Workers say parking expansion at Las Vegas airport causing safety concerns for employees

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Construction to add new 1,500 new parking spots at Harry Reid International Airport is creating new challenges for workers.

Employees used to park at the zero-level parking garage where construction occurs. They are now having to park at the economy lot which is located on Kitty Hawk Way.

“We definitely need the safety aspect of it,” said flight attendant Jenann Logan. “We need patrol, we need to feel safe, we need the call boxes.”

Logan, along with many other airport employees, is now having to park in the economy lot which has created some safety concerns.

“Whether I am leaving the airport, whether I am getting in my car, I know that there are unlit areas where people who don’t have the best intentions at heart could be hiding,” said Logan.

“This lot has some benefits, and it has some and it has some disadvantages,” said Anthony Finchum who works aviation security at the airport.

With what employees say is an inconsistent bus shuttle from time to time, they are having to take on the 7-minute walk from the economy lot to the airport.

“We have got a flashing light to cross the first street but at the four-way stop, there is no flashing light, there is no button to press and we have four cars that come to the four-way stop and they play frogger,” said Logan.

Logan said mixing employees with passengers makes her feel uneasy.

“We do need to make sure that employees versus the flying public are separate because you don’t know who is going to follow you out to your car,” said Logan.

After expressing these concerns airport reps say, “We checked with metro and since the parking shuffle happened at the end of January, there have been no reports to them about vehicle breaks and no reports of harassment. Both Metro and the Department of Aviation have increased patrols in those areas. Five employee shuttles run 24/7 to both T1 and T3 and we continue to monitor volume and wait times and adjust accordingly.”

Employees said they see these changes.

“I have noticed that the buses are way more consistent so the need to actually walk is a personal preference now,” said Logan.

“We have seen metro cruisers and we have seen parking enforcement step up in the last couple of weeks,” said Finchum.

Airport reps said, if you have been the victim of any crime, report it to Metro police.

Airport reps also said tell the project at the zero-level parking garage is expected to be completed by early spring which will become customer parking and the current economy lot will be turned into employee parking only.

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