Los Angeles International Airport Now Offers Touchless Experiences from Curb to Gate

From virtual assistance to touch-free kiosks, LAX innovations improve guest experience, and keep guests and employees safe and healthy

(Los Angeles, CA) Just ahead of the Labor Day holiday, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is providing travelers with an increasingly touch-free experience through cutting-edge technology, physical changes and policies that are designed to help people Travel Safely at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“At LAWA, new technology is making our facilities more touchless, clean and easier to navigate as we welcome more travelers back to the skies,” said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “We are aggressively creating a touch-free journey from the curb to the gate, setting the standard for a reimagined airport experience.”

Passengers will see quite a few changes and new technology at LAX if they have not traveled recently:

Turn Your Phone Into a Check-in Kiosk Remote Control
Guests traveling out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal now have the option of using their personal mobile device to control one of a dozen airline check-in kiosks within the Departures Level.

Passengers simply approach one of the designated kiosks, located in Aisle A of the terminal, and connect to a designated Wi-Fi service. Once connected, guests use the camera app on their phone to scan a unique QR code on the kiosk in front of them, and their phone will become a trackpad to control the kiosk. This cutting -edge, service puts control over the check-in process into travellers’ own hands and is available for any of the nearly two-dozen airlines that participate in the common-use check-in kiosk program.

Touchless Faucets, Hands-Free Drinking Fountains and Hand Sanitizer Stations

LAX plumbers have retrofitted traditional, manually operated drinking fountains in Terminal 4 to create a touchless system. To activate the drinking fountain, guests simply approach the device and lean over to begin the flow of water.   Plumbers are also converting more restroom faucets to touchless systems. Nearly half of the approximately 240 touch-type faucets have been replaced to date. Additionally, crews recently installed more than 250 hand sanitizer stations throughout the airport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Speeds Up Entry and Exit

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at LAX is piloting biometric technology that uses cameras to speed up entry and exit from the United States.

For departing passengers, CBP will use biometric facial comparison technology to match a new photo against images that the guest has already voluntarily provided to the government, such as a passport, to help verify a person’s identity prior to boarding select international flights. Biometric exit enhances security and streamlines the departure process for international travelers.

For those entering the country using Global Entry, a CBP Trusted Traveler Program for low-risk, preapproved travelers, a biometric kiosk prevents the need for passengers to swipe a passport or provide fingerprints at the time of entry. The new Global Entry kiosks have effectively reduced processing time of pre-approved members by nearly 90 percent, from 45 seconds to less than 6 seconds per traveler. Global Entry members bypass traditional CBP inspection lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the United States.

Virtual Assistance Available
The Virtual Assistance pilot program, which is now available in Terminal 2, allows airport guests to have real-time conversations with a customer service professional over a touch-free tablet system installed at the information booth.
As guests approach the information booth located on Lower/Arrivals Level, they will find a tablet connected to a Guest Experience Member (GEM) or other trained volunteer waiting to help them from a remote location. GEMs are available to answer questions between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. daily. The live video feed means guests can simply walk up to a tablet and begin a conversation as needed.

Some of the services offered at these screens include help with directions, ground transportation, shopping and dining recommendations and more. If guests require immediate attention from medical or law enforcement personnel, the representative can request their presence on the guest’s behalf. Should a guest require translation assistance in a foreign language, the representative will contact LAX’s translation service.

Touchless Document Scanners at TSA

LAX is using new Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) in which passengers insert their photo ID into a reader without needing to exchange documents or show a boarding pass at security screening checkpoints. However, even with TSA’s use of CAT, travelers still need to check in with their airline and show their boarding pass to the airline gate agent before boarding their flight.

Protective Barriers Keep People Safe

To help reduce physical contact throughout the airport, LAX and its partners have installed hundreds of new Plexiglas and acrylic barriers. LAX crews have installed more than 700 Plexiglas barriers at airline ticket counters and other locations around the airport.

As part of its national “Stay Healthy, Stay Secure” campaign, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has installed new acrylic barriers and associated equipment at TSA’s security checkpoints at LAX. These installations provide additional physical barriers between TSA officers and the traveling public at document checking podiums and along conveyor belts.

Creating Touchless Elevators

As a pilot program, elevators within the LAX Terminal 1 are now programmed to stop automatically at every floor, preventing the need for guests to touch individual buttons.

At the same time, the airport is testing new NanoSeptic button covers, which provide a self-cleaning anti-bacterial surface that is applied over high-touch surfaces such as elevator buttons. These special applications are currently being tested in elevators inside Terminal 1 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Personal Protective Equipment Vending Machines with Touch-Free Payment

Guests at LAX now have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hand sanitizer, face coverings and gloves via convenient vending machines located in the ticketing areas of most terminals. Each machine offers touch-free payment including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Additional travel tips
Here are some additional travel tips and things that may have changed since the last time you traveled at LAX:

• Check your flight status and arrive early: Checking your flight status before heading to the airport is important as some gate assignments may have changed. It’s also a good idea to check your airline’s latest policies, and to see whether digital boarding passes are available in place of printed ones. Arrive at least two hours before your departure time.
• Bring your face covering: Before heading to the airport, it’s important that passengers are prepared to wear a face covering at all times while at the airport, and likely while onboard their aircraft, depending on airline policies. The TSA officer may ask passenger to adjust or remove their face covering briefly in order to allow for verification of their identification. You may also remove a face covering to eat or drink when more than six feet away from others.
• Parking: All garages in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) remain open. Lot E is temporarily closed, but there are many off-airport parking options available. Check parking availability and daily rates at FlyLAX.com.
• Physical distancing measures: Signage will remind passengers to remain at least six feet distant from other guests at all areas where people congregate, including check-in, elevators, escalators and baggage claim areas. Due to physical separation, TSA lines may appear longer than usual and the screening process may take more time.
• Shopping and dining: While some airport concessions have closed or have reduced hours due to the decline in passenger traffic, there are still many options for passengers to pick up food or purchase retail items. Restaurants are offering items to go, which can be eaten in gate areas or on aircraft. Retail businesses are also offering many grab-and-go food options, and many locations offer touchless payment options. Alcoholic beverages may also be taken into gate areas, but my not be brought onto aircraft.    Remember, you can take your face covering off to eat or drink, but must put it back on when you are finished. Signs will remind passengers waiting in line at restaurants about maintaining physical distance. Passengers can avoid the line altogether at some restaurants by ordering through LAXshopdine.com.