LAX makes top 100 airports
Los Angeles International Airport is 91st on the list of the world’s top 100 airports, according to the annual rankings by SkyTrax.
Los Angeles International Airport has returned to the list of the world’s top 100 airports. But just barely.
After failing for several years to make a top 100 ranking that is based on a survey of 13.5 million air travelers, LAX broke into the list in 98th position last year and moved up to 91st this year.
The world’s top airport was Singapore Changi Airport, followed by Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Munich Airport in Germany, according to the annual rankings by SkyTrax, an air- transport industry research company based in Britain.
The top U. S. airports were Denver International, Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
LAX, which hosted nearly 75 million passengers last year, ranks low because of dirty facilities, long lines and rude staff, according to air travelers who have posted reviews on the SkyTrax website.
“This is a terrible airport, the worst I have visited in the last couple of years,” an Australian traveler wrote on the website in January about LAX. “I would try to avoid this airport in future.”
LAX officials say the airport will continue to improve by tackling one of its biggest shortfalls: a lack of connection to mass transit.
Los Angeles County transit officials have approved funding for a light rail station, connected to a peoplemover system to link a consolidated car- rental facility, a ground transportation hub and the LAX terminal area. Unfortunately, the multibillion- dollar rail project to LAX isn’t scheduled to open until 2023.
“As we continue to modernize the airport and im- prove congestion and create an atmosphere that makes people feel they are appreciated, LAX will move up the ranking,” LAX spokeswoman Mary Grady said.
LAX got hit with more bad news this month: In a ranking of airports with the longest lines at customs and immigration checkpoints, LAX came in fourth, with an average wait times of about 20 minutes.
The longest waits were at John F. Kennedy International Airport ( 25 minutes), San Francisco International Airport ( 24 minutes) and Miami International Airport ( 22 minutes), according to Global Gateway Alliance, a nonprofit New York advocacy group promoting improved public access.
Hotels push guests to book directly
Hotels are giving out extra perks to guests who book directly from their websites as part of an increasingly heated war with online travel businesses.
Hotels are pushing guests to book directly on their websites to avoid pay- ing a 15% to 25% commission charged for bookings through websites including Expedia. com and Booking. com. Online travel agents say customers can compare prices and f ind lower rates by using online sites.
“Consumers want the ability to see and compare all of their options, and they can’t do that when they book directly with a hotel,” said Stephen Shur, president of the Travel Technology Assn., a coalition of online travel sites.
The battle comes as the nation’s hotels report record occupancy levels and nearrecord revenue per room.
The American Hotel and Lodging Assn. recently called for legislation to combat fraudulent online booking sites. But Shur and his group say the hotel association is exaggerating the problem to scare people away from online travel sites.
As for the perks, the Hotel Amarano in Burbank offers guests who book directly either a $ 25 food and beverage credit to use at the hotel’s eateries or a room upgrade. Guests who book di- rectly at the Beverly Hilton Hotel can get free Wi- Fi.
In Hawaii, a hotel management group is giving daily $ 20 Starbucks gift cards to guests who book directly at the group’s Lite hotels, plus 12 other properties across the islands.
“It’s becoming necessary for today’s hotel brands to stay ahead by enticing travelers in new ways,” said Matt Bailey, president and chief operating officer at AquaAston Hospitality.