:^ Qantas flights to/from New York–JFK are only for non-domestic, connecting traffic.

B:^ Effective May 28, 2012, Air France will operate the Airbus A380 to Paris-CDG. However, the A380 service will operate out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal while the Boeing 777 flights will continue to operate out of Terminal 2.

Scheduled cargo services

Airlines	Destinations
ABX Air	Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Portland (OR), San Francisco, San José de Costa Rica, Seattle/Boeing Field
AeroUnion	Guadalajara, Mexico-City
Air China Cargo	Beijing-Capital
Air Transport International	Toledo
Ameriflight	Phoenix, Tucson
Asiana Cargo	Seoul-Incheon
Atlas Air	Guam, Fairbanks
Cargolux	Calgary, Glasgow-Prestwick, Luxembourg
Cathay Pacific Cargo	Hong Kong, Vancouver
China Cargo Airlines	Shanghai-Pudong
China Southern Cargo	Shanghai-Pudong
EVA Air Cargo	Anchorage, San Francisco, Taipei-Taoyuan
FedEx Express	Burbank, Fort Worth/Alliance, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark, Oakland, San Diego, Sydney
Florida West International Airways	Bogotá
Kalitta Air	Honolulu
Korean Air Cargo	Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita
Lufthansa Cargo	Frankfurt
MasAir	Guadalajara, Merida, Mexico-City, Quito, São Paulo-Viracopos
Nippon Cargo Airlines	Tokyo-Narita
Polar Air Cargo	Anchorage, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
Singapore Airlines Cargo	Amsterdam, Hong Kong
Southern Air	Seoul-Incheon
UPS Airlines	Dallas/Fort Worth, Louisville
World Airways	Baltimore, San Francisco, Seoul-Incheon
Yangtze River Express	Shanghai-Pudong

Traffic and statistics

Busiest International Routes from Los Angeles (2009–2010)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	London (Heathrow), United Kingdom	1,387,535	Air New Zealand, American, British Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic
2	Tokyo (Narita), Japan	1,227,464	All Nippon Airways, American, Delta, JAL, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, United
3	Sydney, Australia	998,678	Qantas, Delta, United, Virgin Australia
4	Taipei (Taoyuan), Taiwan	947,535	China Airlines, EVA Air, Malaysia Airlines
5	Seoul (Incheon), South Korea	896,389	Asiana Airlines, Korean Air
6	Guadalajara, Mexico	769,254	Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, United, Delta, Volaris
7	Vancouver, Canada	686,731	Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, United, WestJet
8	Mexico City, Mexico	647,745	Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, United
9	Paris (Charles de Gaulle), France	552,709	Air France, Air Tahiti Nui
10	Auckland, New Zealand	528,625	Air New Zealand, Qantas
11	Hong Kong	457,190	Cathay Pacific
12	San José del Cabo, Mexico	417,497	Alaska Airlines, American, United
13	Toronto (Pearson), Canada	337,692	Air Canada, American
14	San Salvador, El Salvador	325,186	American, TACA Airlines
15	Papeete, French Polynesia	307,267	Air France, Air Tahiti Nui
16	Frankfurt, Germany	303,752	Lufthansa
17	Brisbane, Australia	275,651	Qantas, Virgin Australia
18	Melbourne, Australia	240,225	Qantas, United, Virgin Australia
19	Amsterdam, the Netherlands	205,874	KLM
20	Puerto Vallarta, Mexico	205,648	Alaska Airlines, Delta, United

Busiest Domestic Routes from Los Angeles (November 2010 - October 2011)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	San Francisco, California	1,585,000	American, Delta, Southwest, United, Virgin America
2	New York (JFK), New York	1,525,000	American, Delta, JetBlue, United, Virgin America
3	Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois	1,129,000	American, Spirit, United, Virgin America
4	Las Vegas, Nevada	1,090,000	American, Delta, Southwest, Spirit, United, US Airways
5	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	1,026,000	American, United, Virgin America
6	Honolulu, Hawaii	971,000	American, Delta, Hawaiian, United
7	Denver, Colorado	938,000	American, Frontier, Southwest, United
8	Atlanta, Georgia	905,000	AirTran, Delta
9	Seattle, Washington	762,000	Alaska, United, Virgin America
10	Phoenix, Arizona	706,000	American, Delta, Southwest, United, US Airways

