Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport , is the primary airport serving
Los Angeles, California. It is generally referred to by Californians simply as "LAX" (with the letters pronounced individually).
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 [
1] and
sixth-busiest by cargo traffic, serving some 60 million passengers and more than 2 million tons of freight in
2004. It is the third-busiest airport by passenger traffic in the
United States. In terms of international passengers, LAX is the
second-busiest in the U.S. (behind only
JFK International Airport in
New York City)[
2] , but only 20th worldwide. Before
9/11 it was the third busiest airport in the world. It is a major hub for
United Airlines.
LAX has service to destinations in
North America,
Latin America,
Europe,
Asia, and
Oceania. Its most prominent airlines are
United (19.57% of passenger traffic, combined with
United Express traffic),
American (15%) and
Southwest (12.7%). [
3] It is also a secondary hub for
Delta,
Northwest and
Alaska Airlines.
The airport occupies some 3,425 acres (14 km²) of the city on the
Pacific coast, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of downtown Los Angeles. LAX is one of the most famous locations for commercial
aircraft spotting, most notably at the so called "Imperial Hill" area (also known as Clutter's Park) in
El Segundo where nearly the entire South Complex of the airport can be viewed. Another famous spotting location sits right under the final approach for runways 24 L&R on a small grass lawn next to the
In-N-Out Burger restaurant, and is noted as one of the few remaining locations in Southern California where spotters may watch such a wide variety of low-flying commercial airliners from directly underneath. The airport's coastal location exposes it to fog, during which flights are occasionally diverted to
Ontario International Airport in
San Bernardino County 47 miles (76 km) to the east.
 |
Los Angeles Airport "Jet-Age" postcard showing the Theme Building |
In
1928, the Los Angeles City Council selected 640 acres (2.6 km²) 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 now a
historic landmark.
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 (LAX) in
1949. Prior to that time, the main airport for Los Angeles was the "Grand Central Airport" in
Glendale.
|
The architecture shown in The Jetsons was based on the Theme Building's exterior, then the Theme Building's interior was redesigned to have a "Jetsons" feel. |
Until this time, the entire airport was located east of
Sepulveda Boulevard. As the airport expanded westward to meet the Pacific Ocean, a tunnel was completed in
1953 so that Sepulveda Boulevard would pass underneath the airport's runways. It was the first tunnel of its kind.
The distinctive white "Theme Building," constructed in
1961, resembles a flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. It was designed by a team of architects and engineers headed by
William Pereira and
Charles Luckman, that also included
Paul Williams and
Welton Becket. The initial design of the building was created by James Langenheim, of the Pereira-Luckman firm. A restaurant that provides a sweeping view of the airport is suspended beneath two intersecting 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. At one time, tourists and passengers were able to take the elevator up to the roof of the "Theme Building", but after the September 11th attacks, the rooftop was closed off to everyone for security reasons. It was once said the rooftop would reopen for public use, but that was determined to be a rumor.
The first jet service appeared at LAX in
1959, transporting passengers between LAX and
New York. The first wide-bodied jets appeared in
1970 when
TWA flew
Boeing 747s between LAX and New York.
|
The Theme Building decorated for Christmas, 2004 |
Groundbreaking for the new Tom Bradley International Terminal was conducted in
1982 by Mayor
Tom Bradley and
World War II aviator General
James Doolittle, and the $123 million terminal was opened in
1984. In
1996, a new 277 foot (84 m) tall
air traffic control tower, with overhanging awnings that shade the windows and make the building vaguely resemble a palm tree, was constructed at a cost of $29 million.
Soon afterward, fourteen
plexiglass cylinders, each up to ten stories high, were placed in a circle around the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Century Boulevard, with additional cylinders of decreasing height following Century Boulevard eastward. The cylinders, lit from inside, slowly cycle through a rainbow of colors, and provide an additional landmark for visitors arriving by air at night.
At various points in its history, LAX has been a hub for
TWA,
Air California,
Continental,
Delta,
PSA,
USAir,
Western Airlines, and the
Flying Tiger Line.
Starting in the mid-1990s under Los Angeles Mayors
Richard Riordan and
James Hahn modernization and expansion plans for LAX were prepared only to be stymied by a coalition spearheaded by residents who live near the airport angry at noise, pollution and traffic impacts of the existing facility. In late
2005 newly elected L.A. Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa was able to reach a compromise allowing some modernization to go forward while efforts are made to encourage future growth be spread among other facilities in the region.
