V-Flyer

From the LA Times October 20th edition:

By Jennifer Oldham, Times Staff Writer

LAX Plan Poised to Pass
Council appears to have the necessary votes and could approve the expansion today. A hearing Tuesday yields emotional testimony.

"...Hahn and Miscikowski's plan would be built in two phases.

The first phase, or "green light" projects, includes moving the southernmost runway 55 feet to make the runways safer, and building a consolidated rental car center, an elevated people mover with a transit hub, an employee parking lot and more gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Those projects would cost about $3 billion.

The second phase, or "yellow light" projects, includes two new terminals, the passenger check-in center at Manchester Square in nearby Westchester, a second people-mover line, and the demolition of the central parking garages and Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Those projects come in at about $8 billion..."

The full story can be read here but requires a free subscription to be taken out.

As you know VS currently operates out of T2 so some direct implications here for us, maybe we will eventually get that LAX Clubhouse

Bazz,
Good catch on the story. If this does pass it will indeed be a monumental accomplishment because the citizenry has been fairly adamently opposed to another uprooting for the sake of an airport. Years ago when LAX came into being tons of people were displaced at the western edge of the runway complex; their entire community had been built on the slopes facing the ocean but had to be relocated because of the constant noise residents would face from departing aircraft.

The green/yellow phases is an ingenious way of getting as much done as possible to keep LAX moving forward while waiting for public approval to catch up with the needs. The question I have is: does the 55-foot movement of A runway mean that the A380 will land on only one of the two runway complexes?

Regards,
Chuck-

Hi Chuck,

Don't know, maybe the other runway has sufficient clearance and enough blacktop already?

Interesting to read Qantas wants to be the first into LAX with the A380, when we landed there on 4th September there were five Qantas 744's sitting in their maintenance area on the eastern side of the airport, a lot of metal to have on the ground away from home I thought!

From the LA Times October 21st 2004

Council Backs LAX Project
In a lopsided vote, an $11-billion, two-phase compromise proposal is approved. Construction could begin in 2005, but foes vow to go to court.

LAX modernization plan
October 21, 2004

By Jennifer Oldham and Jessica Garrison, Times Staff Writers


"After a decade of debate and millions of dollars in studies, the City Council signed off Wednesday on an $11-billion plan to modernize Los Angeles International Airport that would move runways, build new terminals, install people movers and construct a central check-in facility.

The controversial plan, one of the city's largest public works projects and the first LAX overhaul since the 1984 Olympics, won the votes of 12 of 15 council members, a lopsided endorsement that seemed improbable during years of contentious debate."

Bazz,
Wow. I've got to read our newspapers more closely. Missed that very big story. Looks as though the green light plan and the yellow light plan were approved, yes?

Qantas has always had a big presence at LAX, or at least for as long as I remember.

How do you see things shaping up now for SRB? With all this construction approved this clearly is an opportunity for SRB to take the next logical step and apply for westbound routes from LAX (and probably SFO). NRT? HKG? SYD? SIN? KUL? Lots of possibilities with the A380 space now assured. And a Clubhouse? I think that when you add the likelihood of Virgin USA operations feeding the VS routes a Clubhouse is essential. Your thoughts?

Regards to Birkin.

Chuck-

Hi Chuck,


I get the daily email of the big stories in both the LA and NY Times, keeps me one jump ahead

As you say, logical to go after some ot the westbound routes at some stage. With T2 going to be demolished and Virgin America working out of SFO there are all sorts of possibilities and ramifications. We are still several years away from VS A380's operating out of either SFO or LAX but these developments at LAX make the A380 more rather than less likely to happen.

Would be great to be able to do a RTW on VS metal all the way though wouldn't it ;)

BTW Birkin say to say Hi!