SYD|MEL|BNE-xLAX-JFK QF11 transit procedures

[chrisb]

Last time I was in LAX there was a huge queue running down a hall way and staff yelling that it was the queue for QF107 transfers and luggage deposit.

Luckily I wasn't going onto QF107 on that day and the regular AA desks were quiet. So now my DYKWIA question is - if this queue exists for QF107 is there a business class queue?

 

[mcbain]

is there a chance to use a lounge at LAX when transiting between LAX and JFK on QF107?

Yes, after you drop off bags on the conveyor and go back through the lovely TSA meet and greet, you can wander the blank hallways and find the lift up to the QF lounge on level 5.

The good thing is that it is a lot quieter at that time of day than on the return leg.

 

[EuroFlyer]

Hi all, taking QF107 from Sydney to JFK in a few weeks. Travelling in J. Just wondering if the process has changed from what has been listed in this thread last year. Any help or clarification would be great. Many thanks

 

[Sdtravel]

Not much
Took it in June.

Got off plane, no orange transfer cards, went throught CBP. Down escalators collected bags. Exit customs made way to transfer,
walk up ramp, divert up special ramp to redrop bags and gt new gate info.

All the same. there are QF staff with signs directing you most of the way once you exit customs.

My advise although you are in J. Hightail it to CBP. Takes ages and there are 1-2 other flights landed all waiting till 6am when they can let people off the plane.

 

[EuroFlyer]

Thansk for the notes Sdtravel
much appreciated

Not much
Took it in June.

Got off plane, no orange transfer cards, went throught CBP. Down escalators collected bags. Exit customs made way to transfer,
walk up ramp, divert up special ramp to redrop bags and gt new gate info.

All the same. there are QF staff with signs directing you most of the way once you exit customs.

My advise although you are in J. Hightail it to CBP. Takes ages and there are 1-2 other flights landed all waiting till 6am when they can let people off the plane.

 

[serfty]

Not much
Took it in June.

Got off plane, no orange transfer cards, went throught CBP. Down escalators collected bags. Exit customs made way to transfer,
walk up ramp, divert up special ramp to redrop bags and gt new gate info.

All the same. there are QF staff with signs directing you most of the way once you exit customs.

My advise although you are in J. Hightail it to CBP. Takes ages and there are 1-2 other flights landed all waiting till 6am when they can let people off the plane.

Pretty much correct - the only change from my post a couple of years ago would be to replace:

• Walk through the dungeon like corridors to TBIT immigration

with:

• Hightail it up along the aerobridge then out and up the escalators/stairs to the upper concourse
• Walk as briskly as you can along the upper level arrivals concourse the take the escalators down to TBIT immigration

 

[coles525]

Directed here though a link.

In Oct we will be on QF15 from Bris, then QF107.

Other than expecting a long wait, what else should we expect or be happy for (ie: lounge access? ).

U class flights booked from Melb to final destination.

Express passes maby given?

Is everyone required to "single file" through customs and security, or can we go as pairs?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If you are happy to line up with the other sheep, you can stand one behind each other.
I don't think that they would appreciate it if 2 adults stood together, kids I guess will be ok, but not adults.
There is a line in the carpet, that you are supposed to stand behind till called.
NOTE: even if you stand one after the other, if the static officer decides, he/she can split you up, so that you go into different queue for immigration processing.
Have edited my post as you are dep Australia out of BNE, which might or might not as yet, have Smartgate for outgoing passengers.
QF15 from BNE to the US, I can't say, but when I did BNE to SYD on QF8, I found BNEi airport, much better than SYDi airport for Immigration and international preflight security.
More airy, SYDi airport is very hot, dry, claustrophobic. Larger number of people passing through I guess.

 

[serfty]

It is still as already posted through this thread.

Normally there are no express passes given, although you may get priority if your inbound flight is late.