On
May 17 2005 Los Angeles voters decided to keep the Los Angeles Airport Police in place. The proposal was to merge the Los Angeles Airport Police with the
LAPD.
On
July 29 2006 Runway 7R/25L was closed for reconstruction until
March 25 2007. The reconstruction is to move the
runway 55 feet south to prevent runway incursions and prepare the runway for the next generation of
Airbus A380. The newly moved runway will also have storm drains, and enhanced runway lighting, something that the other 3 runways do not have. Both runways at
Ontario International Airport are also undergoing some of the same renovations. The reconstruction of runway 25L will make way for a central taxiway in between runways 25L and 25R.
|
Sepulveda Boulevard passes under LAX's southern runway and taxiways. |
LAX has nine passenger terminals arranged in a "U," also called a "horseshoe," and are served by a shuttle bus. In addition to these terminals, there are 2 million square feet (186,000 sq. meters) of cargo facilities at LAX, and a
heliport operated by
Bravo Aviation.
Terminal 1
*
Southwest Airlines (Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-Midway, El Paso, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Jose (CA), Tucson)
*
US Airways (Charlotte, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh)
**
US Airways operated by
America West Airlines (Acapulco, Las Vegas, Phoenix)
**
US Airways Express operated by
Mesa Airlines (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Puerto Vallarta)
Terminal 2
*
Air Canada (Calgary, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver)
**
Air Canada Jazz (Edmonton)
*
Air China (Beijing)
*
Air France (Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
*
Air Mobility Command*
Air New Zealand (Apia, Auckland, Christchurch (seasonal), London-Heathrow, Nadi, Papeete, Rarotonga)
*
Aviacsa (León, Monterrey)
*
Avianca (Bogotá)
*
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu)
*
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam)
*
Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Tokyo-Narita)
*
TACA (Departures) (Guatemala City, Managua, San José (CR), San Salvador)
*
Virgin Atlantic (London-Heathrow)
Terminal 3
*
AirTran Airways (Atlanta, Indianapolis)
*
Alaska Airlines (Anchorage, Cancún, Eugene, Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, La Paz (Oct. 30, 2006), Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Mexico City, Portland (OR), Puerto Vallarta, Reno/Tahoe, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, Vancouver, Washington-National)
**
Horizon Air (Boise, Bozeman, Eugene, Medford, Santa Rosa [begins March 20, 2007], Sun Valley, Redding, Redmond/Bend, Eureka/Arcata)
*
ATA Airlines (Honolulu, Kahului)
*
Frontier Airlines (Denver, San Francisco)
*
Midwest Airlines (Kansas City, Milwaukee)
*
Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
*
WestJet (Calgary)
 |
Interior view of Terminal 4 |
Terminal 4
*
American Airlines (Austin, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, London-Heathrow, Los Cabos, Miami, Nashville, Newark, New York-JFK, Orlando, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Juan, San Salvador, St. Louis, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto, Vail (seasonal), Washington-Dulles)
**
American Eagle (Fayetteville (AR), Fresno, Monterey, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara)
*
Qantas (See entry under Tom Bradley International Terminal)
Terminal 5
*
Aerolitoral (Culiacán, Hermosillo, La Paz, Monterrey)
*
Aeroméxico (Arrivals)
*
Air Jamaica (Montego Bay)
*
China Southern Airlines (Guangzhou)
*
Delta Air Lines (Acapulco [starts Dec 15, 2006], Atlanta, Boston, Cancún, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Columbus, Fort Lauderdale, Guadalajara, Guatemala City [starts Dec 15, 2006], Hartford-Springfield, Honolulu, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Kahului, Liberia [starts Dec 15, 2006], New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham, Salt Lake City, Tampa)
**
Delta Connection operated by
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Culiacán [begins Mar. 15, 2007], Hermosillo [begins Feb. 1, 2007], La Paz [begins Dec. 1], Las Vegas [begins Dec 15, 2006], Loreto [begins Dec. 1], Manzanillo [begins Mar. 13, 2007], Mazatlán [begins Feb. 1, 2007], Oakland [starts Jan 6, 2007], Sacramento [begins Dec 22, 2006], San Francisco [begins Dec 18, 2006], San Jose(CA) [begins Feb 1, 2007], Torreon [begins Mar. 6, 2007], Zacatecas [begins Mar. 13, 2007])
**
Delta Connection operated by
SkyWest (Salt Lake City)
*
Spirit Airlines (Detroit)
Terminal 6
*
Aeroméxico (Departures) (Aguascalientes, Cancún, Culiacán, Guadalajara, León, Mexico City)
