For Immediate Release
February 27, 2018

Contact:
Charles H. Pannunzio
(424) 646-5260

(Los Angeles, CA) One year ago this week, more than 250 guests joined Mayor Eric Garcetti and officials from the city and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to break ground on the $1.6-billion Midfield Satellite Concourse and an associated baggage handling project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fast forward 12 months, and the progress already made on the 750,000-square-foot building has been substantial. Installation of structural steel began early last summer, and the framework of the new building extends across the entire northern portion of the concourse, with work to begin on the building’s core and a small south component later this spring. Sections of the roof have already been installed, escalator installations have begun, and concrete placed to form the concourse’s floors. Large glass panels are also in place on the north side of the building.

“We are excited and impressed to see how quickly our new international concourse has taken shape, and look forward to its opening in approximately two years,” said LAWA Chief Development Officer Bob Gilbert. “This 12- gate addition, which will feature a modern design that complements the Tom Bradley International Terminal, is another step in reimagining LAX and helping create the Gold-Standard airport the city of Los Angeles deserves.” Two tunnels that will connect the new building to the Tom Bradley International Terminal – one for guests and one for equipment – are also well on their way to completion.Because the tunnels will travel under the taxiways between the buildings, they are being built in two segments. The first segments, under Taxiway T, have been completed, and the taxiway is being rebuilt. Once that work is completed, attention can be turned to building the tunnels under Taxiway S. Construction has begun on the passenger tunnel interface at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, which will include the elevators and escalators to access the passenger tunnel. While the concourse, which includes space for airline clubs and additional concessions, is the centerpiece of the project, several other components will also play a role in improving the guest experience, including the expansion of the baggage handling capacity at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The new state-of-the-art system that will come online in 2020 will allow the processing of more than 6,000 bags an hour.

MSC Progress
 

 By the end of July 2017, the northernmost portion of the Midfield Satellite Concourse was taking shape.

 Just two months later, In September 2017, the footprint of the structural steel had more than doubled.

By the end of November 2017, the framework of the new building continued further south.  

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

LAX is the fourth busiest airport in the world, second in the United States, and was named one of Skytrax’ 2017 Top 10 Most Improved Airports. LAX served more than 84.6 million passengers in 2017. LAX offers 737 daily nonstop flights to 100 cities in the U.S. and 1,386 weekly nonstop flights to 88 cities in 44 countries on 73 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016.

An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

LAX is also the second most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.

For more information about LAX, please visit www.flyLAX.com rel="noopener noreferrer" or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport, rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1.

As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.