LAX

New things to love at LAX

Los Angeles Int’l Airport Solves a Problem

You can now walk between all LAX terminals post-security

One of the (many) irritating things about making a connection at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has been the inability to walk between all the terminals once you are post-security.

Finally, that’s fixed.

With the opening of a post-security connector between Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) ticketed passengers as well as airline and airport employees can now access all LAX terminals once they are past security.

A post-security walk at LAX is about 2 miles from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8, but once you’re post-security you’ll not only be able to more easily make connections between airlines, but you’ll be able to access the shops, restaurants, lounges, artwork, entertainment, and other amenities in all the terminals.

Where will you walk at LAX?

New amenities pop up all the time at LAX.

And some of the newest are at the West Gates of the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

There’s a cool new LEGO store, as well as an InMotion store for electronics, a TMZ newsstand and gift shop and, soon, a See’s Candies store.

New dining venues include the first airport restaurant from celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s brand Chicken Guy! as well as Japanese noodle eatery Santouka, a Burger King, and, soon a Spanish-style tapas restaurant called Navarre.

LAX & CVG Airport Bet on Super Bowl 2022

It could get ugly.

But so far, officials from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are being very civil about the wager they’ve made on whether the Los Angeles Rams or the Cincinnati Bengals will win Super Bowl 2022.

They’re calling it the Battle of Heartland vs. Hollywood. And, per the wager, the airport CEO of the team that loses Super Bowl 2022 will have to wear the QB jersey of the opposing team for a day.

We’re going to keep an eye on the Super Bowl competition on the field – and in the terminals.

In the meantime, for fans heading to Los Angeles for the Big Game, LAX has some travel tips to help you get there safely.

Fresh art at LAX Airport

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has three new art exhibitions to look for next time you pass through.

Presented in partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the exhibits feature works by two solo artists and one group exhibition. The artwork includes large-scale printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, painting, and multi-media artworks across three terminals.

Out of the Blue is a group exhibition of paintings, ceramics, and mixed-media works. Look for this in the Terminal 7 art gallery adjacent to the security screening area. (Ticketed passengers only)

Your Body is a Space That Sees by Los Angeles artist Lia Halloran is accessible to ticketed passengers in Terminal 1 at Gate 9. The images combine ink and light to celebrate women’s contributions to astronomy.

The large-scale cyanotype prints source historical imagery from a group of Harvard women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when views of the night sky were captured in photographic emulsion on glass plates.

“This body of work is really meant to honor the invaluable work that female astronomers contributed to their field,” Halloran says. “Without these discoveries, we would be nowhere near where we are now in terms of being able to measure and understand the universe.” 

“Tumbleweeds,” by Pontus Willfors, is a site-specifi­c installation featuring hand-crafted, botanical sculptures manipulated from wood. The sculptures are inspired by tumbleweeds found in the Mojave Desert, which extends into the northeastern part of Los Angeles County. Look for this work in the Tom Bradley International Terminal customs hallway.

LAX SELFIE GUIDED TOUR

LAX also has a fun Selfie Guided Tour of community art located in the pre-screening areas of Terminals 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7.

Start at the Theme Building, located in the center of the Central Terminal Area, and walk the mile-route to view all nine pieces of art. The artwork is displayed on large walls and creates an opportunity to snap selfiez to share on social media using #LAXSelfieGuidedTour. 

Photos by SKA Studios LLC., courtesy of Los Angeles World Airports and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Airports deploying ‘mask nannies’

Right now face coverings and masks are required in every airport and on most airlines due to continued concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

There are signs, stickers, and announcements everywhere a traveler turns, but still, not everyone is covering up.

Some people don’t want to mask up and it is reassuring to know that some airlines won’t let those folks fly.

Other travelers may have forgotten their masks or are neglecting to put them on in areas of the airport.

So, to help passengers get with the program, “ambassadors” who are serving as mask nannies are being sent out into airport terminals to help.

Yes, it’s come to that.

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO) “TravelWell Ambassadors” are roving the terminals to make sure passengers wear face coverings and maintain proper physical distancing.

At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the mask nannies are called “Travel Safety Ambassadors. They’re on duty in Terminal 1 and in the Tom Bradey International Terminal (TBIT).

Don’t have a mask? No problem. The mask nannies have a supply of them. So there should be no excuses.

We expect other airports are or will be deploying mask nannies as well.

At LAX: Hot or not?

Thermal scanning of passengers is common at many airports in Asia.

If the new Terminal Wellness Pilot Program rolling out at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on June 23 works out, then thermal scanning could become the new normal in U.S. airports too.

The new pilot program uses thermal camera technology to identify travelers who have elevated body temperatures.

The heat-seeking cameras are set up inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at both the main entrance on the departures level and inside the terminal near some international arrivals.

For the pilot program, the cameras will be screening both arriving and departing passengers who voluntarily agree to be screened. And LAX officials say passengers who don’t want to be screened will be able to decline the scan.

The thermal cameras will be identifying people with body temperatures of 100.4 degrees or more. A fever could be mean that a traveler has COVID-19.

Passengers flagged with an elevated temperature will go through secondary screening that includes having a medical professional do a temperature check with a handheld, non-contact thermometer.

LAX says departing passengers with elevated body temperature will be advised not to travel. Passengers on arriving international flights who may be ill could be referred to CDC staff on site.