LOS ANGELES-Construction crews began work Monday on $575.6 million of improvements at the one-million-sf Tom Bradley International Terminal, the first major upgrade to Los Angeles International Airport terminals since 1984 and a green-oriented project. Airport officials say the project, the largest in the history of LAX, is designed to help the airport remain competitive, especially for traffic to the fast growing Asia-Pacific Region.
The project will include the addition of a 45,000-sf baggage security screening facility; a second gate to accommodate new generation jets such as the Airbus 380 and Boeing 747-800; four new larger airline lounges to replace 16 individual ones and expand overall lounge space 72% to 47,000 sf; new HVAC systems; and new fire life safety systems. The work is scheduled to be completed in March 2010, and the terminal will remain open during construction.
The project will be the first at LAX to apply sustainable green building measures. This will include the recycling or salvage of 75% of construction and demolition waste, along with the use of green design features and building materials.
Airline officials say that the new baggage facility is expected to reduce passenger congestion in the airline ticketing lobby by removing the many van-sized, explosive detection machines now located in the lobby. Passengers will be able to check their luggage at ticketing counters, from which luggage will be conveyed to behind-the-scenes explosive detection machines and then transported to flights.
The Bradley Terminal was built in 1984. Its upgrades will be funded by several sources, including passenger facility charges, airline reimbursements, federal grants and airport revenues, but no monies from city's general funds will be used.
More than 30 airlines processed more than nine million international passengers through the Bradley Terminal in 2006, representing 53% of LAX's overall 16.9 million international passenger volume. The airport is the fifth busiest in the world.
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