Qantas to Westjet at LAX

[BriarFlyer]

We arrive at LAX on QF11 next week and have a 6-hr transit before a WS flight to YYC. Booked on the same QF ticket, so I understand that the Qantas luggage allowance carries through to the Westjet flight. But I have questions for anyone who's made a similar QF==>WS transfer.

Do we have to haul our luggage to T2 and check it in with WS or do they have a facility to drop it at TB?

What is the easiest way to get from TB to T2, possibly with a heap of luggage?

 

[Mwenenzi]

LAX inter terminal-->LAX Official Site | Inter-Terminal Connections

LAX Official Site | LAX Terminal Maps

LAX Official Website | LAX Terminal Maps

www.flylax.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Do we have to haul our luggage to T2 and check it in with WS or do they have a facility to drop it at TB?

What is the easiest way to get from TB to T2, possibly with a heap of luggage?

If it’s tagged all the way through, you should be able to put your bags on the transfer belt up the ramp after clearing customs at TBIT. This is one spot for all transfers. There are people there you can talk to to make sure.

But if you do have to shlep bags, there are plenty of trollys to walk there. Bit of a (level) hike, but I don’t mind, after a long flight.

There are also buses that do the circuit of the terminals but I think these more trouble than they are worth.

 

[Quickstatus]

What is the easiest way to get from TB to T2, possibly with a heap of luggage?

The trolleys at LAX can be used to go to other terminals
Its a short 5 min walk from TBIT to T2 - turn left when you exit the TBIT terminal.
Even with Ski bags, it's not an issue.

I have never taken the buses - not worth the hassle as you will have to take luggage off the trolleys and load on bus and unload at the other end. And the traffic flows in a clockwise direction, so the bus goes T4, T5, T6, T7,T8, T1, T2, T3.

 

[RichardMEL]

tend to agree. A few months back when I did this exact walk (dropping a friend at DL before flying QF) there was a bunch of construction and things going on but still pretty easy walk and the busses would just be a PITA at the greatest airport in he known universe

 

[BriarFlyer]

Thanks for the informative posts, guys. We will have ski bags so hoping we can get rid of them at the transfer belt. Otherwise, good to have directions (turn left!) and we'll be up for a walk. If we can get rid of the luggage, we have stacks of time to fill with walking!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Welcome to the United States, the state of California and the city of Los Angeles. When you land in Los Angeles, you will need to first clear immigration. US and Canadian citizens can use the US citizen lane, all others please use the Other countries lane. If you hold a Nexus or Global Entry card please follow signs for Crew / Global Entry. After you clear immigration you will collect your bags from the carousel and then clear US customs. Once cleared you will find a transfer desk that will let you check your bags through to Calgary. Note: Since this is an international journey the most significant carrier rule applies for your bag. Since your Qantas flight is the longest flight in the itinerary, its baggage rules apply even to the WestJet segment. Once your bags are checked through to Calgary, you may clear security. The good news is you can clear security at any terminal you want at LAX and from there you can walk air-side to your gate. This can be useful if you don't possess TSA pre-check (I do find that TBIT security tends to be quick).

One thing that's not answered in this post is how lounge access works at LAX. Would the OP have access to the QF lounge holding a QF (WS operated) ticketed?

Note: Since your flight originates or ends in Canada, it is subject to the Canadian air passenger bill of rights, formally called the APPR. The provisions in the APPR spell out specific compensation should your end up arriving in Calgary several hours after scheduled departure. It also requires airlines to provide meals and accommodation in the event of delays and the ability to fly you on the next available flight to the destination (even if it's not operated by WestJet). Further details on the APPR can be found here.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

One thing that's not answered in this post is how lounge access works at LAX. Would the OP have access to the QF lounge holding a QF (WS operated) ticketed?

Probably a question best for here:

Lounge Access Help Desk

Background to this thread We have noticed an increase in the posting of questions regarding what Airport Lounges are available at specific airports when travelling on specific airlines. While one can be assured of access at the airline lounge when travelling on that airline (provided you have...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

and whether there is “arrivals” lounge access at TBIT lounge. However, there‘s no interconnection (yet) between TBIT and T1,2,3 so a BP on WS departing T2 probably won’t get you back airside at TBIT? Plus you‘d then need to leave and go through screening again at T2 anyway.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

and whether there is “arrivals” lounge access at TBIT lounge. However, there‘s no interconnection (yet) between TBIT and T1,2,3 so a BP on WS departing T2 probably won’t get you back airside at TBIT? Plus you‘d then need to leave and go through screening again at T2 anyway.

You can clear security at LAX holding a boarding pass departing LAX that day irrespective of what terminal your flight takes off from. I would regularly clear TBIT security despite my flights taking off from Terminal 6/7/8 just for the faster security and shorter jaunt to the Centurion / Star Alliance lounge.

 

[SYD]

You can clear security at LAX holding a boarding pass departing LAX that day irrespective of what terminal your flight takes off from. I would regularly clear TBIT security despite my flights taking off from Terminal 6/7/8 just for the faster security and shorter jaunt to the Centurion / Star Alliance lounge.

Yes, but they’re connected airside anyway.

 

[serfty]

One thing that's not answered in this post is how lounge access works at LAX. Would the OP have access to the QF lounge holding a QF (WS operated) ticketed?

As a WP, if on a QF Marketed flight number @BriarFlyer should have access to the Qantas First Lounge at TBIT once luggage deposited.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/qantas-lounge-access-eligibility.html#international-first-lounge

Yes, but they’re connected airside anyway.

