The opening of Los Angeles International Airport’s new West Gates, a 15-gate, 5-level, 1,700-foot-long, 750,000-square-foot modernized international terminal symbolizing the future, reimagined, LAX experience, is a momentous occasion for Los Angeles. It is one of the most technologically advanced facility of its kind, and focused on the customer experience to connect people, places, and cultures. Access to the facility is provided via the underground pedestrian tunnel from the existing Tom Bradley International Terminal or airfield buses.
This is a momentous occasion also for me personally. As an airport planner, I had the privilege of helping to lay the foundation for the terminal. That was 10+ years ago. It feels great to be able to see something you were part of envisioning finally get built.
With so many international passengers, LAX is a gateway to Los Angeles, and the rest of the United States. The roof of the building represents the ocean waves breaking onto shore. The terminal is the first and last thing international travelers see, and that impression is important to Americans culturally and economically. Architecturally, the main core is the town square or downtown area with high ceilings and multiple levels. It also features an impressive LED chandelier. Neighborhoods, from the desert to the sea, are located to the sides and each consist of several gates, restrooms, and concessions, and designed with colorful mosaic tiles to reflect the mid-century modern design in general of LAX. The new terminal has a lot to offer from the perspective of meeting customer needs and elevating the passenger experience.
Fast, Cutting-Edge Connectivity
We have all been to airports where the internet speed was so slow any hope of watching the show downloaded to your phone was dashed. The West Gates is equipped with advanced Wi-Fi 6 infrastructure to support new and emerging applications and deliver higher levels of service to older applications. All this results in faster speeds, greater energy efficiency by reducing the battery burden on devices connected to the wireless network, and better performance in high-density areas like airports. The terminal will also be equipped to handle enhanced 5G cellular service when rolled out. This advancement should give us all fast, uninterrupted service to stream our favorite show or work online during that next long layover.
Tables, Comfortable Seating, and Plugs
Having tables, comfortable seating, and accessible plugs available is a key thing for me. I have not yet been able to check out the amenities in person yet at the West Gates, but from the videos shown during the Grand Opening event, I am already excited about the availability of more comfortable seating options and worktables with plugs next to them. To me, it makes no difference whether I am sitting in the dining area where it might be noisy or near the gate as I always opt for the text message alerts to be alerted of when my flight will board. That allows me to then find my ideal “camping” location. Just like finding your ideal house, at an airport, once past security, its all about “location, location, location”. If I am not at an airport lounge, then I scope out a place with great light, comfortable seating, and somewhere close to a plug. If I need to work on my laptop, I find a place with a table. Noise is not a concern since I just put my headphones in. The below photos from the West Gates are all ideal working areas, with plugs below the seats and good lighting. The new terminal will offer 60,000 square feet of space for lounges. Air France will open their new lounge in Spring 2022 and LAWA plans to create a common-use lounge that passengers can access with a daily access fee.
Biometric Boarding
Now when you travel internationally, you may be able to look into a camera that will verify your identity and access credentials, and the gates will open to let you board. This makes the boarding process much faster. Although I have heard on some A380s, it only takes about 45 minutes to board due to the fact multiple boarding bridges are in use and there are two aisles, I still think biometric boarding is the way to go if it can make the boarding process go by more smoothly. As a planner, I hate to see the queue back up into the hallway as it makes me feel like I planned the airport poorly. As a passenger, it has always perplexed me why some airlines choose to board the plane from the back and others from the front and what method results in a faster boarding process overall. I am sure there are multiple factors at play, but a biometric boarding process will work to reduce the queue, and speed up the boarding process in general. That means less stress standing around holding all your carry-on bags.
Kiosks to Help Find Your Way and More
I love kiosks to help me figure out how to easily get to my next destination or connecting gate, find a great place to eat / shop, or a restroom. A working, easy-to-use kiosk is ideal. The West Gates include numerous self-service kiosks located throughout the terminal. The selfie feature is one I will be sure to check out. LAWA, it would be a bonus if you could change the background of the selfie to iconic places in the airport and around Los Angeles. Great for visitors if they forgot to snap a photo of themselves at a tourist spot. Great for aviation enthusiasts if they want to take a photo of themselves with a pilot in the cockpit of an A380.
