Contractor goes to war with LAX over mega-project fiasco, accuses airport of cover up
The legal gloves are off over LAX’s never-ending people mover fiasco.The company behind LAX’s long-delayed $3.3 billion SkyLink train is suing the City of Los Angeles and accusing airport officials of covering up the real reasons the mega-project keeps going off the rails.The lawsuit is the latest black eye for the troubled transit project, which was billed as a game-changing way to get travelers around Los Angeles International Airport but has instead become a symbol of missed deadlines and mounting legal battles.LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) filed the complaint last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), alleging the agency concealed facts surrounding project delays, altered drawings that changed the scope of work, and created obstacles that prevented construction from moving forward.The automated people mover was originally expected to open in 2024.Airport officials later hoped it would be running before the FIFA World Cup to give the system a critical test ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.Instead, passengers are still waiting, with the train stuck in testing and no opening date in sight.LINXS said it spent two years trying to resolve the dispute before taking legal action.“After extensive good faith efforts over the past two years failed to resolve these issues directly and amicably with LAWA, the applicable statute of limitations required LINXS to file this complaint to preserve its legal rights,” the company said in a statement.“LINXS remains committed to working with LAWA to successfully deliver the Automated People Mover (APM) and provide a world-class transportation system for the Los Angeles region.”According to the complaint, the lawsuit had to be filed before an October deadline to complete the project or risk lenders demanding repayment from LINXS.The contractor says LAWA, not LINXS, is responsible for major delays.Among the examples cited is a 2025 power outage that allegedly halted w...