LOS ANGELES, July 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air
Lines (NYSE: DAL) is moving forward with the first steps toward a
$1.9 billion plan to modernize,
upgrade and connect Terminals 2 and 3 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) over
the next seven years. Los Angeles World Airports' (LAWA) Board of
Airport Commissioners approved a terminal facilities lease and
license agreement earlier today. The future project, which will
also provide a secure connector to the north side of the Tom
Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), enables Delta to build a
premier space for its LAX operations alongside its airline
partners.
"LAX is America's gateway to the world, and it's helping to
power an economic resurgence across our city," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric
Garcetti. "This agreement represents a monumental step
forward as we invest billions to make LAX the world-class airport
that Angelenos and our visitors expect and deserve."
"This is a significant milestone for Delta in Los Angeles, and it illustrates a strong,
successful public-private partnership," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. "Delta is working hard to become the
preferred airline for Angelenos, and this project reinforces our
commitment to our LAX hub and to an ever-higher level of service
for our customers."
The relocation will expand Delta's gates at LAX commensurate
with the airline's growth there. Since 2009, Delta has more than
doubled its number of seats and grown from 70 daily departures to
more than 175.
By relocating from Terminals 5 and 6 to the complex at Terminals
2 and 3, Delta will operate alongside many of its airline partners,
including Aeromexico, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Australia. Later,
a secure connection to TBIT will enable seamless access to
additional partners, including Air France-KLM, Alitalia,
China Eastern, and China
Southern.
Once remodeled, the new space will provide all the amenities
that Delta's customers have come to expect at LAX, including a
private Delta One check-in lounge, new Delta Sky Clubs, fast check-in for Delta Shuttle
services, and an integrated in-line baggage system. The facility
will offer convenient passenger flows, sufficient gate-area
seating, and a world-class concession program in partnership with
Westfield Corporation.
"Ultimately, Delta's new home base at LAX will provide
everything our customers currently benefit from at Terminal 5,
along with enhancements that will enable best-in-class check-in,
faster connection times for seamless connectivity, and an
industry-leading customer experience," said Ranjan Goswami, Delta Vice President – Sales, West.
The project also supports LAWA's broader efforts to enable a
more balanced and efficient airport for customers and airlines;
provide a smooth connection to LAWA's planned Landside Access
Modernization Project, once completed; and upgrade and modernize
LAX before the city's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
"The ongoing $8.5-billion LAX
Modernization Program has resulted in a new Tom Bradley
International Terminal, airfield and roadway improvements, as well
as over $2 billion invested by
airlines to renovate Terminals 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8," said LAWA Board
President Sean Burton. "Partnering
with Delta Air Lines will allow both parties to further our shared
goal to significantly improve the guest experience at LAX."
"LAWA and all our airline partners are committed to continuing
to transform LAX into a leading-edge facility that delivers an
experience that truly caters to the modern traveler," said LAWA CEO
Deborah Flint. "This project will
create a more balanced and efficient airport for both customers and
airlines, as well as allow for the co-location of Delta with its
partners."
Following today's lease approval by the LAWA board, Delta will
move forward with an initial investment of $350 million to design and renovate gate areas,
support space and other amenities for passengers; upgrade the
baggage handling systems in the terminals; and facilitate the
relocation of those airlines currently located in Terminals 2 and 3
to Terminals 5, 6, and TBIT in accordance with a relocation plan
vetted with the other airlines and approved by LAWA. The project
remains subject to further approval by the Los Angeles City Council
and other agencies.
"We are grateful for our partnership with LAWA as we work
together to invest at LAX, and we look forward to engaging the Los
Angeles City Council and other parties on forthcoming review and
approval of this important investment," said Bastian.
In 2015, Delta became one of the first airlines to partner with
LAWA on a major terminal redevelopment program when it successfully
delivered a $229 million facilities
enhancement of Terminal 5 at LAX. That project introduced a
newly remodeled Delta Sky Club, a renovated Sky Priority lobby and
a brand new premium check-in experience, Delta ONE at LAX, The
terminal also features new jet-bridges and baggage carousels as
well as international baggage recheck facilities. In conjunction
with the redevelopment, the terminal's concessions program was
updated to feature locally popular offerings that reflect the
diversity, cuisine, and lifestyle of Los
Angeles.
Since 2009, Delta has been the fastest-growing carrier at LAX.
This year, the airline launched five daily flights from LAX to
Denver International Airport, a
key route for business travelers in Los
Angeles; expanded the Delta Shuttle to include Los Angeles-Seattle and Seattle-San
Francisco in addition to Los
Angeles-San Francisco;
increased service to both New York-JFK and Seattle to 10 daily flights; added a third
daily flight to Boston; and will
be launching new Aspen service in
December.
Delta offers more premium cabin seating from LAX and more
on-demand audio and video than any other airline serving
Los Angeles. All Delta flights
from LAX also provide free premium entertainment through Delta
Studio; Wi-Fi is available on every domestic flight. The airline
continues to build on its efforts to serve the specialized needs of
customers in the Los Angeles
entertainment, production and tech industries through nonstop
service to top industry destinations, exclusive partnerships that
provide premium in-flight content on Delta Studio, and curated
travel experiences like the Delta Festival Shuttle.
Delta's commitment to Los
Angeles also means more than providing exceptional service
in the skies and on the ground at LAX. Its 3,800 LA-based employees
are also deeply integrated into the community, working with
organizations and supporting causes that are near and dear to the
hearts of Angelenos, including AIDS Walk Los Angeles, Children's
Hospital Los Angeles, Covenant House California, Habitat for
Humanity of Greater Los Angeles,
Junior Achievement of Southern
California, KaBOOM!, LA Regional Food Bank, and The Motion
Picture and Television Fund, among many others.
For more information, visit www.delta.com.
About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million
customers each year. In 2016, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50
Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired
airline for the fifth time in six years. Additionally, Delta has
ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for
an unprecedented five consecutive years. With an industry-leading
global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer
service to 337 destinations in 62 countries on six continents.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta
employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a
mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding
member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the
industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air
France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin
Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers
customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets
including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow,
Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita.
Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities,
global products and services, and technology to enhance the
customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional
information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as
delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and
Facebook.com/delta.
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SOURCE Delta Air Lines