LA airport is the entry to hell

[Shekoucitizen]

The first post i did on this board was about hotelrooms.
This was in LA It brought back a lot of memories.

I arrived in LA late and went through the usual hassles, but finally getting out of the airport and stepping out into the usual and for me new LA atmosphere of heat and pollution was a true breathtaking experience.

The exit and departure points for buses for hotels was narrow, enclosed by walls and without wind or airmovement, so it stank of diesel, petrol and was chokingly hot.

For me this was how hell, in the afterlife would be like, arriving in the forecourt of hell and being carted off to the various departments for my most common sin.
Separate buses for adultery, boozing, fraud, etc,etc.
Taxis for those who could afford to go, for the last time, comfortably

Have any other people on this board has also such weird experiences that have very little or nothing to do with nudism?

[Baron Lake]

Shek, I think you can get a monthly transit pass for the busses and switch off. After all,
you wouldn't want to spend all your time on the "fraud" bus. Or, I suppose as a practical
matter, on the adultery bus either. Well at least it sounds like you arrived on a nice day
(for LA). :)

b.l.

[Sanslines]

What is LA airport? Are you talking about LAX (Los Angeles Int'l airport)? What you describe is a real nightmare and is nothing at all like LAX. Choking heat at night? LAX is by the Pacific Ocean and there is almost always a westerly breeze.

As for all of these buses to different departments such as 'fraud, adultery, and boozing, etc', there is only one kind of bus that will take you to all of these places at once from LAX. The bus goes to Las Vegas. Are you certain that you weren't thinking of going to Vegas?

This nightmare of yours sounds like a real wake up call in that you better clean up your act and fast so you will be eligible to take one of the air conditioned stretch limosines at LAX to a fancy resort and spend your days relaxing poolside instead of on a 'vice' bus to Las Vegas.

[Sanslines]

Shek, I think you can get a monthly transit pass for the busses and switch off. After all,
you wouldn't want to spend all your time on the "fraud" bus. Or, I suppose as a practical
matter, on the adultery bus either. Well at least it sounds like you arrived on a nice day
(for LA). :)

b.l.

He can always ask for bus transfers passes so he can get off one vice bus and onto another bus at any time. Perhaps he was remembering a certain trip to Hollywood?

[Wcstflyer]

The first post i did on this board was about hotelrooms.
This was in LA It brought back a lot of memories.

I arrived in LA late and went through the usual hassles, but finally getting out of the airport and stepping out into the usual and for me new LA atmosphere of heat and pollution was a true breathtaking experience.

The exit and departure points for buses for hotels was narrow, enclosed by walls and without wind or airmovement, so it stank of diesel, petrol and was chokingly hot.

For me this was how hell, in the afterlife would be like, arriving in the forecourt of hell and being carted off to the various departments for my most common sin.
Separate buses for adultery, boozing, fraud, etc,etc.
Taxis for those who could afford to go, for the last time, comfortably

Have any other people on this board has also such weird experiences that have very little or nothing to do with nudism?


My goodness, what happened to you? I agree that LAX is aging poorly, the ugly lattice-work is still up on the Theme Building and the Tom Bradley terminal, originally built back in '84 for the Olympics, is crowded and not yet fully Airbus A380 capable despite what LAWA officials say. But the good news is you landed safely in the U.S.A.!

The biggest mistake tourists make is to attempt to get around Southern California using public transportation like buses and light rail. Someone from Queenstown, New Zealand riding aboard a Los Angeles urban bus may indeed think they are in a kind of hell- or at the very least Bizzaro World. As the bus travels through the concrete scenery of South Central LA and Watts it doesn't look at all like the travel brochure world of beaches, palm tree-lined streets and famous landmarks. Another frequent mistake is not to know the exact location of the hotel you have booked. We once met a nice couple from Australia that were stranded in the Doubletree hotel in Orange, California (with no car) after their travel agent in Melbourne saw photos of the hotel adjacent to Disneyland and Newport Beach. After a few days they escaped to an upscale nudist resort in Palm Springs where we met them.