Traffic by calendar year

	Passengers	FAA Aircraft Movements	Air Freight in tons	Air Mail in tons
1994	51,050,275	689,888	1,516,567	186,878
1995	53,909,223	732,639	1,567,248	193,747
1996	57,974,559	763,866	1,696,663	194,091
1997	60,142,588	781,492	1,852,487	212,410
1998	61,215,712	773,569	1,787,400	264,473
1999	64,279,571	779,150	1,884,526	253,695
2000	67,303,182	783,433	2,002,614	246,538
2001	61,606,204	738,433	1,779,065	162,629
2002	56,223,843	645,424	1,869,932	92,422
2003	54,982,838	622,378	1,924,883	97,193
2004	60,704,568	655,097	2,022,911	92,402
2005	61,489,398	650,629	2,048,817	88,371
2006	61,041,066	656,842	2,022,687	80,395
2007	62,438,583	680,954	2,010,820	66,707
2008	59,815,646	622,506	1,723,038	73,505
2009	56,520,843	544,833	1,599,782	64,073
2010	59,069,409	575,835	1,852,791	74,034
Source: Los Angeles World Airports

Terminal Connections

Most inter-terminal connections require passengers to exit security, then walk or use a shuttle bus to get to the other terminal, then re-clear security. Such connections can be time consuming and do normally require set minimum connections times to be considered a legal connection.

A few LAX terminals provide airside connections, which allow connecting passengers to access other terminals without having to re-clear through security. The following airside connections are possible:

• Terminals 6, 7, and 8 are all connected airside via walking corridors allowing connecting passengers a seamless connection. The only exception applies to international-arriving passengers in Terminals 6/7 who are making connections. International arrivals still need to exit through customs, then re-clear through security to have access to the departures area.

• Terminals 5 and 6 are connected via an airside underground walkway. Terminal 4 was previously connected via this underground walkway but it is currently closed off.

• Some airlines provide an airside shuttle bus connection between terminals. For example, Qantas offers a late afternoon/evening shuttle bus for passengers arriving in Terminal 4 to connect with flights departing from the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Airport lounges

• Terminal 1 (US Airways Club)
• Terminal 2 (Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Air New Zealand Koru Club, Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club, Air France Club)
• Terminal 3 (Alaska Airlines Board Room)
• Terminal 4 (American Airlines Admiral's Club, American Airlines Flagship Lounge, Qantas Club)
• Terminal 5 (Delta Air Lines Sky Club)
• Terminal 6 (United Club)
• Terminal 7 (United Airlines International First Class Lounge, United Club)
• TBIT (Star Alliance Lounge, SkyTeam Lounge, Oneworld Lounge, reLAX Lounge)

Ground transportation

One of the large LAX signs that greet visitors to Los Angeles International Airport. This sign is at the Century Boulevard entrance to the airport.

Freeways and roads

LAX can be reached primarily using the Century Boulevard exit (and several more northern exits) on Interstate 405, or the Sepulveda Boulevard (State Route 1) exit on Interstate 105.

Bus

Out of a number of bus systems, many routes (local, rapid and express) of the LACMTA, Line 8 of Torrance Transit, Line 109 of Beach Cities Transit, and the regular as well as the rapid buses of both the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus system's Line 3 and the Culver CityBus's Line 6 all make stops at the LAX Transit Center in Parking Lot C. on 96th St., where shuttle bus "C" offers free connections to and from every LAX terminal, and at the Green Line Station, where shuttle bus "G" connects to and from the terminals.

FlyAway Bus

Main article: FlyAway Bus

Flyaway bus in service.

The FlyAway Bus is a shuttle service run by the LAWA, which travels between one of four off-airport areas: San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys), downtown Los Angeles (Union Station), the Westside (Westwood) and Orange County (Irvine). The shuttle service stops at every LAX terminal. The service hours vary based on the line. All lines use the regional system of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes to expedite their trips.

Metro

Shuttle bus "G" offers a free connection to the Aviation/LAX station on the Metro Green Line. The line was originally intended to connect directly to the airport, but budgetary restraints and opposition from local long-term parking lot owners impeded its progress. A Metro Rail extension to LAX is a part of both LAX and Metro's master plans. Shuttle bus "G" runs every 10–15 minutes (synched with the train schedule) from 5am–1:30am.

