Another LAX Transit Question!!

[fewings85]

Hi Guys

had a bit of a browse through the forums but im still a bit unsure, apologies if this should of been posted in an existing thread but I could not find anything.

Ill try to keep it brief and to the point, pretty much just want to know if you think ill be relatively safe to book the following.

I have VA Flights ex Perth to LA in feb. I'm landing in LA at 6.30am, and I need to connect to an Avianca flight (leave terminal 3) to Colombia (this is the booking im still to make). I do this quite often but im usually always with a 6 hr-ish lay over so never need to worry.

However this trip im eyeing off a flight departing LAX at 9.15am. This is with avianca's new Dreamliner which I have not been on yet and keen to get on! Always has been on the older Airbus A321. The other plus with the Dreamliner is it flies straight to Colombia now (BOG) which I prefer instead of via San Salvador which I hate, very short transit times coughpy airport etc (have missed connections there).

The next flight leaves at 1230pm which is what I usually take which is going to be fine, but is as above, via san Salvador with a A321 (45 Minute lay over)

So ultimately its a 2hour and 45 minute layover from landing to take-off between that flight I want. I know the way around and getting to T3 isn't too bad. However I know that I probably need things to be on time with the VA flight and have customs/immigration go relatively smoothly. I have never had an issue with these virgin flights, they never seem to be delayed, I have taken this exact flight lots and even the very few times delayed its made it up in the air and arrived around on time (there is a first for everything however!) Same with the 6.30am arrival it never seems to bad at LAX around then (but you never know either!). Ill hopefully be at the pointy end of the plane just waiting on the upgrade so getting off should be a bit faster.

I guess what im asking is assuming everything is running relatively on time things are smooth at LAX do you all think I should be pretty OK with that booking? Avianca departing 9.15am with the 6.30am VA arrival (2 hr 45min layover)??

apologies if this gets asked a lot I did do abit of research here and through google but still feeling abit un sure. I feel like it will be ok but I'm just trying to get a bit of reassurance I think!!

Cheers guys!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

To be honest I would find that time frame a bit too stressful as VA will not interline the bag to AV so if they're late into LAX you're effectively a noshow for the AV flight so you're relying totally on the goodwill of Avianca and whether they will make you buy another ticket or just charge you a fee and/or any fare difference to move you to a later flight otherwise things will unravel quickly from there.

You would have already flown PER/SYD/LAX so why not overnight at an airport hotel at LAX then book your AV Dreamliner flight for the next day. Some hotels at LAX will give you a 24 hour stay from when you check in so it's possible you can checkin early at the hotel immediately after arriving off the VA flight.

 

[fewings85]

unfortunately there is NO Dreamliner flight the next day so thats not an option, I agree with you otherwise it will cut it fine but I do think that if everything is on time I will make it.

but obviously I cannot control everything and if I'm slightly delayed plus a traffic jam at customs I may just push it, I guess its the risk you you have to deal with if you try it

I may just have to settle on the 1230pm flight have the 6 hr lay over and live with the A321.

 

[robtemt]

I would have said to book a night, enjoy some In N Out, and fly the next day too.

But, it seems like you are experienced transiting through LAX, and I assume eligible to use a Kiosk? If so, you could be like us, and get through pretty quick (last time we were through immigration and then customs and were curbside all under an hour). For December, the average wait time at LAX between 0600 and 0800 has been 18 minutes, and the average maximum for the same time has been 47 minutes.



Could be worth the gamble if you are flying alone, capable of making tight connections, and have a back up plan. With only 1 dreamliner flight that entire day and the next, you are taking a risk that there isn't an aircraft change too aren't you?

 

[fewings85]

that is correct too. I honestly prefer flying copa over Avianca but this was prior to learning they now are operating direct to bogota with the Dreamliner so I was willing to give that a try. I do this trip twice per year so very used to transiting at LAX.

I didn't realise, well I thought I had checked prior and copa didn't have flights that match up to what I want but it seems like they actually do. Transiting panama is much better then san Salvador, not only do I get a better layover (1 hr 50 mins) compared to san Salvador (either 30 or 45mins) which is so stressful it is also a much better airport.

The copa flight leaves 10.20am, which although still a little tight (3 hrs 50 mins) it still gives me an extra 1 hr and 5 mins to safely make the cross. Copa however is still using the smaller less roomy 737-800's, but I always found they had better service as well. But maybe with the Dreamliner they have improved it on Avianca?

do believe I can make the connection robtemt but as said above things can happen out of my control. As per the info you have shown its usually quite easy at that time as well, hmmmm.