I know we travel on the opposite side of the road from New Zealand but I trust you are a fast learner. Call Hertz and reserve a rental (hire) car. :)

[Redtan]

Hey Shek:
Sign me up for the 'I hate LAX club'. Worst airport I've ever used by far.

Did they lose/damage your luggage? I was by an open door to a luggage 'handling' room and watched them literally kick and throw suitcases 30 feet across the floor. My luggage came to me damaged by oil (??) and they broke a bottle that was in the luggage. My wife's clothes smelled like rum (which wasn't all bad;)) for months!

The place was chaos and those on transferring flights were hounded and herded much like those old etchings of the devils in hell moving the damned along.

[richo]

My only complaint two complaints about LAX:
One, you have to actually exit one terminal and enter another, going through security again, if you're changing airlines.
Two, the airport can't be expanded at all and it's operating at pretty close to full capacity.

Other than that, I have far fewer problems at LAX than I have in any other airport.

As for L.A. itself - yes, the city is definately lacking in public transportation (for a lot of reasons, some stupid and some legitimate). The smog is far less than it used to be; many days, it's not even there. It's rarely hot at LAX at night: the average high is between 66 and 77 degrees, and that's for all day. The rest of LA - especially downtown - can periodically get to the 100's in the fall, but I don't know that LAX has ever been that warm, especially at night. To call such "usual" or even "normal" is more than a stretch.

The biggest problem LA has is all the people who think it's like they see on T.V., but that has little to do with weather.

[nimrod]

Actually LAX is only one of many portals to hell. The DMV has many offices across this country and I am pretty sure most of them are portals to hell. Disneyland is a well disquised portal, anyone who has rode It's a Small World will agree with me. I am sure there are others just cannot think of them right now.

[Shekoucitizen]

To clarify a few points about LA airport.
It was at least 20 years ago.
The airport was LAX
The heat factor was caused by the difference in temperature; the air condioned building versus the outside temperature ' pollution was very much there, at that time.
The hotel was on the Avenue of Champions, a short taxi ride.
To complete the short term cultural difference: on the way, through Lennox I saw a big sign: Topless beer.
Im assumed it was the staff rather than the beer.
My 3 day stay was memorable indeed

[Baretodabone]

Hey, I worked at the LAX airport some 40+ years ago... it was crazy then, can't imagine what 40 years has done to her. It was a fun place to work back then... even lived across the highway from the airport... my apartment window had a grand view of the comings and goings of the planes as they took off over the Pacific.

[Sanslines]

Actually LAX is only one of many portals to hell. The DMV has many offices across this country and I am pretty sure most of them are portals to hell. Disneyland is a well disquised portal, anyone who has rode It's a Small World will agree with me. I am sure there are others just cannot think of them right now.

The DMV is endlessly overworked and with the never ending saga of state budget problems , the DMV will always be on the frontline when it comes to unpaid furloughs, etc. Plan to renew your tags at least 6 months in advance, as that will eventually be how long that it will take for the DMV to process such requests given that work keeps piling up.

Didn't the DMV outsource some of the processing work to foreign countries in order to save money?

[Sanslines]

The smog is far less than it used to be; many days, it's not even there.

I dunno bout that. A trip to the San Gabriel Valley is enough to convince anyone that there still is plenty of choking smog around.

[Wcstflyer]

To clarify a few points about LA airport.
It was at least 20 years ago.
The airport was LAX
The heat factor was caused by the difference in temperature; the air condioned building versus the outside temperature ' pollution was very much there, at that time.
The hotel was on the Avenue of Champions, a short taxi ride.
To complete the short term cultural difference: on the way, through Lennox I saw a big sign: Topless beer.
Im assumed it was the staff rather than the beer.
My 3 day stay was memorable indeed


The strip joint at the entrance to LAX (Century Blvd. & Aviation Blvd.) has been there since Air New Zealand was flying DC-8s. I don't believe that was your topless beer place since the California laws stipulate no alcohol can be served where there is complete nudity, the theory being once males see a totally nude woman the sensory stimulation is likely to cause drunken riots and men parting with their life savings.

