Bungling LAX board raises Uber costs

We have an unaffordable problem in California.

It’s so hot in LA.

And the board that governs LAX thinks it’s a good idea to slap new fees on Lyft and Uber rides to and from the airport?

Good grief.

LAX is a mess, and the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners badly needs to improve its management of the sprawling air hub.

Instead, they increased fares by up to 140% – with short notice and little public debate.

Talk about a bad idea out of the gate…

This is the same board that put together the People Mover project — years behind schedule, $1 billion over budget — aimed at helping passengers get through the airport without long walks or waits.
Now, the board wants to attach a $100 million bill to the commuting community in the form of higher fares for ride-sharing.

That means a $12 each-way pickup and drop-off fee at the center, up from about $5 now.

The hike will hit low-income and low-income travelers who are already struggling to pay for groceries, rent and the occasional family vacation.

How do the commissioners come out?

The signs point to “a lot.”

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They also say Uber and Lyft should absorb the increased costs rather than passing them on to travelers.

But the board should have budgeted for airport development already – and key projects better managed to prevent cost overruns.

And it’s not clear that higher fees will reduce terminal congestion rather than simply increasing the cost of the same miserable experience.

And Lyft and Uber won’t simply eat higher fees (and if they did, how would that curb consumer demand for airport rides?).

Instead, passengers will pay more, or ride-hailing firms will stop serving the airport regularly – leaving travelers with fewer options and more expensive Uber rides.

None of this helps the more than 70 million passengers who use LAX each year.

It seems like the average Californian, constantly hammered with endless taxes, fees, charges, cost increases, and more—can’t catch a break or an affordable Uber to LAX.

Bungling airline commissioners need to do better.