Don't dilly dally after exiting the aircraft; every person you overtake or who you keep behind you represents maybe 30 seconds of queuing time saved.

Lounge access would be available. You may even have time for a shower; but ask on entry as they are very popular.

Queue up for immigration as a pair & approach the counter as a pair - one may be sent back but in my experience that is unlikely.

 

[serfty]

Just an update:

The process for QF11 to New York if all goes to plan is:

• Check bags through to JFK
• Fly to LAX
• Disembark Aircraft
• Hightail it up along the aerobridge then out and up the escalators/stairs to the upper concourse
• Walk as briskly as you can along the upper level arrivals concourse then take the escalators down to TBIT immigration
• Queue up
• Be processed by Immigration - (If your first visit or a new passport, you can't use the machines)
• Collect bags
• Proceed to/through customs processing (Tip: use the Right Hand Queues as they expand to several more as you go along - generally faster than the left hand ones)
• Head up ramp, look for signs for baggage "re-deposit"
• Re-deposit bags
• Turn right and head down the landside arrivals corridor use the new TBIT transit facility (see next post)
• Head through back airside into TBIT - this comes out near the Qantas First lounge entrance and not far from the Business lounge.)
• (If you have QF lounge access use the lounge to ...)
• Await ongoing flight ...

 

[serfty]

Link to FT post showing new (as of late July 2016) transit security. Hat tip to Microwave on FlyerTalk.

Originally Posted by Microwave
Better late than never, I suppose. Here are some pictures I took.

• The first picture shows the perspective one would see immediately after turning right after baggage recheck (assuming you're clearing immigration and customs at TBIT) -or- the perspective one would see entering the terminal having been dropped off at TBIT at the arrivals level kerb and entering the building at the far end near the Shuttle Express stand and turning left.
• This picture thus faces roughly south:

• I've aded a green arrow to show where one would be arriving from (kerb or bag recheck) and where to go.
• Follow the arrow to the brightly lit corridor through the door, where you'll be taken here (this picture also faces roughly south):

• Once here, follow the green arrow left; also notice the overhead sign showing "Gates 40-159".
• In this next picture I've shot the TSA security area after I've cleared security, so now I'm facing back toward the way we came.
• This picture is thus facing north:

I've added green arrows to show the passenger flow. One would enter the security area from the corridor in the 2nd picture (you can see some of the security gear in that pic), pass along the back of the room through the tensa barriers to the ID check. From there, proceed through security and follow signs to the lift, up to level 5, where you can turn left to get to T4 and right to get to TBIT (immediately adjacent to the QF F lounge entrance). I didn't take pictures of this as by the time someone had got this far there would be signs showing where to go (and nowhere else really to get lost). Enjoy!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Very brave taking photo of TSA when they havent noticed!
Read somewhere its a no no.

 

[eminere]

Very brave taking photo of TSA when they havent noticed!
Read somewhere its a no no.

Yes you can, provided you're not interfering with the screening process or revealing sensitive information: link

 

[kitkatff]

re: lounge, given the shortish time frame to the LAX-JFK departure, a shower is possible, but you want to head to the lounge first thing, don't go shopping or wander around. When I did (late June) it I had a shower, a coffee, then boarding calls to JFK started (was off SYD-LAX). That was in J so priority off the plane and trying to run ahead of other people. I remember some dodgy dark corridors after baggage collection, at the top they just took our luggage again (the "bag recheck" green arrow in the pictures above), then walking through what looked like an empty check in area (with counters and stuff, but all closed), then up escalators and then security screening. They were calling for the JFK flight and moving us forward. And as other noted there were people indicating the direction to go about every 100 meters

Weird thing for security is that you don't need to remove laptops from bags, speeds up a bit, but have to take shoes off.

On LAX-SYD transfer from the JFK-LAX flight, even without the customs checks I got to the lounge as they started the boarding calls, so no dice for a shower. Not really needed but would have been nice to be 100% fresh for the night.