To demonstrate that my mind is not always on drunken debauchery here is a Youtube link from your NZSO (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra). They perform admirably well and give a credible Pines of Rome worthy of a Berlin Philharmonic or a Cleveland Orchestra. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeVcEXaa8Xs

[nimrod]

The DMV is endlessly overworked and with the never ending saga of state budget problems , the DMV will always be on the frontline when it comes to unpaid furloughs, etc. Plan to renew your tags at least 6 months in advance, as that will eventually be how long that it will take for the DMV to process such requests given that work keeps piling up.

Didn't the DMV outsource some of the processing work to foreign countries in order to save money?

I am not sure if the DMV did or not, thought that I heard some rumor of that happening but not sure if they actually did it or not. I think it was also supposed to be temparary just to get caught up on the back log.

I think the biggest problem with the DMV is that they have no incentive to work hard (hard is not quite the right word but still fits), they have no real competition to lose their jobs too, they recieve the same amount of pay for seeing ten people has they do for seeing one hundred, they have no reason to improve.

I go to AAA for anything that I can do there and avoid the DMV when possible.

[Sanslines]

The strip joint at the entrance to LAX (Century Blvd. & Aviation Blvd.) has been there since Air New Zealand was flying DC-8s.


Yeah but that strip joint is with walking distance from LAX and deserves an exemption because it is not necessary to board a vice bus to get to it.

[nudeM]

LAX is a strip joint in part because you are striped of your senses when you leave. That place is such a hassle, but I must admit, for being such a large airport, they pretty much have things in relatively good order. Once you learn the ins and outs of the operation, you are pretty well set up. But the people, now that's another subject. lol

[Sanslines]

LAX is a strip joint in part because you are striped of your senses when you leave. That place is such a hassle, but I must admit, for being such a large airport, they pretty much have things in relatively good order. Once you learn the ins and outs of the operation, you are pretty well set up. But the people, now that's another subject. lol

What people? DO you mean the security and INS people? I have actually found them to be very friendly considering that they have to deal with a never ending line of passengers that have to be security screened. If you think LAX is so bad, you should come through my local ariport security, where the security guards are so bored that they are mean, angry, scowl, and yell at people. They make any passeneger glad to be leaving town!

Believe it or not, LAX has been advertised as a great place to come and shop as the place is advertised with many friendly and happy store merchants. Where else can you go to get two Happy Meals for the price of one. lol.............lol

[nimrod]

Just heard today on a news report a plan to modernize LAX, the report did not specify what that ment but the plans are to make it better. LAX if fifty years old so they felt it was time to make improvements even though it is ranked as one of the best airports in the U.S..

[Sanslines]

Just heard today on a news report a plan to modernize LAX, the report did not specify what that ment but the plans are to make it better. LAX if fifty years old so they felt it was time to make improvements even though it is ranked as one of the best airports in the U.S..

The info was covered in the Daily Breeze last Fall:

LAX modernization unveiled

<!--subtitle-->The plan includes 32 new gates that could accommodate newer, super-wide jetliners.
<!--byline-->By Art Marroquin, Staff Writer
<!--date-->Posted: 11/17/2008 10:56:14 PM PST
<!--secondary date-->


<SCRIPT language=JavaScript> var requestedWidth = 0; </SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> if(requestedWidth < 300){ requestedWidth = 300; } </SCRIPT>http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2008/1117/20081117__C_TN18-BRADLEY+PC3GOO2_300.JPG (http://www.dailybreeze.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=2191224 ) Politicians and executives gather to look over a model of plans revealed Monday for a dramatic modernization of Los Angeles International Airport. (Brad Graverson / Staff Photographer)



<SCRIPT language=JavaScript> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').styl e.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').styl e.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </SCRIPT>
City officials on Monday unveiled a modernization plan for Los Angeles International Airport that would cost an estimated $5 billion to $7 billion and pay homage to the Pacific Ocean.