Taxis and private shuttles

Taxicab services are operated by nine city-authorized taxi companies and regulated by Authorized Taxicab Supervision Inc. (ATS). ATS maintains a taxicab holding lot under the 96th Street Bridge where, at peak periods, hundreds of cabs queue up to wait their turn to pull into the central terminal area to pick up riders. A number of private shuttle companies also offer limousine and bus services to LAX airport.

Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles

Main article: Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles

The airport also functions as a joint civil-military facility, providing a base for the United States Coast Guard and its Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles facility, operating 4 HH-65 Dolphin helicopters, which covers Coast Guard operations in various Southern California locations, including Catalina Island.

Missions include search and rescue (SAR), Law enforcement, aids to navigation support (such as operating lighthouses) and various military operations. In addition, Coast Guard helicopters assigned to the air station deploy to Coast Guard cutters.

Flight Path Learning Center

The light towers, first installed in preparation for the Democratic National Convention in 2000, change colors throughout the night.

The Flight Path Learning Center is a museum located at 6661 Imperial Highway and was formerly known as the "West Imperial Terminal." This building used to house some charter flights (Condor Airlines) and regular scheduled flights by MGM Grand Air. It sat empty for 10 years until it was re-opened as a learning center for LAX.

The center contains information on the history of aviation, several pictures of the airport, as well as aircraft scale models, flight attendant uniforms, and general airline memorabilia such as playing cards, china, magazines, signs, even a TWA gate information sign.

The museum claims to be "the only aviation museum and research center situated at a major airport and the only facility with a primary emphasis on contributions of civil aviation to the history and development of Southern California". However, there are other museums at major airports including the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum adjacent to Washington Dulles Airport, the Royal Thai Air Force Museum at Don Muang Airport, the Suomen ilmailumuseo (Finnish Aviation Museum) at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, the Frontier of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field, and others.

Other facilities

The airport has the administrative offices of Los Angeles World Airports.

Continental Airlines once had its corporate headquarters on the airport property. At a 1962 press conference in the office of Mayor of Los Angeles Sam Yorty, Continental Airlines announced that it planned to move its headquarters to Los Angeles in July 1963. In 1963 Continental's headquarters moved to a two story, $2.3 million building on the grounds of the airport. The July 2009 Continental Magazine issue stated that the move "underlined Continental's western and Pacific orientation." On July 1, 1983 the airline's headquarters were relocated to the America Tower in the Neartown area of Houston.

In addition to Continental, Western Airlines and Flying Tiger Line also had their headquarters on the LAX property.

Incidents involving LAX

During its history there have been numerous incidents, but only the most notable are summarized below:

1930s

• On January 23, 1939, the sole prototype Douglas 7B twin-engine attack bomber, designed and built as a company project, suffered loss of vertical fin and rudder during demonstration flight over Mines Field, flat spun into the parking lot of North American Aviation, burned. Another source states that the test pilot, in an attempt to impress the Gallic passenger, attempted a snap roll at low altitude with one engine feathered, resulting in the fatal spin. Douglas test pilot Johnny Cable bailed out at 300 feet, chute unfurled but did not have time to deploy, killed on impact, flight engineer John Parks rode the airframe in and died, but 33-year old French Air Force Capt. Paul Chemidlin, riding in aft fuselage near top turret, survived with broken leg, severe back injuries, slight concussion. Presence of Frenchman, a representative of foreign purchasing mission, caused a furor in Congress by isolationists over neutrality and export laws. Type was developed as Douglas DB-7.

1940s

• On June 1, 1940, the first Douglas R3D-1 for the U.S. Navy, BuNo 1901, c/n 606, crashed at Mines Field, before delivery. The Navy later acquired the privately-owned DC-5 prototype, c/n 411, from William E. Boeing as a replacement.
• On November 20, 1940, the prototype NA-73X Mustang, NX19998, first flown October 26, 1940, by test pilot Vance Breese, crashed this date. According to P-51 designer Edgar Schmued, the NA-73 was lost because test pilot Paul Balfour refused, before a high-speed test run, to go through the takeoff and flight test procedure with Schmued while the aircraft was on the ground, claiming "one airplane was like another." After making two high speed passes over Mines Field, he forgot to put the fuel valve on "reserve" and during third pass ran out of fuel. Emergency landing in a freshly plowed field caused wheels to dig in, aircraft flipped over, airframe was not rebuilt, the second aircraft being used for subsequent testing.
• On October 26, 1944, WASP pilot Gertrude Tompkins Silver of the 601st Ferry Squadron, 5th Ferry Group, Love Field, Dallas, Texas, departed Los Angeles Airport, in P-51D-15-NA Mustang, 44-15669, at 1600 hrs PWT, headed for the East Coast. She took off into the wind, into an offshore fog bank, and was expected that night at Palm Springs. She never arrived. Due to a paperwork foul-up, a search did not get under way for several days, and while the eventual search of land and sea was massive, it failed to find a trace of Silver or her plane. She is the only missing WASP pilot. She had married Sgt. Henry Silver one month before her disappearance.

