The Automated People Mover at Los Angeles International Airport has been delayed once again, pushing its earliest operational date until 2027.
The latest timeline shows the project could be operational by Jan. 6, 2027, at the earliest.
The LAX People Mover, aka Skylink, was originally slated to open in 2023, but has been delayed repeatedly on a semi-regular basis as the operator/construction firm dukes it out with the Los Angeles airport authority in court over costs and change orders.
These court dealings have resulted in a strained, and arguably adversarial, relationship between the City of Los Angeles (and Los Angeles World Airports) and LINXS, the construction and design consortium that was awarded the lucrative contract.
Why is the LAX People Mover so far behind schedule?
As I’ve covered ad nauseum during my career for both rabblenews.com and KTLA.com, the LAX People Mover has been delayed again and again. But for much of the duration of the project, it was unclear exactly how or why.
It wasn’t until earlier this year when reporters and advocates began digging into legal filings and a grand jury investigation related to the delays that the potential reasons behind them came to light.
The contract with LINXS, according to a 2024-25 Los Angeles County Grand Jury Report, was identified as one of the biggest factors behind the yearslong delay and ballooning costs of nearly $1 billion over the original budget.
While LINXS has blamed the city and LAWA for dragging its feet and taking too long to complete certain critical infrastructure tasks, the grand jury report revealed that LINXS maintains an overwhelming power imbalance that some in the transit community have likened to extortion.
I’ll keep it brief, but the allegations boil down to this:
- Los Angeles has promised the project would be up and running in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics
- LINXS knows that Los Angeles has extreme public pressure to get it done by then
- LINXS has repeatedly used this as leverage and has asked for several extensions, more money and has used the structure of the contract to essentially get whatever it wants out of LAWA
- The City and airport authority have little power to force LINXS to make meaningful progress while the issues are resolved in court and it has no realistic way to replace the contractor
For its part, LINXS has disputed these allegations and has filed a separate lawsuit against LAWA and blamed it and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for the delays.
Read More: Nithya Raman vows to investigate LAX People Mover, contractor
In July, Fitch Ratings downgraded the rating of the bonds used to finance construction of the LAX People Mover, now considering the project a risky investment that could potentially end up in default, which would be catastrophic for the project and LINXS.
Lenders have since agreed to ease the completion date timeline to Dec. 8, 2026, in order to avoid the bonds going into default.
Without that extension, LINXS was staring down the barrel at a technical default that could have opened up a world of possibilities, including lender remedies, an effort to replace the contractor and demands for repayment on more than $1.2 billion in project debt — potentially placing enormous financial pressure on LINXS.
- Scott Lehman, a senior director at Fitch Ratings, told LAist that it would be “very difficult” to hire another contractor
It appears that LINXS might be at the end of the road and unlikely to obtain further extensions, unless its lawsuit and outstanding claims against the city results in more time for completion.
Either it completes the project and hands the keys over or the completion date will be passed and LAWA will have several options made available to it, including terminating the current contract, hiring new contractors and seeking damages from LINXS.
The project, as it’s been previously reported, is more than 99% complete. Vehicles have been undergoing regular testing on the elevated tracks surrounding LAX, although testing has paused twice already for track repairs.
The project will likely be completed and this could be the very last time LINXS is granted an extension.
Although, the two parties have agreed to extend the completion date on five separate occasions, so maybe it will remain an option if this latest extension date is passed.
Los Angeles is desperate to get the People Mover completed and operational, and LINXS is running out of time and avenues to make it a reality.
My guess? LINXS completes the project right at the deadline. LINXS was given a 30-year deal to design, build, operate and maintain the Skylink system.
Is Los Angeles and LAWA willing to put the past behind and move forward with that partnership?
That could be the next big domino to fall.
Rabble News reached out to Los Angeles World Airports for comment earlier this month and did not receive a response.
Click for details regarding the LAX Skylink project
Skylink is a 2.25-mile automated train system that will improve connectivity at Los Angeles International Airport.
When operational, it will have six stations, including three at the airport terminals, arideshare pickup/drop-off area, a large rental car facility, and the newly opened LAX/Metro Transit Center.
The Skylink vehicles operate in an elevated guideway system with rubber tires versus traditional train tracks.
As its name implies, the system is automated and driverless.
