Public Viewing Site For Historic Arrival Of Airbus A380 At Los Angeles International Airport Released

In anticipation of several thousand people arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to view the historic landing of the Airbus A380 -- the world’s largest airliner -- airport officials today announced a recommended site adjacent to the airport where the landing may be viewed by the public.

The aircraft is scheduled to touchdown at 9:30 a.m. PDT on Monday, March 19, 2007, on the northside of the airport and taxi to the Flight Path Learning Center/LAX Imperial Terminal on the southside of the airport for a by-invitation-only arrival ceremony.

The recommended viewing site, Northside Parkway, is adjacent to the airport’s north airfield perimeter fence and can be accessed by walking westbound along Westchester Parkway for approximately 1.25 miles west of Sepulveda Blvd. The entire distance of Northside Parkway (from McConnell Avenue on the east to Loyola Blvd. on the west) will be closed beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, 2007. Spectators should arrive at Northside Parkway after 5 a.m. on Monday, March 19.

The public is advised to use public transportation to Westchester, a Los Angeles community north of the airport, or park in public parking lots such as LAX Economy Parking Lot C at 96th Street and Sepulveda Blvd. Several privately operated public parking facilities are also located in Westchester along Sepulveda Blvd. and Century Blvd. No stopping or parking will be allowed on Lincoln Blvd., a major thoroughfare on the north side of the airport.

It is anticipated that there may be traffic congestion which may result in intermittent street closures around the area. Therefore, the public is encouraged to use public transportation and arrive early.

Overnight sleeping or camping around the airport’s perimeter fence, including at Northside Parkway, is prohibited by Los Angeles City ordinance and will be strictly enforced. Prospective observers planning to stay in the airport area on Sunday night are encouraged to visit the airport’s website at www.lawa.org for a list of airport-area hotels. In particular, hotels along Century Blvd. and Airport Blvd. -- two airport access streets into LAX -- have rooms overlooking the airport’s north airfield or aircraft landing path.

On Monday, viewers on the southside of the airport will be able to see the A380 on approach (but not actual “touchdown” on the runway) and the aircraft taxiing into the LAX Imperial Terminal ramp. There are no recommended viewing sites on airport property along Imperial Highway on the southside of the airport.

The Flight Path Learning Center and adjacent airport property will be closed to the public on Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 20, for private events related to the A380. It will reopen to the public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21.

The aircraft is scheduled to depart LAX on the southside of the airport between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20, and can only be viewed from the southside. Viewers may park at Dockweiler Beach, owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, to see the aircraft taking off overhead.