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LAX’s new ride-hail pickup policy poses problems for passengers, peeves students

(Daily Bruin file photo)

By Srikanth Raguraman

Nov. 5, 2019 10:29 p.m.

Walking home for Thanksgiving might be the best-case scenario for out-of-state students.

On Oct. 29, the Los Angeles International Airport implemented a ban on ride-hail vehicles picking up passengers directly at terminals. But the proposed solution, called LAX-it, may feel as long as another flight for all the passengers finding their ways home.

For out-of-state and international UCLA students, these problems go beyond a frustrating Uber ride. These students travel frequently, with LAX being the closest and primary airport service in the area. Factor in the popularity of Uber and other ride-hail services as students’ main form of transportation, and this ban is closer to a significant detriment than a minor inconvenience.

Concerns over the new ride-hail ban at LAX have been evident even before its implementation.

Now, those concerns are a reality.

Banning ride-hail pickups from terminals has exacerbated difficulties with traveling, as well as simply getting to and from the airport. LAX must acknowledge the shortcomings of the ride-hail ban and seriously reconsider its implementation.

Since the implementation of LAX-it, ride-hail trips through the LAX-it lot have been subject to extreme surge prices. Passengers have reported long waits and hefty prices for slow and backed-up pickups, which have only added fuel to the fire. Many have vocally expressed their frustrations at the inconveniences of LAX-it, which has left the system seemingly more broken than the one it tried to fix.

But as of now, it’s not like students have many other options.

The most popular alternatives, busing and shuttle services, have their own share of problems, too. The hustle for finding luggage and the bustle for grabbing a seat quickly drove students to the street.

Then, they called an Uber.

Clearly, shuttles services and busing to and from LAX are considered a last resort for many students.

For many students such as Catherine Chen, an international first-year sociology student, busing is a rather obscure and unknown option.

“Because the busing system isn’t broadcasted and advertised well, I wouldn’t know how to use one to get to LAX in the first place,” said Chen.

And on the off chance students actually wanted to use a shuttle, the shutdown of the LAX FlyAway bus in Westwood has taken away another option for out-of-state and international students.

With the recent ban, busing has proven to be as chaotic as expected. On the first day of the LAX-it implementation, shuttles were delayed at the curbside for roughly an hour because of traffic, leaving many passengers understandably irate. And the buses that served as an alternative made the whole system overcrowded – even by LAX standards.

One of the biggest issues with the implementation of the new LAX-it system is the surge pricing of ride-hailing.

Ride-hail services are costing much more to get to and from the LAX-it lot because of the traffic backup of drivers all going to and coming from the same location.

This increase in cost is accompanied by a decrease in the ride-hail system’s biggest selling point: its convenience. Under the LAX-it system, ride-hailing takes longer to pick up its passengers from LAX because of the backlog of drivers – making the new system both more expensive and less convenient for passengers.

The time it takes to get in and out of the LAX-it lot is valuable time wasted for both parties.

And for students who might have to travel hours upon hours, or even go through a confusing customs screening, waiting another hour in a sea of cars is the last thing they are looking forward to.

Elon Glouberman, a fourth-year cognitive science student, thinks the most important thing for many students is convenience and efficiency.

“I’d rather get to LAX as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Glouberman. “If that means a few extra dollars, then I don’t really mind.”

Many LAX travelers have been vocal about their dislike of the new system. Passengers have complained about how LAX is now even more of a nightmare for travel because of high prices, traffic and time wasted under LAX-it.

Heath Montgomery, the director of public relations for Los Angeles World Airports, spoke about the response to LAX-it.

“We’re aware that we’ve had unhappy customers, and we’re working on improving the LAX-it lot,” said Montgomery.

Yet the primary response LAX has offered to the harsh criticism is public apologies. LAX has been trying to make the experience as smooth and positive as possible by offering faster Wi-Fi and an active LAX Twitter account with updates on ride-hailing costs and wait times. The LAX-it lot has also been expanded by 50% as of Wednesday to accommodate the traffic.

But these “solutions” are mere Band-Aids slapped on an open wound. They don’t solve the root cause of LAX’s problem, which is the ban going into effect in the first place. LAX-it is an unnecessary stop in the already long journey for travelers and flyers, and it’s impacting traffic on the curbside as well, since shuttles and buses have forcibly become the last resort.

LAX-it was specifically created to solve these problems, but it’s quickly becoming one in and of itself.

Perhaps LAX-it will improve in time for Thanksgiving.

And if it does, passengers everywhere will give thanks for not having to walk home.

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Srikanth Raguraman | Opinion columnist
Raguraman is an Opinion columnist and News contributor.
Raguraman is an Opinion columnist and News contributor.
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