LAX director warns passenger, concession and cargo declines threaten jobs; council approves $31M curbside improvement increase

John Ackerman, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), told a Los Angeles City committee that LAX remains financially solvent but is more exposed than many peers to a weak international recovery, falling passenger traffic and declining concession revenues — trends that threaten jobs and local small businesses. The committee approved a second amendment to contract DA5620 with Hensel Phelps Construction Company for central terminal area (CTA) curbside improvements, increasing contract authority by about $31 million.

Ackerman said LAWA is "very financially strong" but warned that airline and concession partners are suffering and that some vendors have contractual exit options if conditions do not improve. "We are okay, but our partners are hurting," Ackerman said. He highlighted multiple performance indicators: LAX is down in passenger rankings (having fallen off the top 10 busiest…