People flying to Los Angeles might be facing a bit of an issue with a new rule that has been put in place. Officials at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) announced that they will be banning all curbside pickups by ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft as well as pickups by taxis.
Aim to reduce congestion
From October 29, travellers who want to catch an Uber or Lyft will be taken by shuttle to a parking lot near Terminal 1. They will be able to book their rides only once they reach there. Keith Wilschetz, deputy executive director of Operations and Emergency Management Division at Los Angeles World Airport explained that the practice of curbside pickups is ending to lessen congestion at the airport.
He said, “We understand that trying to get into the central terminal area is a challenge and has been for a long time, and we’ve been working to make that much better. This is a way we can do that.”
How will passengers be affected by this new rule?
Passengers will have to wait for three to five minutes for the shuttle at the airport. Visitors who are leaving the airport will be allowed to walk to the parking lot, however, that may take more time than the shuttle. Once at the lot, passengers will have to wait for about 15 minutes for their ride to arrive. There is some good news for passengers; LAX will still allow rideshare cabs to drop off passengers at terminals.
A spokesperson discussed the upcoming changes with Skift saying: “We are continuously assessing our operations as we modernize our airport and confront significant construction impacts. In the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing some of the new ways that we are working to improve the guest experience and improve traffic conditions at and around LAX, with a focus on an easy, efficient, and amenities-rich experience.”