Plans call for a dramatic remodeling of the Tom Bradley International Terminal and a new Midfield Satellite Concourse, resulting in the addition of 32 new airline gates capable of accommodating newer, wide-bodied jetliners.

"Today marks a major milestone in our effort to modernize this hub of the region's transportation system and to restore its status as an international gateway during a challenging era of aviation," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said during a news conference at LAX.

"It's an eye-opening vision," he said. "It's truly a vision to behold, representing the best of Los Angeles."

The first phase, set for completion in mid-2013, calls for remodeling the Bradley terminal and building six new aircraft gates capable of handling super-jumbo jets, such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. By 2012, LAX is expected to serve more A380 flights than any other airport in North America.

Plans also call for building a new passenger processing center, several taxiways and a people mover tram that winds its way around the entire airport.
While a timeline remains unclear, construction of the proposed Midfield Satellite Concourse would begin sometime after the Bradley project, according to airport officials.

"We are finally one step closer to realizing our dream of making Los Angeles, once again, the home of a world-class international airport, an airport that not only meets the needs of the airlines, but exceeds the expectations of air travelers," said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who chairs the council committee that oversees LAX.


The proposed exterior design celebrates the airport's proximity to the beach. Curved stainless steel panels give the appearance of waves lapping at the terminal's rooftop. Large windows and skylights allow natural sunlight to pour into the passenger walkways.

Tall, white parabolic arches - similar to those of the iconic Theme Building - are incorporated into a two-level bridge connecting the Bradley terminal to the new midfield terminal. Travelers can opt to ride a train on the bridge's lower level, or stroll along an automated pedestrian walkway on the upper level. Viewing lounges at each end of the bridge provide views of downtown, the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
The modernistic, beach- themed concept was based on comments gathered during a series of community meetings, according to Denver-based architect Curtis Fentress, who was awarded a $41.5million, three-year design contract earlier this year.

"One of the things people really wanted was a modern building, they wanted an experience for the passenger that would be dramatic and exciting, something that people would go home and tell their friends about," Fentress said. "They wanted it to be emblematic of L.A."
The city of Los Angeles has spent more than $250 million over the past 15 years developing airport modernization plans backed by Villaraigosa and two of his predecessors. Construction of the Bradley terminal and the second-level roadway were the last major changes made at LAX, completed just before the 1984 Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles.

Airport and city officials said they remain optimistic about completing the Bradley terminal renovations within a tight, self-imposed five-year deadline.

The national recession has forced other airports across the country to scale back, postpone or completely scrub similar capital improvement projects. The project also comes as fewer travelers are passing through LAX.

The airport served nearly 68million passengers at its peak in 2000, but is projected to handle about 59 million by the end of this year - the lowest level in 12 years.

If the airport isn't quickly modernized, then international carriers might move flights to other airports, resulting in more passenger losses and a potential hit to the regional economy, said Samuel Garrison, vice president of public policy for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
"This is absolutely vital to ensuring Los Angeles' position as a world-class destination and a global economic leader," Garrison said. "We don't really have any options if we want to keep flights and money coming in, so making sure this is done the right way is going to be a win for the entire region."


http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_11010607

[Shekoucitizen]

Since this post has morhed into the quality or the lack of it,of airports, O'Hare in Chicago, on a December day , was equally a memorable event.
It was bedlam, snow coming down, thousands in the terminal, flights delayed.
I had plenty of time to kill and admired the design of the main terminal, all exposed construction and a tunnel between terminals, with light panels on the side and neon strips that pulsed on the beat on just hearable music. Fantastic.

My flight gate turned out to be in a much older part, fashioned in a long ago style of 30 or 40 years ago.
The flight to Amsterdam was memorable, in that 747, there were no more than 50 passengers. I travelled first class.on a cattle class ticket

Travel broadened my mind, mostly since it was the first time I could return "home" after 22 years away.