Note that there is an airside bus going from TBIT to T2, so wont need to clear security again if the use the Qantas Lounge. They would need to leave for T2 approx. 90 minutes before their scheduled flight departure.

The bus leave from the North end of TBIT.

More here:

LAX Official Site | Inter-Terminal Connections

LAX Official Site | Use Alexa to "Ask LAX" about terminal locations, flight status and road closures at Los Angeles International Airport.

www.flylax.com

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Yes, but they’re connected airside anyway.

All I'm saying is my experience flying out of the land of the free is the TSA agents don't care what terminal your flight takes off from. All they care about is you are holding a boarding pass for a flight departing that airport that day. I've used this trick to access Lufthansa lounges when travelling domestically on United (which ordinarily wouldn't grant lounge access).

-RooFlyer88

 

[Quickstatus]

The good news is you can clear security at any terminal you want at LAX and from there you can walk air-side to your gate

TBIT to T2/3 via TBIT security and using QF F lounge first

Requires dropping bags off at the transfer belt at TBIT then going upstairs to re-security at TBIT then walking all the way to the northern gates of TBIT before waiting for a T1/3 interterminal shuttle bus.

Red: Walk TBIT transfer belt luggage dropoff - TBIT security- QF FLounge - TBIT airside interterminal bus transfer
Purple: Bus Airside bus from TBIT to T1/3
Blue: Walk landside from TBIT to T2 for checkin if you don't have WS boarding passes
Green: After checkin walk landside from T2 to T3 as WS check in is T2, WS security and departure gates are in T3.
Yellow circle: The QF F lounge is the yellow circle inside TBIT

I reckon landside walk from TBIT to T2 and T3 is quicker

However the use of QF F lounge makes the decision a little different if you are allowed access.


For clarity:
Landside means you have not been through security
Airside means you have been through security





.....

The good news is you can clear security at any terminal you want at LAX and from there you can walk air-side to your gate

I don't believe this is entirely accurate. There is no airside access between T1,2,3.

 

[SYD]

Note that there is an airside bus going from TBIT to T2, so wont need to clear security again if the use the Qantas Lounge. They would need to leave for T2 approx. 90 minutes before their scheduled flight departure.

The bus leave from the North end of TBIT.

More here:

LAX Official Site | Inter-Terminal Connections

LAX Official Site | Use Alexa to "Ask LAX" about terminal locations, flight status and road closures at Los Angeles International Airport.

www.flylax.com

Yeah, I looked at that but it wasn’t entirely clear but handy to know.

A few years ago (just before US Airways was fully absorbed into AA but operating as a seperate OW airline and must have been just before the TBIT connector opened), I flew into TBIT on QF with onward connection on US but the only lounge was AA. They wouldn’t let me into T4 on the US BP but I could checkin at T3 and get the bus to T4 and then back… Fortunately I had several hours.

 

[Port Power]

As a WP, if on a QF Marketed flight number @BriarFlyer should have access to the Qantas First Lounge at TBIT once luggage deposited.

As @BriarFlyer is WP and has 5 hours to play around with, the F Lounge is the choice I would make. There are still two lots of walking to work off the Champagne!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

A few years ago (just before US Airways was fully absorbed into AA but operating as a seperate OW airline and must have been just before the TBIT connector opened), I flew into TBIT on QF with onward connection on US but the only lounge was AA. They wouldn’t let me into T4 on the US BP but I could checkin at T3 and get the bus to T4 and then back… Fortunately I had several hours.

Interesting to see TSA refuse someone based on terminal alone! This could perhaps be a capacity thing as the TBIT security checkpoint is massive from my memory and hence has the capacity to deal with all sorts of customers. What I do recall a representative from the TSA once saying when people were frustrated with the long queues at certain airports was to do as I said, (i.e. check the MyTSA site to see which terminal has the minimal wait time and clear security through there).

As @BriarFlyer is WP and has 5 hours to play around with, the F Lounge is the choice I would make. There are still two lots of walking to work off the Champagne!

Hopefully that's ample time, and given WestJet's on time performance I wouldn't be surprised if that 5 hour layover turns into 7 a hour one!

Joking aside, I reckon the QF F lounge at LAX is pretty good when it comes to things like food, showers, etc.? If I was in their shoes (and I'm not in their shoes BTW) the first thing I'd do after a long flight like that would be grabbing a shower at the lounge!

 

[Quickstatus]

While this is about getting from TBIT to T2/3
But may involve airside shuttle buses......

I once nearly missed my flight on AAEagle because the bus driver for the airside shuttle from T4 to the remote AAEagle stand would not leave until the bus was full. Then there were the disabled pax who boarded the bus very slowly one at a time.

 

[serfty]

Yeah, I looked at that but it wasn’t entirely clear but handy to know.

I used it regularly in 2018/19 after Delta moved to the North side when travllling DL on YUPP type fares (Velocity Status).

 

[RichardMEL]

While this is about getting from TBIT to T2/3
But may involve airside shuttle buses......

I once nearly missed my flight on AAEagle because the bus driver for the airside shuttle from T4 to the remote AAEagle stand would not leave until the bus was full. Then there were the disabled pax who boarded the bus very slowly one at a time.

yeah the Eagles Nest was problematic at times for sure. Not to mention that T4 area downstairs had alternating busses to TBIT and the Nest.. one had to be careful sometimes which was which

Thank some sort of diety for the connector!

 

[Quickstatus]

one had to be careful sometimes which was which

Ok mea culpa..... The first time I tried to catch the bus the AAEAgle I ended up in TBIT. Never happened again. But the realisation did not come immediately. It took a little while when i could not find the gate 52x at TBIT