Airlines at LAX Execute ‘Largest Relocation in Airport History’

As part of a major reshuffling at Los Angeles International Airport, 15 airlines began to move over the weekend some or all of their operations to a different terminal at the facility.

The move, part of LAX’ “massive modernization effort” according to Sean Burton, president of the Los Angeles World Airport’s Board of Airport Commissioners, started late Friday night and will continue into the beginning of the week, albeit only during the wee hours of the morning when no flights are scheduled to depart or arrive.

It is the largest relocation in airport history in the United States, according to LAX officials, and is expected to be completed by the middle of the coming week.

The project actually began in January when American Airlines swapped four gates in Terminal 6 for four gates used by Delta in Terminal 5. A total of 28 airlines are being affected by the realignment.

The impetus behind the “finely choreographed” move is Delta’s relocation from its current home in Terminals 5 and 6 to new space in Terminals 2 and 3.

Among the airlines relocating are Air Canada, moving from T2 to T6; Hawaiian, moving from T2 to T5; JetBlue, moving from T3 to T5; Qatar, moving from T2 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal or TBIT; Southwest for international flights, moving from T2 to TBIT; Virgin America, moving from T3 to T6; and WestJet, moving from T2 to T3.

With 80,921,527 passengers having passed through its portals in 2016, LAX is the world’s fourth largest airport.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)