For travelers at Los Angeles International Airport, the promised Automated People Mover has been an exercise in patience. The most recent opening date has been pushed from next month to Jan. 6 of next year.
“It just seems like there’s another delay, another delay, and then they got excited about it, and then there’s another delay,” passenger Derrick Perry said.
The 2.5-mile electric train — also known as SkyLink — is supposed to move people to parking lots, rental car centers and the transportation hub, but the only thing that is moving is the finish line. It was originally scheduled to be ready in 2023 before getting pushed to 2024, 2025, 2026 and then January 2027.
“They keep talking about a people mover because we used to be over here for Western, and now we’re over on the other side for Delta,” said Gretta Sparks, another passenger. “So it would be easier to go from one spot if you did have a people mover.”
LAX shared the following statement with NBC Los Angeles on Thursday:
“The safety and absolute reliability of the SkyLink train are our highest priorities as we progress toward passenger service. Rigorous, exhaustive testing of all tracks, signaling systems, and vehicles is the standard industry practice for major airport transit infrastructure to guarantee seamless long-term system integration.
“We will not compromise on these stringent safety protocols, as delivering a system that safely, dependably, and durably serves Los Angeles and our upcoming global events is our primary focus.”
Images: See renderings of the LAX Automated People Mover
The system must successfully operate for 30 consecutive days before it can carry passengers. In the meantime, people will have to continue to endure the congestion, crowds and traffic.
“When they get it done, we’ll all be happy,” passenger Melba Collins said. “When that happens, who knows?”