*
Continental Airlines (Cleveland, Guam, Honolulu, Houston-Intercontinental, Kahului, Newark)
**
Continental Express operated by
ExpressJet Airlines (Aguascalientes, Durango (MX), León, Morelia)
*
Copa Airlines (Panama City, Bogota)
*
United Airlines (International Arrivals; Cancún, Guatemala City, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, London-Heathrow, Melbourne, Mexico City, San Salvador, Sydney, Tokyo-Narita) Note: United Airlines mixes departures, international and domestic, between T6 and T7
Terminal 7
*
United Airlines (Baltimore/Washington, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Lihue, New Orleans, New York-JFK, Newark, Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland (OR), Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington-Dulles)
**
Ted operated by
United Airlines (Cancún, Las Vegas)
Terminal 8
*
United Airlines**
United Express operated by
SkyWest (Albuquerque, Bakersfield, Boise, Carlsbad, Colorado Springs, Fresno, Imperial, Inyokern, Modesto, Monterey, Oakland, Oklahoma City [starts September 6th, 2006], Ontario, Orange County, Oxnard, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose (CA), San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, St. George, Tucson, Vancouver [starts September 6th, 2006], Visalia, Yuma)
Tom Bradley International Terminal
 |
The LAX control tower and Theme Building as seen from Terminal 4 |
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 and is between terminals 3 and 4.
*
Aer Lingus (Dublin, Shannon)
*
Aero California (Note: All flights suspended on April 2, 2006) (Culiacán, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, La Paz, Loreto, Los Cabos, Los Mochis, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Tampico, Torreón)
*
Aeroflot (Moscow-Sheremetyevo)
*
Air India (Delhi, Frankfurt)
*
Air Pacific (Nadi)
*
Air Tahiti Nui (Papeete, Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
*
Alaska Airlines (Mexico Arrivals only, Cancún, Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta)
*
All Nippon Airways (Tokyo-Narita)
*
Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon)
*
British Airways (London-Heathrow)
*
Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong)
*
China Airlines (Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek)
*
China Eastern Airlines (Beijing, Shanghai-Pudong)
*
Copa Airlines (Panama City, Bogotá)
*
El Al (Tel Aviv, Toronto)
*
EVA Air (Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek)
*
Japan Airlines (Osaka-Kansai [ends September 30, 2006], Tokyo-Narita)
*
Korean Air (Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita)
*
LAN Airlines (Lima, Santiago)
**
LAN Peru (Lima)
*
LTU International (Düsseldorf)
*
Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Munich)
*
Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur, Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek)
*
Mexicana (Cancún, Guadalajara, León, Los Cabos, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Morelia, Zacatecas)
*
Philippine Airlines (Manila)
*
Qantas (Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney)
*
Singapore Airlines (Singapore, Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek, Tokyo-Narita)
*
Swiss International Air Lines (Zürich)
*
TACA (Arrivals)
*
Thai Airways International (Bangkok)
Charter
*
Interstate Jet*
Miami Air*
Omni Air International*
World Airways*
PrivatAir |
One of the large LAX signs that greet visitors to LAX. This sign is at the Century Boulevard entrance to Los Angeles International Airport |
LAX can be reached using the Century Boulevard exit on
Interstate 405, or the Sepulveda Boulevard exit on
Interstate 105. There is also a shuttle bus "G" that connects to the Aviation/I-105 station on the
Metro Green Line light rail. 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. However, a free shuttle bus is available every 10 minutes. 24hr. parking is available at the Aviation/Harbor Fwy Green Line Station.
Since
March 15 2006, LAWA runs two bus lines, called
"The LAX FlyAway", to the various LAX terminals at least hourly, on the hour, and around the clock from
Union Station in downtown LA, where connections can be made to the
Metro,
Metrolink and
Amtrak rail systems, and also from
Van Nuys in the
San Fernando Valley. Travel time is 45 min. One way ticket is $3 cash. Covered car parking is provided for $6 and $4 respectively per day up to 30 days. Long Term parking is $10 per day in Lot B and C.
Passengers are also served by
taxicabs 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, among them
SuperShuttle and
Prime Time Shuttle, provide door-to-door airport transportation as well.