Shopping and Dining
I have not been to the West Gates yet to see the available shopping and dining options, but I have been to the main Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B). Some of my favorite places are Umami Burger, ink.sack, and Vanilla Bake Shop. I am excited to be able to explore the food and shopping options. That also includes the contact food ordering options.
In international travel, we have come a long way in offering comfortable and trendy shops at airports, and I love the emphasis placed on the local area. As Mayor Eric Garcetti put it in his Grand Opening address, Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, and it is important for arriving passengers to be able to “feel LA”. Rory DeJohn, the Managing Partner of Turner PCL Joint Venture, the construction company responsible for building the West Gates, later stated the terminal reflects the vibrancy and diversity of Los Angeles.
Having an airport reflect that feel of the community – in this case, the vibrancy and diversity of Los Angeles, is what makes airports special for me. It is captured in the architectural details. However, there is so much more in to make that branding come alive. Concessions plays a key role.
I learn something about the local area whenever I visit a place. The airport serves as an extension of that place. From big burgers in Texas, to Pendleton Wool in Portland, and I NY shirts in New York. I just love what a city has to offer and the airport provides me with a snapshot of that. For Los Angeles, many people think Disneyland or Hollywood. Of course, I do too. However, since I live in Los Angeles, for me, when I come home from a trip overseas, or when I leave, seeing the local stores reminds me that LA is home. That calms and grounds me. Having those celebrities and dignitaries welcome me home also adds a nice touch that they are welcoming me home from a long trip abroad.
Check Your Bag In Early – Super Early
You can now check your bag up to 24 hours in advance. Now, honestly, I am not sure why one would need / want to check their bag that early as it would make them take two trips to the airport. However, what does excite me about the new optimized automated bag storage and retrieval technology is that it seems it allows for greater ability to track checked bags. That means a fewer likelihood of lost bags. And now that the system is more automated, that means less wait time at the baggage carousels to pick up bags. You get out of the airport faster. Your loved ones don’t have to circle around the airport as long before they pick you up at the curb.
Doing What is Right
It makes me feel good to know that the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports is doing what they can to work towards more sustainable practices and do what is right for the environment as well as for the community. The new West Gates terminal was constructed to operate with cool roofing and paving materials that reduce heat absorption, and LED lighting that will reduce our energy and electricity consumption. It also has water-saving plumbing fixtures to reduce our water consumption. Finally, knowing the building is made partially with recycled materials makes me feel good that we are doing our part to save the environment, one step at a time.
Places to Convene and More?
I am so pleased to see Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports leading us to new heights as a world leader. Ten years ago, when I traveled internationally, I came back shamefully thinking we always needed to do better in the United States to modernize our airports. We were modernizing, but slowly. Our patience has paid off and I am excited to elevate ourselves into our new reimagined jet age of traveling. To me, that new jet age is one of experiences, stories, and building opportunities to get to know each other better.
When reading the press release for the West Gates, one line sparked my interest – “three locations within the building allow for pop-up cultural performances”. When I planned my wedding, I always thought it would have been nice to stage it in a hangar. If it was possible to do it in an airport terminal, I really would have considered it. I am not quite sure what that one line means, but ideally, it seems it would be so cool to have a wedding in an airport for destination weddings. Have the ceremony at the airport along with the reception and then everyone hops on the plane. I can dream. However, perhaps on a less grand scale would be mini-concerts in the airport or a pop-up experience booth for Disney to showcase their latest attraction or a producer to promote their latest movie. That would be a great revenue source for airports and great way for someone to get some publicity. Although it would only be attended by ticketed passengers, I still think certain experience would work with this limiting parameter.
I look forward to traveling again and experiencing the reimagined new West Gates terminal. I’ll see you around!
Photo credit to Los Angeles World Airports.
Click here for more information of the Grand Opening event.