LAX layover time too short now?

[lisa31jane]

I am flying BNE - LAX (economy) with Qantas and continuing straight on to Chicago with AA (on the same QF booking).
Originally I had a 3 hour layover time between flights, but have just had an email from Qantas stating the flights have changed and now my layover time is only 2 hours 10 min.
Is this cutting it too fine (I think so) - what happens if I miss my 2nd flight due to this change? Should I ask QF to change the 2nd flight to a later one, or will they "guarantee" I get on the later flight if I miss the earlier one, as it is all one booking?

 

[samh004]

As it is all on one booking they should look after you if things go pear shaped.

 

[NM]

If your inbound BNE-LAX flight arrives on time, 2h10m is enough. Last time I arrived into LAX on QF15, it took exactly 1 hours from landing to entering the AAdmirals Club lounge at Terminal 4. We actually landed just before 6:30am and as usual with an early arrival we were held on the aircraft until 6:30 since immigration and customs do not open at TBIT until 6:30am. That means we were one of the first arrivals to hit the immigration queue, which was fast enough to still require a 10 min or so wait for bag collection. Exiting customs was fairly straight forward with manybe 5 mins delay max. The main time is in the security queue to enter T4. I estimate that queue took 25 mins. I noted I was taking a seat in the T4 lounge at 7:30am.

But if your inbound flight is 2.5 hours late, even a 3h transit won't help.

If its all on one ticket/booking, then AA will accommodate you on the next available flight to your destination. They will allow you to join the standby list if the next flight(s) are full.

 

[TomVexille]

I believe the legal connection is 90 minutes, 2:10 is about the shortest I would want though. If you do miss your connection AA will accommodate you on the next available flight.

If you're still worried, it wouldn't hurt to ask QF for a later flight.

EDIT: MCT is 2 hours

 

[UP4014]

AA will have plenty of ways to look after you if you miss it, they could route you via a third city on the way if needed.

Tuesdays are the quietest times for LAX arrivals (pax numbers not number of flights), if you happen to be on a Tuesday I would say it's fine getting through customs, but I've had to join the queue and wait an hour to get back into the departure area of the next terminal.

Luck of the draw, but AA will simply put on another flight/s.

Matt
PS, if it was me, I would want longer.

 

[serfty]

The MCT at LAX QF to AA is 2 hours.

I had a schedule change reduce a booking to 1:55 ... No viable option was available for later connections to CVG.

On arrival I was met and handed an express flouro filter with ongoing BP's.

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Minimum Connect Times:
Connecting at LAX
Incoming airline QF
Outgoing airline AA
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
QF-AA ID  2.00 ALL  - FLT    1 - 5599 TRM ** - 3  
**-AA ID SUP   ALL  - FLT 5600 - 8599 
**-AA ID  1.50 ALL - YYZ TRM ** - 4  
**-AA ID  2.00 TRM ** - 3

 

[TomVexille]

The MCT at LAX QF to AA is 2 hours.

Thanks for the clarification