Airport Anxiety

It is time for another voice to express a strong displeasure about the conditions at Los Angeles International Airport. I refer to the long delays to collect baggage after a flight, as well as the general overcrowding of practically every area of the facility.

It is not unique to have to wait 45 minutes before the bags start coming out onto the carousels. Even then there is an intermittent stream of baggage as if the one person off-loading the aircraft has to make a second trip.

I have no technical knowledge of how to make the baggage service more efficient, but I could ease the problem a bit as well as solve the overcrowding situation quickly.

Visiting friends and relatives should not be allowed to meet the planes nor should they be allowed into the baggage areas. Look at some of the major airports around the world such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich and Hong Kong, and you will find that the unticketed people are not allowed past the security checks for departing passengers. Arriving passengers must wait to meet their friends/relatives until their baggage is secured and then walk into the waiting room to meet those who have come for them.

I doubt if the problem of numerous “extras” was taken into consideration when planning the airport. We understand the amount of traffic is to increase by the year 2000 by another two or three million passengers. I fully expect to find a true gridlock not too far in the future.

JACK MASON

Los Osos