Airport accelerates escalator replacement timeline after passenger complaints

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) has secured an expedited procurement process that will cut months off the timeline for replacing aging escalators, moving the estimated completion date to within the next year.

The accelerated timeline comes after Airport Commission members and city officials expressed frustration over lengthy delays during the commission’s Wednesday meeting, where Chairman Kevin Corcoran said the airport was “getting hammered by the public comments.”

Airport Executive Director Harry Barrett Jr. said Thursday that the airport has worked with city leadership to fast-track the escalator modernization project. Both escalators are now scheduled for complete “in-truss” replacements within the next year, a significant improvement from the previous 15-month timeline.

“With the city’s support, we’ve accelerated our escalator replacement project and are moving quickly to deliver both immediate fixes and long-term solutions,” Barrett said. “These systems are decades old, and while every repair requires custom parts, we are acting decisively to minimize disruption and modernize them for the future.”

The urgency increased recently when one escalator went out of service following a handrail failure. Airport officials said replacement parts are being expedited through a new vendor, with delivery expected in the coming weeks. Once delivered, repairs will be completed within days.

At Wednesday’s commission meeting, City Manager Scott Stiles committed to exploring emergency procurement procedures, saying “there has to be another way to get this done” and promising to meet with procurement officials to expedite the process.

The airport is also dealing with elevator outages, as both terminal passenger elevators are currently out of service as part of a planned capital improvement project. A critical replacement component is expected this week, and the elevators will undergo state inspection before reopening.

During the outages, red-shirted airport staff are stationed at the escalators to assist travelers with luggage. Passengers with mobility needs, including wheelchair users and those with difficulty walking, are escorted via a staff-operated freight elevator to the Sonny Bono Concourse and departure gates.

The escalator and elevator work is part of broader infrastructure improvements at the airport, which has seen passenger traffic increase significantly this year. July passenger numbers were up 11% over the previous year, and August was up 3.5%.

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