Almost stranded in LAX

[cxthomps]

I recently flew SYD to LAS via LAX (business funded J flight). When I booked the flight I noticed that the connection time at LAX was just over 2 hours so I asked my corporate travel agent to confirm with VA. VA came back that this time was more than sufficient for the connection.

I landed at LAX slightly ahead of time at 7:05AM and unfortunately spent the next 2 hours stuck in a slow moving customs queue. I noted that several other airlines called out for passengers with connecting flights and assisted them to get through the queue quicker. There was no-one from VA or Delta doing this.

I picked up my luggage and went to the bag drop area to be re-assigned to another flight. I asked them whether I had been given sufficient connection time and 2 members of Virgin staff confirmed that I had not, in their own words no way in the last 2 weeks would I have made the connection I was then informed that the next 3 flights (including an Alaska airlines) were all full and they could only put me on the 3:00pm flight. They gave me a boarding ticket but no allocated seat, I was informed it would be allocated at the gate, I wasn't happy about this at all.

I proceeded through to the Delta lounge in terminal 3 and queried the chance of getting on a flight. I found out that the 3pm was oversold and I was unlikely to be able to get on it. I asked to be put on the waitlist for the next flights and then rang virgin to find out what next. Virgin were pretty much useless and 20 minutes later I had no better solution. I went to the gate for the first flight, way oversold and not getting onto that. The second flight (around 1:00pm) and I got lucky and got a comfort + seat. I am sure in part that this was because I created a fuss about being stranded by VA/Delta.

Am I expecting too much that VA take accountability for the ticket they sell and at least try to assist passengers through to their final destination ? Is the point of their partnership with Delta to do that for them ? I don't blame VA for the full Delta flights but I should never have been put in that position in the first place. Maybe what I experienced is just how air travel is in the USA and we should consider ourselves fortunate that it is better in Australia. However, it is not nice feeling stranded and thank god I am a fairly seasoned traveller, god knows how those who fly less frequently would have fared.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Knowing what America is like these days, and what incoming immigration processing is like, and even when holding an ESTA and not getting entry, (its up to the officer you end up meeting at the counter), I think that VA was lapse in the fact that they say 2 hours is enough for incoming immigration procedure to the US, and that you missed the flight you were originally booked on.
Are you due for compensation, that I can't say, but was VA at fault, on that side, a big yes from me.
Even departing Aust to the US, they say you have to be at the airport 3 hours before your flight departs, ie, already checked in, other destinations from Aust, it says 2 hours.

 

[moa999]

Maybe I've been lucky but I've generally found LAX queues to be much less.

Reality is by that time you are under Delta control and VA simply can't do much - if a seat isn't available it isn't available and US flights are routinely overbooked.

Not sure if the Minimum Connection time for VA to DL at LAX is 80 or 120min. Still 2hrs is at the lower end of what I'd consider, and probably only do it for a destination with lots of flights.

My preference would be a litlle longer to allow for a shower, decent breakfast and coffee etc.

 

[juddles]

I used to think being Australian and having an ESTA was a great thing, but recently arriving in the USA is just a painful experience. Although I have had longer immigration experiences in other places (Peru used to be horrendous), there is simply no worse experience than the endless queues and un-ending cattle-fenced paths that arrival in the US is often now. They have a shamefully low-staffed system. It sucks .

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Not to mention their quasi govt level of security checks called TSA pre check and that you have to present only certain types of photo id that are accepted for even domestic flights.
Lucky you made it to LAS.
Now, for the odyssey on the way back to Aust.
Hopefully you will have more time OP.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Two hours may will be the "Minimum Connection Time" at LAX. But anyone counting on that to work is a huge optimist. Yes, it may well work - but no way in the world can you guarantee it. But the person you should really be upset with is your travel agent. Any agent booking that connection is an inexperienced idiot. I certainly would never use someone who would even contemplate booking that connection. And the fact that they said VA assured them it was OK is an absolute cop-out on the part of the agent.

 

[serfty]

There's "minimum connection time" and there is "sensible connection time".

For an arrival into LAX about 6:30am-9:30am, SCT for me would be at least 4 hours if on the one ticket.

It helps that I generally have the opportunity for lounge access for a shower and a freshen up before my ongoing flight.

 

[deepblerg]

I feel like connecting times at LAX are really variable. I've read about horrendous experiences and long wait times however the connections I've made at LAX have always been fairly quick and painless. Perhaps it comes down to the day of week and seasonal traffic??

