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Southwest Terminal At LAX Now Has 9-Lane Security, Urth Caffé And Trejo's Tacos
Danny Trejo, Mayor Eric Garcetti and friends at the opening of Terminal 1's Trejo's Tacos (Photo: Caleigh Wells for KPCC/LAist)
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Going to LAX is always going to be a bit of a nightmare. It's massive, congested, and inconveniently located for many Angelenos.
But Southwest Airlines is hoping to assuage some of your airport-induced rage with a curb-to-gate makeover of Terminal 1, which they unveiled Friday at 11:00 a.m.
The airline invested $516 million in the transformation, and renovations spanned four years. According to a statement from a Southwest rep, the company's goal was to address the very real problems associated with LAX -- things like the bottleneck congestion that often clogs the airport's entrance on Century Boulevard, long ticketing and security lines, and less-than-electrifying options for killing time or getting food as you wait for your flight.
To that end, Terminal 1 now boasts a nine-lane security checkpoint (yup), new self-service check-in kiosks, and restaurants and shops integrated into areas where passengers wait for their flights. Individuals flying Southwest can grab a bite at restaurants like Urth Caffé, Trejo's Tacos and Cassell's Hamburgers.
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KPCC's Caleigh Wells was on site for the unveiling, and reports that Mayor Garcetti -- who was on hand to make a speech -- promised this would be the first of many renovations at LAX:
Mayor Eric Garcetti unveils the first major renovation to LAX’s first terminal since the last Olympic Games hosted here in 1984. It cost more than half a billion dollars and billions more will go into other terminals after this to make LAX “the airport of tomorrow.” @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/mfDaGMaQ63
— Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) November 30, 2018
Wells also notes that some passengers are quite appreciative of the new amenities:
Trish Lambert is from LA and says the renovation is money well spent. She appreciates the new restrooms, the cup holders in the new seats, and the shorter security lines. @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/cgoAvS9EvK
— Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) November 30, 2018
Looks like flying in and out of Los Angeles -- for folks living in cities served by Southwest, at least -- just got a little less terrible.
UPDATES:
Nov. 30, 3:38 p.m.: This article was updated with the correct number of security lanes -- the number is nine, not 12.
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Dec. 4, 2:32pm: This article was updated to better reflect the investment amount.
This article was originally published at 12:05 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2018.
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