Temporary lounges for LAX fliers

LOS Angeles International Airport last week opened temporary lounges for first- and business-class passengers using its Tom Bradley International Terminal while the building is renovated. They replace 16 former lounges operated by airlines there.

First-class fliers can use a single lounge on the mezzanine level. Business-class fliers board a free bus at Gate 118 that takes them to their lounge, about 300 yards west of the terminal.

The temporary facilities will be used until the end of May, when four new lounges for premium fliers are expected to open at the Bradley terminal. The $576-million renovation of the terminal, used by more than 30 airlines, is expected to take about three years.

‘Dead Sea

Scrolls’ tickets

go on sale

TICKETS for next year’s “Dead Sea Scrolls” exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum will go on sale to the public Nov. 1. Ticket sales for museum members opened Oct. 1.

San Diego is the only California site scheduled to show the ancient manuscripts, which were discovered starting in 1947 near the Mideast’s Dead Sea, said museum spokeswoman Delle Willett. (Some of the scrolls are on display through Jan. 7 at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center.)

The San Diego showing will be June 29 through Dec. 31. Tickets for nonmembers, which include an audio tour, start at $24 for adults; children ages 3 to 12 pay $15. The San Diego Natural History Museum is at 1788 El Prado in Balboa Park; (619) 232-3821, www.sdnhm.org.

The free lunch

days are over in Alaska’s coach

ALASKA AIRLINES, one of the few U.S. carriers that still serves free meals in economy class on some domestic flights, will end the service this month. First-class fliers will continue to get free meals.

Starting Oct. 29, coach customers who want meals on Alaska’s transcontinental flights will have to buy them on the plane for $5. The meals, called Northern Bites, include items such as eggs for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch or dinner. The meals cannot be reserved in advance.

The airline last year began eliminating free coach meals on shorter flights.

But after Oct. 29 it will still serve them in coach between LAX and Guadalajara, Mexico, said spokeswoman Amanda Tobin Bielawksi.

Baggage

problems

rise in August

THE chances of your airline luggage being delayed, damaged or lost reached a 20-month high in August, when stricter check-in rules caused more fliers to check bags.

The rate of mishandled baggage reported by the 20 biggest U.S. airlines averaged 8.08 per 1,000 passengers in August, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

That was the highest rate since December 2004, when bad weather, computer problems and staff shortages were widely blamed for pushing the rate to 9.11 per 1,000.

In August, Hawaiian Airlines had the lowest rate of mishandled baggage, and Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the highest rate.

Briefly

Foreign trips: The number of Americans taking foreign trips set another record last year: 63.5 million, up 3% from 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. A tip for fliers: Book early. Americans, on average, reserved their international tickets 58 days before flying, up from 55 days in 2004.

Customs rules: Penalties for failing to declare agricultural items when entering the U.S. changed on Oct. 1. The fine for a first offense is now $300; it was $100 to $250, depending on circumstances. Second violations carry a $500 fine, up from $250. For more information see www.cbp.gov. (Click on “travel,” then “Clearing Goods Through Customs,” then “Bringing Agricultural Products Into the United States.”)

jane.engle@latimes.com