Hollywood Burbank Airport ranked best in the country
Despite not being the prettiest, newest or most technologically advanced facility, Hollywood Burbank Airport has at least one factor that sets it apart from its competitors — convenience.
Fodor’s Travel Guide announced this week the winners for its inaugural Fodor’s Travel Awards, and the publication selected Hollywood Burbank as the best airport in the United States. On the other hand, Fodor’s ranked Los Angeles International Airport as the world’s worst. The publication divided the rankings into different categories, such as the United States and the world.
“When you fly to a city like New York or D.C., you choose an airport based on location, quality and the amount of added time airport shenanigans add to your travel plans,” the editors of Fodor’s Travel Guide wrote. “In Los Angeles, you also have a choice: between the behemoth time-suck that is Los Angeles International Airport or the straightforward, shenanigan-free experience that is Burbank airport.”
Frank Miller, executive director of Hollywood Burbank, said on Friday it’s gratifying to be recognized by the publication and the work being done at the airfield.
“It tells us that things are being done right at the airport,” he said. “We know it’s an old building, but it reinforces the fact that we have the most convenient airport to fly out of in this area, and now apparently in the entire country.”
Hollywood Burbank will celebrate its 89th anniversary this year, with the main terminal being the oldest part of the facility.
Although it is not a state-of-the-art airport with all the bells and whistles, Hollywood Burbank has solidified its reputation for being one of the easiest airports to get into and out of.
Because of its small size, checking in and going through TSA can take a matter of minutes, something Miller has experienced firsthand.
“I was flying out of [Hollywood] Burbank last month and my flight was at 8:15 a.m.,” Miller said. “I left my house in Burbank at 6:30 a.m. and, at 6:47 a.m., I called my wife to tell her I was at my gate with a cup of coffee.”
Miller took the airport’s helm in September 2016 and has helped oversee several improvements to the facility, such as improving vehicular traffic flow and adding amenities at the gates.
However, Miller said Hollywood Burbank’s philosophy of providing convenience has been the fundamental core of the airport for decades.
“From the time I arrived in Burbank, people were coming up to me to tell me how much they loved the airport and the ease of getting through the airport,” he said.
Hollywood Burbank is currently in the process of replacing its aging facility with a new one that will be located on the northeast side of the airfield.
The project to build a replacement 14-gate, 355,000-square-foot facility is currently in its public-input stage, and, at the past several public workshops residents, frequent-users and those in the aviation industry have let local airport officials know the key features that should be retained to keep the airport convenient.
“We’ve recognized from the very beginning that whatever we do, we don’t want to impact the convenience,” Miller said.
