In a message dated 11/30/2003 8:11:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, exatc@xxxxxxxxxx writes: << Who is going to pay to redo each airports taxiways. I don't know the turninf radius on the A380. Many airports cannot handle the 747 because of the wide gear and turning radius. The AN124? that landed at Cleveland several weeks ago (and was a topic here) had to be load/unloaded on the runway because it couldn't make the turns. Even ORD has taxiway limitations. Each airport has an design category aircraft that defines taxiway widths and clearances etc. It's a lot easier said than done or funded. What return on investment would the airport sponsor get. The larger and heavier the max gross weight of the aircraft would require additional spacing for aircraft following the 380. This would nulify any gain afforded by increasing the passengers. >> Ok, here is the thing with LAX. It is probably the least equipped of the A380 airports to handle the bird. Because of NIMBY and the developmental restrictions of the airport, it is squeezed into a smallish box. It leads the US in runway incursions and has really tight taxiways as it is. They spent a lot of money redesigning for the 744 15 years ago, and there is really not space left, unless the 5 runway master plan finally gets through and they can respace the runways, the A380 is not going to fit. Also, the terminals are over capacity, even with the current down turn. They wont be able to use the remote gates, because they will no longer exist with the west gate expansion. Those gate could be made to accomidate A380, and I believe will, but you have to get the plane to them, and without closing half the airport.