1950s

• On the morning of June 30, 1956, United Airlines Flight 718, a Douglas DC-7, and TWA Flight 2, a Lockheed Super Constellation, departed LAX within three minutes of each other on eastbound transcontinental flights. The two propeller-driven airliners subsequently collided over the Grand Canyon in Arizona while both were flying in unmonitored airspace, killing all 58 people aboard Flight 718 and 70 people aboard Flight 2.

1960s

• On January 13, 1969, a Scandinavian Airlines System Douglas DC-8-62, Flight 933, crashed into Santa Monica Bay, approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of LAX at 7:21 pm, local time. The aircraft was operating as flight SK-933, nearing the completion of a flight from Seattle. Of nine crewmembers, three lost their lives to drowning, while 12 of the 36 passengers also drowned.
• On January 18, 1969, United Airlines Flight 266 a Boeing 727-200 bearing the registration number N7434U, crashed into Santa Monica Bay approximately 11.3 miles (18.2 km) west of LAX at 6:21 p.m. local time. The aircraft was destroyed, resulting in the loss of all 32 passengers and six crewmembers aboard.

1970s

• On the evening of June 6, 1971, Hughes Airwest Flight 706, a Douglas DC-9 jetliner which had departed LAX on a flight to Salt Lake City, Utah, was struck nine minutes after takeoff by a U.S. Marine Corps McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter jet over the San Gabriel Mountains. The midair collision killed all 44 passengers and five crew members aboard the DC-9 airliner and one of two crewmen aboard the military jet.
• On August 6, 1974, a bomb exploded near the Pan Am ticketing area at Terminal 2; three people were killed and 35 were injured.
• On March 1, 1978, two tires burst in succession on a Continental Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 during its takeoff roll at LAX and the plane, bound for Honolulu, veered off the runway. A third tire burst and the DC-10's left landing gear collapsed, causing a fuel tank to rupture. Following the aborted takeoff, spilled fuel ignited and enveloped the center portion of the aircraft in flames. During the ensuing emergency evacuation, a husband and wife died when they exited the passenger cabin onto the wing and dropped down directly into the flames. Two additional passengers died of their injuries approximately three months after the accident; 74 others aboard the plane were injured, as were 11 firemen battling the fire.
• On the morning of September 25, 1978, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182, which was on a Sacramento-Los Angeles International Airport-Lindbergh Field, San Diego route, collided in midair with a Cessna 172 while descending for a landing at Lindbergh Field; both planes crashed in San Diego's North Park district, killing all 135 on board the PSA jetliner, both occupants of the Cessna aircraft, and seven people on the ground.
• On January 30, 1979, a Varig cargo Boeing 707-323C registration PP-VLU en route from Tokyo-Narita to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Los Angeles went missing over the Pacific Ocean some 30 minutes (200 km ENE) from Tokyo. Causes are unknown since the wreck was never found. Among other cargo, the aircraft was carrying 153 paintings by the Japanese Brazilian artist Manabu Mabe, worth USD 1.24 million. The aircraft was flown by Gilberto Araújo da Silva, who was also the captain and survivor of the accident with Flight 820 six years earlier. The crew of 6 died and their bodies were never recovered.
• On the evening of March 10, 1979, Swift Aire Flight 235, a twin-engine Aerospatiale Nord 262A-33 turboprop enroute to Santa Maria, was forced to ditch in Santa Monica Bay after experiencing engine problems upon takeoff from LAX. The pilot, co-pilot and a female passenger drowned when they were unable to exit the aircraft after the ditching. The female flight attendant and the three remaining passengers—two men and a pregnant woman—survived and were rescued by several pleasure boats and other watercraft in the vicinity.
• On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 crashed upon takeoff from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago to Los Angeles, killing all 271 people on board and two people on the ground. The crash remains the deadliest single-aircraft crash in United States history, and the worst aviation disaster in the nation before 9/11.

