| LAX’s Parking Lot B is located on Aviation Blvd., | | | | But with the airline industry suffering the effects of |
| about 3,500 feet from the airport’s southern | | | | the global economic crisis, the wages of airline |
| runway. Instead of passenger cars, however, Lot B | | | | workers have declined considerably, and demotions |
| is host to a small neighborhood of motor homes and | | | | have also added to the hardship, to the point where |
| RV trailers. About 100 residents live in Parking Lot B, | | | | many of these airline workers simply can’t afford |
| most of them male, and all of the airline employees. | | | | to pay additional rent expenses. |
| The job titles amongst these residents range from | | | | But rather than quit their jobs and find new |
| airplane captain to cargo employee and flight | | | | professions, the residents of Lot B, at least, have |
| attendant. Lot is run like a small, quiet corporate | | | | decided to instead live in a motor home. As a reward |
| town. It has an official code of conduct and | | | | for putting up with a cramped and slightly gloomy |
| residency requirements that include background | | | | living situation, not to mention the constant deafening |
| checks and proof of airline employment. There’s | | | | sound of overhead jet engines, the airline workers of |
| even an unofficial mayor: Doug Rogers, a 62-year old | | | | Lot B get to pay $60 a month for rent. |
| mechanic from Utah who works for United Airlines. | | | | The decline of the airline industry, which has led to |
| The reason for all of these airline workers choosing | | | | situations like the one in LAX Parking Lot B, began |
| to live in Parking Lot B is, in one sense, fairly simple: it | | | | with the decline in airline ticket sales that followed the |
| saves them money. Many airline workers spend | | | | terrorist attacks of September 11. The economic |
| weeks or months at a time away from home and | | | | recession of 2007 did little to alleviate the situation. |
| their loved ones, which means they have to pay for | | | | For the moment, the residents of Lot B are staying |
| a separate apartment or some other kind of housing | | | | put and waiting for things to improve. |
| arrangement wherever they happen to be stationed. | | | | |