US. Los Angeles International Airport has completed the renovation of Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), and marked the occasion at a ceremony on 26 May attended by political, airport, aviation and business leaders.
Budgeted at US$755 million, the 38-month renovation began in February 2007 and was completed on time and at an actual cost of US$737 million.
“The Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the first and last impression 10 million travellers have of Los Angeles every year,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
“This renovation project improves the travellers’ experience as they pass through LAX, while enhancing passenger safety by reducing congestion in the airline check-in lobbies and on the curbside. The upgrades also improve customer service so travellers’ experiences in our great city will be positive ones that will make them want to return.”
The first major upgrade to LAX terminals since 1984, the TBIT project brought renovations to airline check-in and passenger arrival lobbies, arrivals corridors, restrooms and carousels; a customs and immigration arrivals hall with larger, high-capacity baggage; the installation of an in-line baggage screening system; new public art displays; and remodelling of boarding gates, including two aircraft gates to accommodate new-generation aircraft such as the Airbus A380 super jumbo jet and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
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From old to new, Tom Bradley International Terminal delivers a new level of space, comfort and convenience |
Along with a much more contemporary look, the terminal has also incorporated improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities, upgraded utilities, a new paging system, and clearer signage (including dynamic video panels and digital signage that automatically updates flight information).
Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey said: “Passenger-friendly terminals and conveniences, airplane-friendly taxiways and gates are all ‘must-haves’ as airports around the world compete for the economic vitality that world-class airports create.”
The significant changes are expected to help LAX keep its place as the leading West Coast international gateway, especially to the fast-growing Asia Pacific region.
“Our goal is to modernise LAX to ensure it retains its vital role as the cornerstone of Southern California’s air transportation system,” Lindsey said.
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Before and after: the transformation at LAX is inescapable for passengers entering the Customs Arrivals Hall |
Project highlights
• The largest single component of the project added 4,180sq m of space to house a new US$140-million in-line, checked-baggage security screening facility. This behind-the-scenes facility reduces congestion in the airline check-in lobby by eliminating the need for passengers to wait in line for their checked luggage to be screened.
• A US$22.9-million TBIT Enhanced Passenger Experience Project delivered high-definition, flat-screen monitors and entertainment display audio zones in baggage claim to welcome passengers and provide information about what to see and do in Los Angeles; in the Arrivals lobby, walls of flat-screen displays and glass panels of changing light, and a circular LED (light-emitting diode) element provide a vibrant introduction to the city.
• The Enhanced Passenger Experience Project also included public art installations: a permanent video art program comprised of 17 artists/artist teams commissioned to produce original video artworks can be viewed at two venues within the Arrivals Lobby.
• Airlines at TBIT also separately funded over US$20 million to build out new, larger first- and business-class lounges. Four airline lounges have replaced 16 individual lounges and expanded the terminal’s lounge space to 4,365sq m – an increase of +72% over previous space. Amenities incorporated into the lounges include Wi-Fi access, individual workstations, business centre services and showers.
• The US Green Building Council awarded the revitalised Tom Bradley International Terminal its prestigious Silver LEED-EB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Existing Building) Certification, the first ever for an American airport renovation project. The certification recognises the project’s efforts at maximizing operational efficiency while minimising environmental impacts, including 20% energy savings and 24% water conservation. More than 75% of construction and demolition waste was recycled or salvaged.
About LAX
The more than 30 airlines at the Tom Bradley International Terminal served 8 million international travellers in 2009, or 57% of LAX’s overall 15.1 million international passenger volume. Total passenger volume at LAX last year was 56,520,843.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the third busiest airport in the US and seventh in the world, offering more than 565 daily flights to 81 destinations in the US and over 1,000 weekly nonstop flights to 65 international destinations on 75 air carriers.
