Earlier at LAX: Terminal Evacuated Due to Toy Grenade

Photo by Rafahh via Flickr

One firefighter has died at an explosion near LAX this afternoon. Check here for updates.

Keep up with LAist.

If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.

Subscribe

Terminal One was evacuated early this morning after security screeners saw something that resembled a grenade, prompting a near 40-minute evacuation of the Southwest Airlines terminal. After officials identified it as a toy grenade, operations went back to normal. LAX officials told KNBC that passengers should be reminded "not to pack anything that resembles a weapon" and "recommended that travelers alert security screeners ahead of time if they have anything in their possession that could be mistaken for a weapon." Additionally, American Airlines canceled 200 flights around the nation today amid safety concerns in the MD-80s airplanes. Eight of 12 flights scheduled to take-off from LAX were affected. No cancelations happened at either Burbank or John Wayne Airports.

On Saturday, the first runway incursion of 2008 occurred when a San Diego-bound American Eagle Flight failed to stop before crossing a runway slated for an executive jet. Fortunately, the jet had no clearance and there was no immediate threat of an incident.

Due to a high number of runway close calls in the past, the FAA instituted a rule "requiring air traffic controllers at LAX Tower to get a correct 'read back' of instructions from pilots arriving and departing the airport," according to the Daily Breeze. "The pilot apparently repeated the controller's instructions to stop, but continued across the runway..."

Improvements to LAX are on there way with a $333 million runway renovation plan called The South Airfield Improvement Project. It's scheduled to be completed in June. Other projects include a stoplight system and more taxiway lighting.

On Monday, a Qantas jet abandoned take-off after an emergency light came on, quickly using the breaks causing four tires to blow.

Of national importance to the airline industry, Tuesday saw the feds saying no in court to a New York state law that would have been the nation's first passengers bill of rights. If the bill would have stayed law, California was looking to have its own.