1980s

• On August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498, a DC-9 en route from Mexico City, Mexico to Los Angeles, began its descent into LAX when a Piper Cherokee collided with the DC-9's left horizontal stabilizer over Cerritos, California, causing the DC-9 to crash into a residential neighborhood. All 64 passengers and crew aboard the Aeroméxico flight were killed, in addition to 15 on the ground. 5 homes were destroyed and an additional 7 were damaged by the crash and resulting fire. The three occupants of the Piper were killed immediately when the two planes collided; their aircraft went down in a nearby schoolyard and caused no further injuries on the ground. As a result of this incident, FAA required all commercial aircraft to be equipped with Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
• On December 7, 1987, Pacific Southwest Airlines PSA Flight 1771, bound from LAX to San Francisco International Airport, was cruising above the central California coast when a USAir employee aboard the plane shot his ex-supervisor, both pilots and then himself, causing the airplane to crash near the town of Cayucos. All 43 aboard perished. Following this event, airline staff and crew were no longer allowed to bypass security checks at U.S. airports.

1990s

• On February 1, 1991, USAir Flight 1493, a Boeing 737-300, landing on Runway 24L at LAX, collided on touchdown with a SkyWest Airlines Fairchild Metroliner, Flight 5569 departing to Palmdale, that had been holding in position on the same runway. The collision killed all 12 occupants of the SkyWest plane and 22 people aboard the USAir 737.
• On April 6, 1993: China Eastern Airlines Flight 583 went into severe oscillations during flight. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Alaska. Two of the passengers ultimately died.

2000s

• Al-Qaeda attempted to bomb LAX on New Year's Eve 1999/2000. The bomber, Algerian Ahmed Ressam, was captured in Port Angeles, Washington, the U.S. port of entry, with a cache of explosives that could have produced a blast 40x greater than that of a devastating car bomb hidden in the trunk of the rented car in which he had traveled from Canada. He had planned to leave one or two suitcases filled with explosives in an LAX passenger waiting area. He was initially sentenced to 22 years in prison, but in February 2010 an appellate court ordered that his sentence be extended.
• On the afternoon of January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 jetliner flying from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to San Francisco and Seattle, requested to make an emergency landing at LAX after experiencing control problems with its tail-mounted horizontal stabilizer. Before the plane could divert to Los Angeles, it suddenly plummeted into the Pacific Ocean approximately 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north of Anacapa Island off the California coast, killing all 88 people aboard the aircraft.
• Three of the four planes used on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were originally headed for Los Angeles. American Airlines Flight 11, and United Airlines Flight 175, which were both from Logan International Airport, in Boston, Massachusetts and crashed into the World Trade Center towers, and American Airlines Flight 77 was from Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, which crashed into the Pentagon.
• In the 2002 Los Angeles Airport shooting of July 4, 2002, Hesham Mohamed Hadayet killed 2 Israelis at the ticket counter of El Al Airlines at LAX. Although the gunman was not linked to any terrorist group, the man was upset at U.S. support for Israel, and therefore was motivated by political disagreement. This led the FBI to classify this shooting as a terrorist act, one of the few on U.S. soil since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The attack was similar to the Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks.
• On September 21, 2005, a JetBlue Airbus A320 (JetBlue Airways Flight 292) discovered a problem with its landing gear as it took off from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. It flew in circles for three hours to burn off fuel, then landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport on runway 25L, balancing on its back wheels as it rolled down the center of the runway. Passengers were able to watch their own coverage live from the satellite broadcast on JetBlue in-flight TV seat displays of their plane as it made an emergency landing with the front landing gear visibly becoming damaged. Because JetBlue did not serve LAX at the time, the aircraft was evaluated and repaired at a Continental Airlines hangar.
• On July 29, 2006, after America West Express Flight 6008, a Canadair Regional Jet operated by Mesa Airlines from Phoenix, Arizona, landed on runway 25L, controllers instructed the pilot to leave the runway on a taxiway known as "Mike" and stop short of runway 25R. Even though the pilot read back the instructions correctly, he accidentally taxied onto 25R and into the path of a departing SkyWest Airlines Embraer EMB-120 operating United Express Flight 6037 to Monterey, California. They cleared each other by 50 feet (15 m) and nobody was hurt.
• On August 16, 2007, a runway incursion occurred between WestJet Flight 900 and Northwest Airlines Flight 180 on runways 24R and 24L, respectively, with the aircraft coming within 37 feet (11 m) of each other. The planes were carrying a combined total of 296 people, none of whom were injured. The NTSB concluded that the incursion was the result of controller error. In September 2007, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey stressed the need for LAX to increase lateral separation between its pair of north runways in order to preserve the safety and efficiency of the airport.

