In late July, I noticed a common phrase repeated throughout the construction of Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new $1.3 billion terminal by builders, community backers and countless workers: “on time and on budget.”
That motto for a terminal that opens Oct. 13 stands in stark contrast to Los Angeles International Airport’s $3.3 billion people mover. Its scheduled completion date has shifted from 2023 to 2024 to 2025 and 2026, and has been accompanied by increased costs.
Do air travelers notice the difference between airports, the frustration of exiting LAX and potentially avoid flying out of it whenever possible?
“I shouldn’t answer that as a 20-year employee of LAX,” Roger Johnson, executive program director for Jacobs Program Management Co., which managed the design and construction of Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new terminal, told Essential California in July, “but I will say they absolutely do that today.
“You come out here and talk to passengers, and almost everyone says ‘I would much rather fly out of here than LAX.’ ”
Unfortunately for LAX travelers, my colleague Colleen Shalby wrote about a fresh set of delays affecting the people mover and a new opening date of 2027.
Let’s jump into her reporting and cross our fingers.
What is the people mover?
The 2.25-mile automated train, which began construction in 2019, is supposed to shuttle travelers to and from terminals, a parking and rental car lot and the LAX/Metro Transit Center on Aviation Boulevard.
A designated lot for rideshare and taxi service will move from its space near Terminal 1 to an area near the Metro center after the people mover opens.
The latest update
The train’s opening has been pushed back yet again, with contractors now aiming to launch passenger service in early January — though they won’t commit to that.
The people mover was originally supposed to open in 2023, and more recently contractors said they hoped to start service next month.
The deadline for the train’s completion is now technically Dec. 8.
It’s opening soon then, right?
In its Sept. 16 disclosure filing, contractor LAX Integrated Express Solutions, known as LINXS, said it believes it will require additional time. To operate, the train must undergo 30 days of successful consecutive testing, receive an independent overview and an assessment by Los Angeles World Airports, the governing body for LAX.
A utility agreement with the L.A. Department of Water and Power is also needed.
If all goes well, the train could be running by Jan. 6, according to LINXS. That would be about a month before the Super Bowl at nearby SoFi Stadium — the next possible major test run for the train ahead of the 2028 Olympics after it missed its chance for the World Cup this summer.
Potential concerns
There’s no guarantee it won’t take longer.
“There can be no assurances that achievement of the Passenger Service Availability Date will not be delayed further,” the filing said.
LAWA has said the train will not open without extensive testing that meets safety standards.
“Rigorous, exhaustive testing of all tracks, signaling systems and vehicles is the standard industry practice for major automated airport transit infrastructure to guarantee seamless long-term system integration,” LAWA said in a statement. “We will not compromise on these stringent safety protocols, as delivering a system that safely, dependably and durably serves Los Angeles and our upcoming global events is our primary focus.”
Some finger-pointing
Contractor LINXS and officials with the city-owned airport have been embroiled in disputes over scheduling and compensation that have put progress at a near standstill.
LINXS recently sued the city and blamed LAWA for the delays. But a grand jury report found that it was the contractor, and not the airport, largely to blame for issues.
What’s next?
Bondholders recently agreed to consolidate a key Oct. 8 deadline to the final Dec. 8 deadline. LAWA could dump the contractor at that point if the project is not done, but that is unlikely.
Seth Lehman, a senior director at Fitch Ratings, has been following the train’s delays and remains hopeful.
“We believe that because the project is literally at the edge of completion, that LAWA would still be incentivized to continue to work with the current parties and get to the finish line,” he said.
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Today’s Recipe
This isn’t so much about a certain dish, as it is about how to cook endless recipes properly with a stainless steel pan, which can be tricky. Cooking editor Cody Reiss wrote in his latest newsletter that his more experienced co-workers all seemed to have a similar rhythm to their stovetop cooking. They’d place a stainless steel pan on the stove, crank it up to high and then whirl around to work on other tasks. After a minute or so, they’d turn back to the pan, spoon in their garlic and oil, wait a moment for the mixture to sizzle fragrantly, then put in their vegetables and toss everything together until warmed through.
Photo of the day
The Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank on Sept. 19. It hosted a trial run of the new terminal with volunteers playing passengers who traverse it. Event-goers were assigned a mock flight, and proceeded through a typical travel journey, from parking to the gate. About 1,500 test passengers and dozens of volunteer assistants participated.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Games
Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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