 

[cxthomps]

Having never transferred through LAX and booking the whole trip just over a week before I really went with the corporate travel agent on this one, lesson learnt. I did manage at least to get home with minimal fuss.
Thanks for the feedback, helps me frame the conversation with both my agent and VA.

 

[DC3]

There's "minimum connection time" and there is "sensible connection time".

For an arrival into LAX about 6:30am-9:30am, SCT for me would be at least 4 hours if on the one ticket ...

Couldn’t agree more. It’s 4+ hours for me as well.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, E/F reveals the MCT for connections such as this as 2 hours.

(1:25 if inbound on a VA*DL codeshare, 1:50 if going SYD-BOS or SYD-JFK)

What these don't take into account is that boarding generally starts 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

Results from https://www.ExpertFlyer.com

Minimum Connect Times:
Connecting at LAX, Incoming airline VA, Outgoing airline DL, Flight type International to Domestic

STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE   1.10  1.30  2.00  2.00
OFFLINE  1.10  1.30  2.00  2.00
** OR * ARE ALL
VA-DL ID  1.50 FLT    1 -  199 - ALL  SYD - BOS
VA-DL ID  1.25 FLT 6400 - 6999 - ALL
VA-DL ID  1.50 SYD - BOS TRM B  - **
VA-DL ID  1.50 SYD - JFK

 

[clipped_wings]

We fly into LAX enough to know the process well, which is why I booked our connection flights 4 hours after we land in LA. Sadly, the second sentence in your story flew the biggest red flag. You identified a potential risk. Right then and there, you had the opportunity to go with your gut instinct and request a longer layover.

Glad you managed to finally get where you needed to go, at least you know now how unpredictable LAX can be.

Happy travels

 

[drron]

I never book a connection in LAX under 4 hours.We have had some long waits at times but have not missed a connection.

 

[RooFlyer]

This seems a good place to post again the 'Immigration wait times' link from US Border control: Airport Wait Times

Anyone using this need to remember that its only immigration - not customs, and of course you have to account for security re-entering the terminal if you are connecting and then when the onward flight starts boarding.

@cxthomps you should ask your Corporate TA if they are aware of this site, and if not suggest they book mark and look at it!

 

[Pleb Status]

What the OP experienced is no different to what I have experienced on QF/AA transfers at LAX in the past (generally when the QF flight has arrived many hours late into LAX).

I always allow at least three to four hours to transfer at LAX when arriving on an inbound international flight (or overnight if travelling on separate tickets).

I do not rely on the MCT at LAX, JFK, LHR or SYD (international), particularly when a terminal change is required.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Mis-connects would be at the top of the standby list (well, behind necessary crew).

No one has done anything explicitly wrong here, it's an unfortunate side effect of travel. The MCT was met, Virgin can't really advise any differently. That said I would've expected (insisted?) to be put on stand by for the next DL departure to LAS and just play the waiting game like that.

 

[mannej]

Was the TA advised to go for the cheapest, quickest or most comfortable routing?

 

[clipped_wings]

Relying on a MCT is like using "as the crow flies" for a driving formula. It's an unrealistic best case scenario and totally contradictory to LAX at the present time. A good travel agent should be on top on this and should advise accordingly.

I'd never assume there was a seamless transition from deplaning - through Customs/Immigration and then checking in for the connecting flight. Call me glass half empty - but you'll never call me after boarding has started.

 

[dk4]

The problem for airlines and MCT is - some people will get through in minutes, barely stopping at global entry machines when arriving into the USA, and others will take hours of waiting in various long queues before gaining entry Stateside.

IMO I agree with the sentiment though, that being an Australian based airline - VA should adjust its MCT at LAX to account for what Australian passport holders arriving into LAX generally experience, and NOT the speed of processing which (for example) a DL Diamond Medallion Global Entry US passport holder experiences!

 

[Pleb Status]

IMO I agree with the sentiment though, that being an Australian based airline - VA should adjust its MCT at LAX to account for what Australian passport holders arriving into LAX generally experience, and NOT the speed of processing which (for example) a DL Diamond Medallion Global Entry US passport holder experiences!

If VA unilaterally adjusted the MCT at LAX, you would have pax/AFF members complaining that are being 'unfairly delayed/restrained' by VA.

There is one 'vocal' AFF member complaining on another thread about a possible 'up to two minute' delay upon disembarkation due to various procedures and how that delay means they will not fly on that airline!