LAX connection - any tips to mimimise wasted time

[legroom]

Friends / Experts

Many , many posts had been done on this topic.

A quick search would reveal many (sometimes) reassuring answers.

It seems a minimum of 2 hours is required for any inbound transfer from what I gathered from reading the posts so far.

So, instead of asking how many hours is required for a successful transfer at LAX, my question for your help is this: what would be your tips to minimize wasted time and maximize your on-time check-in with your connecting flight?

1) At carousel

2) Immigration....

3) Terminal Transfer

4) Re-check your baggage

5) Security screening

Personally, I have 3 1/2 hours between my arrival and my departure but who knows what will happen.

Best tips for getting to Terminal 4 (AA) after exiting QF11 from SYD ?

Best regards

 

[legroom]

Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

Friends

I am on QF11 this week to LAX followed by an AA flight to ORD.

My original ticket had an AA flight to BOS but I cancelled that, going to ORD instead on a separate ticket.

The question is:

Could I ask the QF agent at SYD to tag my luggage with the ORD destination even though that is on a separate ticket to the one departing SYD.

If yes, it would save me time re-checking luggage at LAX.

They could always say no, I guess.

Have you done this before ?

Or all luggage has to clear Customs at LAX regardless ?

Many thanks

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

There is a number of threads on this.

You need to clear customs and re-check luggage anyway (regardless of one or two tickets)

 

[mannej]

Yes they can tag it all the way through, however I am fairly sure you will still need to clear customs with your luggage at lax, before dropping it off at the luggage transfer point

 

[drron]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

Yes you will have to clear Immigration at LAX.Pick up your bags and go through customs.However if you get your bags tagged through to ORD you just redeposit them at the transfer point rather than schlepping them from TBIT to Terminal 4 to re check with AA if you dont have them tagged through.

 

[NM]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

There is a number of threads on this.

You need to clear customs and re-check luggage anyway (regardless of one or two tickets)

While it is true that they will need to clear customs at LAX, the process for re-checking bags is easier and quicker if they have already been tagged to the final destination when checking-in in Australia.

If the bags are already tagged to ORD, then when exiting customs, turn right and up the ramp and leave your bag on the appropriate belt as directed by the ground staff. That's all you need to do before heading for security screening at T4.

If the bags were only tagged to LAX, then the passenger has to carry bags to T4 check-in counter, queue there for check-in and then queue again to drop the bag for TSA screening before heading to personal security screening for access to T4 concourse.

QF's policy is that they will tag bags onto onward flights if the onward flight is a OneWorld flight regardless of whether the connecting flight is on the same ticket or not. You need to show the connecting flight ticket details so they can be entered by the check-in agent.

 

[legroom]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

....

QF's policy is that they will tag bags onto onward flights if the onward flight is a OneWorld flight regardless of whether the connecting flight is on the same ticket or not. You need to chow the connecting flight ticket details so they can be entered by the check-in agent.

Marvellous !

The level of information (loaded with grace) on this forum is refreshing.

I now feel more confident requesting the SYD agent to tag my bags all the way to ORD.

Many thanks

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

You should be fine, but it assumes the QF agent can find your AA booking to link them.

I only have a 50/50 strike rate on this when booking not on same ticket.

Luckily this has only been T3 at LHR where clear customs and turn a corner/go upstairs makes it a bit easier.......

 

[NM]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

You should be fine, but it assumes the QF agent can find your AA booking to link them.

All you need is a print out of the e-ticket receipt, which you should be carrying anyway.

I only have a 50/50 strike rate on this when booking not on same ticket.

Per QF's policy, if the connection is on a OneWorld flight, and it meets the MCT (obviously), they will check it through. This is 100% policy so should have a 100/0 success rate if you present the correct documentation (e-ticket receipt) and its an onward OneWorld flight that meets connections times.

Luckily this has only been T3 at LHR where clear customs and turn a corner/go upstairs makes it a bit easier.......

LAX TBI, per the topic of this discussion, is unique with its arrangements for incoming passengers to drop bags at a dedicated "connection flights" bag drop area when exiting TBI, hence avoiding the need to visit the AA check-in zoo at T4.

 

[simongr]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

Hand. Luggage. Only.

