More World Travelers Using LAX
More international travelers flew in and out of Los Angeles International Airport in the first three months of this year than in any previous first quarter in its 76-year history.
The record increase marks a milestone for LAX, the nation's main gateway to Asia and its No. 2 point of departure for Latin America. The airport has been slower to rebound from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks than most other major U.S. airports.
Low airfares, an early Easter holiday and a weak U.S. dollar, which encouraged more Europeans and Asians to travel here, boosted international traffic in the first three months of the year, even as domestic flights continue to lag.
Just two years ago, the outbreak of SARS in Asia and the war in Iraq compounded a stubborn international travel downturn brought on by the terrorist skyjackings.
Today, flights are so full that several of the 56 carriers flying to foreign countries posted double-digit gains in the number of passengers in the first quarter over last year. And many are considering adding service or have already done so.
"It's going to be a busy summer," said Frank Clark, executive director of the organization that represents carriers at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Despite increased travel, most domestic airlines are still struggling to break even, hurt by fare cuts and soaring fuel prices. U.S. carriers have been looking to cash in on more lucrative international flights by adding service overseas and cutting domestic routes.
The increase in international travelers at LAX bodes well for the region's economy, which relies heavily on dollars spent by foreign tourists in shops, hotels and restaurants.
International travelers comprised 17.5% of the 24.3 million visitors to Los Angeles last year, but spent about 28% of the $12 billion that visitors added to the economy, according to LA Inc., the city's convention and visitors bureau.
"They tend to spend more, that's the bottom line," said Christopher Heywood, manager of corporate communications at LA Inc. "They are our prized market."
Shopkeepers at LAX said a better exchange rate has given travelers from Europe and Asia more pocket money, which they're using to buy luxury items such as chocolates, cigars and liquor.
"Sales are increasing, for sure, with us," said Joe Lyons, vice president of business development for Duty Free Shops, which operates 10 shops at LAX. "If Europeans come here, they find themselves with a lot of bargains."