Planned modernization

LAWA currently has several plans to modernize LAX. These include terminal and runway improvements, which will enhance the passenger experience, reduce overcrowding, and provide airport access to the latest class of very large passenger aircraft.

These improvements include:

• New crossfield taxiway
• New large aircraft gates at TBIT
• TBIT core improvements
• New Midfield Satellite Concourse
• Replacement of Central Utility Plant

LAWA is also planning to build and operate an LAX Automated People Mover. This small train will connect passengers between the central terminal area and the Metro Green Line, the future Metro Crenshaw Line, and regional and local bus lines.

In popular culture

• "L.A. International Airport", a song written by Leanne Scott and first recorded by David Frizzell in 1970, was covered in 1971 by Susan Raye and this version reached #9 on the Billboard Country Singles chart (and #54 on the Hot 100 singles chart). The song was re-recorded with updated lyrics in 2003 by Shirley Myers for the 75th anniversary of LAX.

• The 1980 Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy Airplane! begins at LAX. Additionally, a twist on the iconic public announcement regarding the "white zone" is parodied in the film's opening scene.

• Stephen King's 1990 horror novella The Langoliers and its 1995 movie adaptation feature LAX as the starting point and ending destination for the protagonists.

• The 1994 film Speed, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, was filmed in part on the runways of LAX.

• The 2002 comedy-drama film Catch Me If You Can, based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Jr., starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, was partly filmed at LAX and nearby Ontario International Airport.

• In 2004 NBC debuted a drama series titled LAX about airport management which ran 13 episodes total.

• The music video of Backstreet Boys' I Want It That Way was filmed and is set mostly at the airport. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is seen in shots and also appears as the band sings and dances to the chorus. The scene where they are greeted by fans was filmed in one of the hangars of LAX. The plane in the video is a Boeing 727.

• Susan Raye, who has been retired from the music industry since 1986, made a rare public appearance to sing her classic hit at a concert at the celebration and to be on hand when a proclamation was issued to make the song the official song of LAX.

• Los Angeles Rapper Game had a 2008 album titled LAX.

• In the final season premiere of Lost, notably titled LA X, the alternate timeline sequences are mostly set in LAX, which was the intended destination of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815.

• LAX appears as a playable level in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, where a smallpox virus, released by main antagonist, Norman Soth, is supposed to kill thousands of people.

• Appears in various episodes of the A-Team TV series.

• L.A. International Airport also featured in the 2001 Brett Ratner film Rush Hour where Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) arrive on a United Airlines Boeing 747-400 from Hong Kong.

• Several scenes of the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger motion picture Commando were filmed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, on the airfield, and in an LAX parking deck.

• In the opening credit sequence to 1967's The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman's character is filmed passing wearily through an LAX concourse connection tunnel to "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel. In the 1997 film Jackie Brown, Pam Grier walks past the same spot to soaring soul music by Bobby Womack.

• The LAX Theme Building influenced the stage set up for the U2 360 Tour.

• The 2004/2005 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas featured and parodied the airport as Los Santos International Airport or LSX and was commonly called as Los Santos International. The theme building, light towers, and the control tower of LAX were also featured.

• The Theme Building was also featured in the 2005 videogame, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories at Francis International Airport.

• In the game Destroy All Humans, a majestic base appears to be similar to LAX.

• The airport is mentioned in Miley Cyrus's 2009 hit Party in the U.S.A., with the lyrics "I hopped off the plane at LAX..."

• In the game Midnight Club II, LAX was featured in the City of Los Angeles.

See also

• Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic
• California World War II Army Airfields
• List of airports in California
• List of airports in the Los Angeles area
• Los Angeles Airport Police
• Theme Building
• Peirson M. Hall, instrumental in establishing the airport

External links

• Los Angeles International Airport official website
• LAneXt website
• LAX Noise Management Internet Flight Tracking System
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective 9 Feb 2012
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KLAX
  • ASN accident history for LAX
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KLAX
  • FAA current LAX delay information