Council Panel OKs LAX Shuttle Plan

A massive overhaul of ground transportation at Los Angeles International Airport came closer to completion when a key City Council committee approved the airport’s plan to award three van companies near-exclusive shuttle concessions. The council’s Commerce, Energy & Natural Resources Committee gave thumbs-up to the Board of Airport Commissioners’ plan to grant consortiums led by SuperShuttle, Prime Time Shuttle and Xpress Shuttle the full-service concessions in exchange for a minimum annual revenue guarantee of $1 million each. The move is opposed by LAX’s mom-and-pop shuttle van operators, who claim the new arrangement will drive them out of business. The proposal now moves before the full City Council, which is scheduled to vote on the plan next week.