LAX Airport Filming Moratorium to Begin Earlier This Year

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As a seasoned resident of Los Angeles and a die-hard fan of both Hollywood and LAX, I must say that this year’s holiday season moratorium on TV and movie shoots at LAX comes as a bittersweet piece of news. On one hand, it means less traffic congestion around the airport during the busiest travel period of the year, which is always a welcome relief for us locals. On the other hand, it also means fewer chances to spot our favorite stars dashing through the terminal or boarding a flight in between takes.

This year, an earlier-than-usual suspension of filming at Los Angeles International Airport during the holiday season will be enforced, as indicated by the city’s permitting office in a recent notice to producers.

From October 25, 2024 to January 2, 2025, LAX will not permit any filming, television shows, or commercial shoots. Typically, filming at LAX occurs daily throughout the year, except for the week of Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

When The Hollywood Reporter inquired about the shift, FilmLA’s representative explained, “Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) usually imposes an annual ban on filming during the holidays, with the exact dates slightly differing each year and being subject to modification. This ban generally covers the weeks preceding and following Thanksgiving and Christmas, as these are among the busiest airport days of the year. This year, the moratorium period was slightly advanced due to specific demands, scheduling constraints, and the lengthy clearance process necessary for filming on the premises.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is currently executing a $30 billion multi-year Modernization Plan, which includes renovating terminals, facilities, and improving accessibility. At present, there are 22 ongoing projects as part of this strategy. Last year, approximately 53 million domestic passengers traveled through the airport, marking a 7% increase compared to the previous year.

In summary, film productions in Los Angeles County have experienced a decrease this year, with Reality TV shoots showing the steepest decline (56%) during the April to June period, as indicated by the latest report from FilmLA. The decrease in feature films was 3%, and commercial shootings dropped by 5% within that timeframe.

Any filming at LAX scheduled for October 25th needs to have a request submitted by October 16th. The earliest potential shooting date in January would be January 13th.

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2024-10-03 21:24