REOPENED CURBSIDES A HIT LAX TRAVELERS GRATEFUL FOR EASIER PICKUPS, DROP-OFFS.

Byline: Sabrina Decker Staff Writer

Travelers happily endured long lines, traffic jams and cops writing a lot of tickets Saturday as Los Angeles International Airport opened to private pickups and drop-offs for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Because of staffing concerns and the facility's two full miles of access, LAX is the last airport in the nation to reopen its curbsides to private traffic, airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said.

``It was very important for us to try to resume some level of normalcy, in particular before the holidays,'' Castles said.

The 5 a.m. reopening came none too soon for many holiday travelers, including homeward-bound USC student Rosalie Town, who arrived at the airport with several tremendous bags in tow.

``I don't think I could have made it without it!'' Town exclaimed. ``I have a tendency to exceed the 70-pound limit!''

Visiting Oklahoman William Fowler, who had just arrived in Los Angeles - also with an abundance of heavy baggage - was relieved he didn't have to carry it all over to the parking structure.

``It's a long haul to go over there,'' he said.

The accessibility was a relief, particularly for the elderly and infirm, yet this rediscovered convenience had to be balanced carefully with outstanding safety concerns.

The need for additional security personnel was one of the main reasons for the delay in reinstituting curbside drop-offs, Castles said.

At a press conference earlier this week, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn said that 20 additional security officers from the city Department of Transportation were being added for the reopening, in addition to the extra personnel already on duty.

``It seems like there's enough security here. I think you should be able to drop your loved ones off at the curb,'' remarked Pam Haworth of Los Angeles, who was en route to Salt Lake City.

``I think people are watchful,'' said Dona Lu Snyder, who came to Los Angeles from New Mexico on business. ``If anyone is doing anything suspicious, people will see it.''

``This is actually phenomenally good,'' Hallie Houck of Redondo Beach said of her wait. ``This line went all the way to the next terminal building when I was here for Thanksgiving.''

But not everyone was so pleased. The tougher guidelines set back some travelers who were used to the old system of being able to leave their cars for a few minutes, for example, to go look for a skycap.

``I'm waiting for a wheelchair!'' Helen Bailey of Santa Monica pleaded successfully to an airport security officer who seemed about to issue her a ticket for waiting in the passenger seat. The car directly behind her wasn't so lucky.

``I said, what's my 91-year-old dad going to do, sit on the curb?'' cried a frustrated Karen Cassimatis of Long Beach, who was threatened with a citation for leaving her car to find a wheelchair.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1) A couple watches travelers unload their baggage from a vehicle in front of the Southwest Airlines terminal at LAX.

(2 -- 3) Linda Lackey, below left, gives her mother, Temple Bearden, a goodbye hug as she drops her off at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday. For the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, private vehicles are allowed curbside at the airport, allowing passengers with lots of luggage, left, to get in and out much quicker.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News