The Flight Path Learning Center is located at 6661 Imperial Hwy and was formerly known as the "Imperial Terminal". This building used to house some charter flights and regular scheduled flights from
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 swag (playing cards, china, magazines, signs, even a TWA gate information sign). If you ask nicely, one of the fine docents (who are usually retired flight attendants who started work in the 1950s or have been working at the airport for many years) will be glad to open one of the restricted access doors and allow you to stand out on the tarmac (behind a small fence) to get shots of the south side. The center is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. While it does not provide the greatest shots for planespotters, it is definitely worth a visit.
* On the morning of
June 30,
1956, a
TWA Lockheed Super Constellation and a
United Airlines Douglas DC-7 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 128 passengers and crew aboard both planes.
* On
January 13,
1969, a
Scandinavian Airlines System Douglas DC-8-62 crashed into
Santa Monica Bay, approximately 6 nautical miles 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, a
United Airlines Boeing 727-22C bearing the registration number N7434U, crashed into
Santa Monica Bay approximately 11.3 miles 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.
* On the evening of
June 6,
1971, a
Hughes Airwest Douglas DC-9 jetliner departed LAX on a flight to Salt Lake City, Utah, when it was struck nine minutes after takeoff by a U.S. Marine Corps
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom 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; two people were killed and 17 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 7 persons on the ground.
* 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 survived and were rescued by several pleasure boats and watercraft in the vicinity.
* On
May 25,
1979,
American Airlines Flight 191, a
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10, dropped an engine during takeoff and crashed while en route to Los Angeles from
O'Hare International Airport in
Chicago, Illinois, killing all 271 passengers and crew on board and two people on the ground.
* On the morning of
August 2,
1985,
Delta Air Lines Flight 191, on a
Fort Lauderdale-
Dallas-Los Angeles route, crashed at
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, killing 136 of the 167 passengers on board.
* On
August 31,
1986,
Aeromexico 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
Aeromexico 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 3 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
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 disgruntled
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
* If
Project Bojinka had not been discovered after a fire in
Manila, Philippines, one or more aircraft owned by a U.S. carrier/s at this airport would have blown up over the
Pacific Ocean on
January 21,
1995 as part of the project's first phase.
* On
February 1,
1991,
USAir Flight 1493, a Boeing 737 landing on Runway 24L at LAX, collided upon touchdown with a
SkyWest Fairchild Metroliner, Flight 5569, that had been holding in position on the same runway. The collision killed all 12 occupants of the SkyWest plane and 22 persons aboard the USAir 737.
* On
October 2,
1996,
AeroPeru Flight 603, a Boeing 757 en route to LAX from
Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in
Santiago, Chile, via
Jorge Chavez International Airport in
Lima, Peru, crashed in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. All 70 passengers and crew on board died.
* On
October 31,
1999,
EgyptAir Flight 990, which was on a Los Angeles-
JFK,
New York, New York-
Cairo route, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near
Nantucket after takeoff from New York, killing all 217 persons on board.
* In the year
2000,
Al-Qaeda attempted to bomb LAX during the millennium holiday, although the bomber was caught at the U.S. port of entry.
Ahmed Ressam was captured in
Port Angeles, Washington, with a cache of explosives in the trunk of his rented car which had traveled with him from
Victoria, British Columbia, aboard the ferry "Coho". The plot was part of the
2000 millennium attack plots. Ressam was sentenced to 22 years in prison on
July 27,
2005.
* 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 north of
Anacapa Island off the California coast, killing all 88 persons aboard the aircraft.
* On
October 31,
2000,
Singapore Airlines Flight 006, which was on a
Singapore Changi Airport,
Singapore-
Chiang Kai Shek International Airport,
Taipei-Los Angeles route, crashed upon takeoff from Taipei, killing 83 occupants of the 179 persons on board.
* Three of the flights hijacked during the
September 11, 2001 Attacks were bound for LAX.
* On
July 4,
2002, a gunman 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.
* On
September 22,
2005, a
JetBlueA320 discovered a problem with its landing gear as it took off from Burbank. It flew in circles for three hours to burn off fuel, then landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport, 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 fiery landing. [
4]
* On
July 29,
2006, after America West Flight 6008 from Phoenix landed on the airport's southernmost runway, controllers instructed the pilot to leave the runway on a taxiway known as "Mike" and stop short of the inner runway. Even though the pilot read back the instructions correctly, he drove onto the inner runway and into the path of a departing United Express turboprop Flight 6037. They cleared each other by 50 feet and nobody was hurt.
*
Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic*
LAX Homepage*
Airport Parking Facilities Near LAX