 

[legroom]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

.......

If the bags were only tagged to LAX, then the passenger has to carry bags to T4 check-in counter, queue there for check-in and then queue again to drop the bag for TSA screening before heading to personal security screening for access to T4 concourse......

The above sentence neatly summarised what most of us would love to avoid.

Each of those steps would add an enormous amount of time to the transfer phase.

Thank you all

 

[Katie]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

If the bags were only tagged to LAX, then the passenger has to carry bags to T4 check-in counter, queue there for check-in and then queue again to drop the bag for TSA screening before heading to personal security screening for access to T4 concourse.

Taking luggage and queueing at T4 for the AA flight is not necessary. To the right of the area before exiting TBIT where you can drop bags that are already tagged through to the final destination, there is an AA counter where you can check in bags and collect boarding passes if you were unable to print them. I used this check in counter in May and then again 3 weeks ago. With the same checki agent both times, who has almost the same name as me.
Last month I had to wait about 5 minutes before being able to check in my bag, as it wasn't checked through in BNE. It also gave me time to remember to stash the two bottles of red I'd been given on the plane.

After checking through my bags and collecting my boarding passes, it was a quick walk in the LAX outside air to T4 & the TSa queues.

 

[legroom]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

....

If the bags are already tagged to ORD, then when exiting customs, turn right and up the ramp and leave your bag on the appropriate belt as directed by the ground staff. That's all you need to do before heading for security screening at T4...

Hi NM

Is there any "internal" pathway to go from TBIT Customs to Terminal 4 (AA) without going through the TSA hassles?

It seems odd that you were deemed safe to fly / land / admitted into the US of A one minute, but then you are expected to empty your pockets etc... 20-30 minutes later.

Nobody had mentioned it so I assume there is no such "internal" access.

But, it's worth asking just in case someone knows something.

Cheers

 

[serfty]

Re: Check in luggage by QF for connecting AA flight under two separate tickets

...

Is there any "internal" pathway to go from TBIT Customs to Terminal 4 (AA) without going through the TSA hassles?
...

No!

After exiting immigration customs you are "landside" and need to submit to TSA before taking any flight from within the USA.

From TBIT, after redepositing your bags head outside - you will be at the arrivals roadway kerb.

Look to the right for an escalator or stairs up to the departures roadway level.

Once up there, continue heading right and the road curves to the left to T4.

If you have Priority AAccess rights, continue past most T4 to the premium check-in area and head up to TSA security. If no premium rights, take the first entry.

 

[chrisb]

How does this vary for pax connect on to qf107? Last time I was there we passed a huge queue dedicated to 107 pax rechecking luggage. Once passed it the aa transfer desks were empty.

If its different does class matter?

 

[serfty]

How does this vary for pax connect on to qf107? Last time I was there we passed a huge queue dedicated to 107 pax rechecking luggage. Once passed it the aa transfer desks were empty.

If its different does class matter?

QF107 will be generally held for connecting PAX.

 

[chrisb]

Let me rephrase that, as a business pax connecting onto qf107 am I going to have to stand in a huge line that snakes back down towards the customs area.

 

[serfty]

Let me rephrase that, as a business pax connecting onto qf107 am I going to have to stand in a huge line that snakes back down towards the customs area.

Never having redeposited luggage at TBIT, all I can suggest is that you employ your frontish stating position and don't muck around in getting though immigration, customs and bag redeposit.

FWIW, 107 was late on Friday and from 16J I had a 90 second wait at immigration.

 

[NM]

Not all QF107 arriving passengers make the transit for the LAX-JFK sector. The US immigration queues are pretty good at ensuring there is a slow, steady flow of passengers making the bag collection, customs exit and bag drop for onward flight and not a sudden mass arrival resulting in a long queue. In my experience with AA connections, if the bag it already tagged, its a 10 second task to drop the bag on the right belt. There is an agent asking each passenger as they arrive in the area for their next destination, they look quickly at the tag and direct you to the appropriate belt to leave your bag. Its not a full check-in process. I assume QF107 bag drops are exactly the same.

 

[chrisb]

That's what I encountered for my last arrival on 107 with an aa connection except the queue for ongoing 107 pax snaked back down the hallway.