TAKING TO THE SKIES REGION'S AIRPORTS UNDERGOING CHANGES.

Byline: - Rick Orlov

Already one of the world's five busiest airports, Los Angeles International Airport is preparing for a new age of bigger jets - and coping with increased security threats - with a $4 billion makeover negotiated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The renovation deal resolved lawsuits over a larger modernization plan and includes plans to lengthen and separate runways that can accommodate new jumbo jets carrying more passengers to and from Southern California's landmark airport.

At the same time, passenger traffic at the airport will be limited to 79.8 million a year.

Debate on other elements of the plan remains open, including creation of an off-site terminal where all passengers and baggage would be processed.

Other local airports are also making provisions for growth.

Van Nuys Airport, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley and ranked as the world's busiest general-aviation airport, is wrestling with a master plan that could open it to more business from corporate jets.

At the Van Nuys FlyAway terminal, a badly needed expansion will add 800 parking spots to the lot at Woodley Avenue and Saticoy Street.

The FlyAway opened in 1975, and runs an average of 102 buses a day between Van Nuys and LAX. Some 750,000 passengers a year travel from Van Nuys to LAX, paying $6 for a round-trip ticket and $4 a day to park.

There was some controversy over construction work on the Van Nuys FlyAway, which officials say was resolved.

It has been so successful that Los Angeles World Airports officials want to create up to eight more FlyAway stations around the county to encourage travelers to use other airports and reduce traffic congestion around LAX.

Bob Hope Airport in Burbank - easily accessible to Valley travelers - has become even more popular with an expansion of flights to the East Coast. Southwest - the airport's biggest user - SkyWest and JetBlue airlines carried more than 5.5 million passengers through Burbank in 2005. Although city-owned Palmdale Regional Airport is capable of handling 300,000 passengers a year, major commercial airlines have resisted flying out of the Antelope Valley, saying it is too far from Los Angeles to attract passengers. However, lawmakers are pushing a plan to regionalize Los Angeles' airports, reviving hopes that Palmdale could become a viable option for Southern California travelers.

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Photo:

(color) A Southwest Airlines 737 makes its final approach to Burbank's Bob Hope Airport, which has become a popular alternative to LAX.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer