LAX Travelers, Be Forewarned

Have you experienced the new program they have now at LAX for those who use taxis or services such as Uber or Lyft? It just started and I must warn you, it is a nightmare and more than double the cost to get out. What used to take me about 10 minutes for a hassle-free pickup from Uber took a very stressful hour at LAX this past week.

In the not-so-old days, you could pick up your items at baggage claim and order your ride for Uber. You would then walk upstairs to be picked up in a matter of minutes and off you’d go. As of last week, you now must wait for and then board a crowded shuttle bus and be taken to the ground transportation lot. When you get off, you’ll see a massive crowd of people with shocked faces like yours, all standing in extremely long lines.

There are separate lines for taxis, Uber and Lyft. Our Uber ride easily took at least 40 minutes of standing in line like cattle to get to a car. And then it got even worse. I paid Uber about $75 to take me to LAX. I had to pay $160 to get back home. Everyone was stunned and outraged by this new program and I cannot imagine what it will be like for the Thanksgiving holidays.

In more than 40 years of air travel, it is by far the worst system I’ve ever seen at an airport. And so, if your future plans to LAX include one of these ground transportation services, just be warned that it is very stressful, long and expensive. I strongly recommend you consider a different option.

Gil Mertz Thousand Oaks