Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/533451
A irport officials recently announced record-setting numbers of both domestic and international passengers at LAX in 2014, resulting in a new record for total passenger volume. Year-end statistics show LAX airlines served 70,662,212 total passengers in 2014 – six percent above the 66,665,726 passengers in 2013. The previous record was 67,303,182 total passengers in 2000. Of the 2014 total, a record 19,105,667 (or 27 percent) passengers were aboard international flights – a seven percent increase over the previous record set in 2013 of 17,852,139. In addition, last year's record 51,556,545 domestic pas- sengers are 5.6 percent higher than the 48,813,587 passengers in 2013. The pre- vious record of 49,887,433 was set in 2000. Total air cargo (mail and freight) processed at LAX during 2014 was 2,001,152 tons, an increase of 3.8 per- cent from 1,928,720 tons in 2013. Freight (goods) rose 3.8 percent in 2014 to 1,921,302 tons from 1,851,443 in 2013. Air mail also increased 3.3 per- cent in 2014 to 79,850 tons from 77,286 tons in 2013. The number of aircraft operations (landings and takeoffs) grew 3.5 percent to 636,706 operations in 2014 from 614,917 in 2013. Commercial airline operations grew 5.9 percent to 531,373 from 501,598 in 2013. All other categories of aircraft operations declined: air taxi (charter) dropped 8.1 percent to 851,125 from 92,624 in 2013; general aviation dropped 0.8 percent to 18,090 operations from 18,226 in 2013; and military dropped 14.2 per- cent to 2,118 flights from 2,469 in 2013. "The record pas- senger level and increased cargo activity at LAX are attributable to an improving world- wide economy, especially in the Asia- Pacific region, and to a strengthening of the Southern California economy," said Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the Los Angeles City department that owns and operates LAX and two other Southern California airports. "In addition, U.S. and overseas airlines are starting or expand- ing international services at LAX as a result of our on-going, multi-billion-dollar LAX Modernization Program." About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the United States, based on 2013 airport rankings, the latest available. LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 85 cities in the U.S. and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on 64 commercial air carri- ers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over 1.9 million tons of air cargo valued at over $86.9 billion. An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output of more than $39.7 billion. This activity added $2.5 billion to local and state revenues. LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary depart- ment of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City's general fund. For more information about LAX, please visit www.lawa.aero/lax or fol- low on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Face-book at www.facebook.com/- LAInternationalAirport, and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxair- port1. Information about LAX's ongo- ing multi-billion-dollar LAX Modern- iztion Program, as well as tips and shortcuts to help navigate LAX during construction, are available at www.- LAXis-Happening.com. B M & T ••• March/April 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 58 T R AV E L DATA RECORD TAX COLLECTIONS During the month of December 2014, Miami-Dade County reported record collections for the 2% Hotel Food and Beverage Tax collected from hotels in Miami-Dade (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 11.8% compared to the same time in 2013. The 2% Tourist Development Tax collections from hotels (TDT) for Greater Miami (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 8.9% compared to the same time in 2013.The 3% Convention Development Tax (CDT) collections from hotels in Miami-Dade (excluding Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 7.2% com- pared to the same time in 2013. 2% Hotel Food & Beverage Tax December 2014 December 2013% Change vs. 2013 $699,623 $625,717 +11.8% 2% Tourist Development Tax December 2014 December 2013% Change vs. 2013 $2,332,684 $2,142,399 +8.9% 3% Convention Development Tax December 2014 December 2013 % Change vs. 2013 $7,602,867 $7,092,124 +7.2% GINA MATIE LINDSEY LAX POSTS RECORD LEVEL FOR 2014 TOTAL PASSENGERS – UP 6 PERCENT RECORDS ALSO SET FOR BOTH DOMESTIC, INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS