The MTA-LAX Link

Regarding Christopher Reynolds’ column about the difficulty of taking commuter trains to Los Angeles International Airport (“A Subway Link to LAX? It’s Still a Faraway Notion,” Travel Insider, July 11), it seems Los Angeles and New York politicos have finally found something they can do alike: make travel as difficult as possible for the traveling public.

We may be a leader in the free world, but we’re in the boondocks when one travels abroad and sees how rail and air interests can make right things happen for travelers.

BOB JOYCE

Banning, Calif.

I’m one of those who has used the Green Line to travel to LAX, actually so often that I can’t remember the number of times.

Why? The savings in parking at LAX; the benefit of not fighting the freeway traffic, particularly for a morning flight; and the comfort of being assured that it will take 28 minutes from our boarding point to the Aviation Boulevard station.

Your comment that you have to “wait 10 or 20 minutes at the terminus on Aviation for a free shuttle bus” simply is not correct. Our experience is that there has always been a shuttle bus at the station.

GEORGE BIRK

Los Alamitos

I am one who has taken the trains to LAX. I started at the Metrolink station in Santa Clarita Jan. 7 at 5:22 a.m. I was at the airline counter by 8:40 a.m.--more than three hours later. You do not go directly from the Red Line to the Green Line. There is a Blue Line in between. And before I recommend this route to anyone, I suggest a doctor’s exam.

On the Blue Line, I had a gorilla-sized American Tourister and an old carry-on bag. I felt ill at ease with all the space I was using--the Metro is very popular at 7 a.m.

On the Green Line, the 105 Freeway howls both front and rear. Save flimsy chain-link, what saint will protect us from a flying hubcap? The G bus was right at its spot, and I made my flight on time. On the return to Santa Clarita, it took me over two hours from LAX to Union Station. The biggest problem was waiting for the G bus.

Isn’t LAX a hard place to get to? At least by rail.

LAREN HESSELTINE

Santa Clarita