Passenger
volume at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is expected to
increase 5.38 percent to nearly 2.24 million passengers this
upcoming holiday travel season, compared to 2.13 million actual
passengers last year. The 13-day holiday travel period begins
Friday, December 21, and continues through Wednesday, January 2,
2013.
The
busiest days at the airport are expected to be Friday through Sunday,
December 21-23; Friday, December 28; and Wednesday, January 2.
The least busy days are expected to be Christmas Eve and Christmas
Day, Dec. 24-25. While airlines at LAX report an average
passenger load factor of approximately 80 percent throughout the
holiday period, U.S. air carriers at LAX report that many domestic
flights are expected to be 90 percent to fully booked, especially on
the busiest days.
To
assist with additional passengers during the holidays, a cadre of
volunteer Los Angeles World Airports employees wearing red vests will
roam the Upper/Departures Level curbside and in the airline ticketing
lobbies today and Friday, December 20-21. This is in addition
to Volunteer Information Professionals (VIPs) and Customer Service
Representatives (CSRs) regularly assigned to assist passengers at the
passenger information counters and in the meet-and-greet areas on the
Lower/Arrivals Level of each terminal.
Airport
officials suggest passengers departing LAX during daily peak travel
periods – from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and 7 p.m. to
10 p.m. – arrive in their airlines’ ticketing lobbies two hours
before domestic flights and three hours before international
flights. Passengers should expect congestion in the terminals
during the daily peak travel periods. Many passengers can avoid
lines in the ticketing lobbies by checking in for flights on their
airlines’ websites.
Because
of winter weather conditions throughout the nation, passengers are
encouraged to check with their airlines regarding flight status
before coming to the airport or sign up to receive up-to-date phone
or text message alerts.
Passengers
should also ensure any carry-on baggage complies with the airlines’
size and weight limitations and that they do not contain items
prohibited by federal law. Gifts, packed in checked luggage or
as carry-on items, should not be wrapped, in case federal security
screening officers need to inspect them.
To
eliminate the hassles of driving to and parking at or near LAX,
passengers are encouraged to take convenient and reliable public
transportation, including: Metro Rail Green Line, door-to-door
shuttle vans, taxis, limousines, long-distance buses, and the LAX
FlyAway® nonstop bus service. The convenient and economical
FlyAway® service operates daily (including holidays) from Union
Station, Van Nuys and Westwood. Children five years old and
under ride free. Tickets for Union Station and Van Nuys service
routes are now available for purchase online. For more
information, visit www.lawa.org/flyaway.
On-airport
parking options include eight structures in the Central Terminal Area
and Economy Parking Lot C at 96th Street and Sepulveda
Boulevard. Meeters-and-greeters can wait in the free LAX Cell
Phone Waiting Lot at 96th Street and Vicksburg Avenue (adjacent
to the entrance of Lot C) until arriving passengers call to say they
are ready for pick up at terminal curbside.
Real-time
traffic and airport weather conditions, flight status, smart traveler
tips, passenger services, airline terminal locations, and other
airport information are available at www.lawa.aero/lax and
on LAX’s social media sites
atwww.twitter.com/LAX_Official and www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport.
U.S.
Customs and Border Protection’s website at www.cbp.gov advises
travelers on what items can be brought into the U.S. from overseas.
The Transportation Security Administration website
at www.tsa.gov lists
items that are permitted onboard with passengers, items which must be
packed in checked luggage, and items prohibited on flights.