VA check in Kiosk/bag drop @ LAX + OLCI questions

[Vacation1]

Relates to coming back to Australia from LAX after arriving at LAX on a separate ticket domestic US flight.

2 scenarios and questions -assuming I have checked in online for my VA flight home from LAX.

1) bag will be checked/interline all the way through to SYD from IAD if I arrive on DL.

Are there VA kiosks at LAX where I can present my passport and get BP without joining check in desk queues?

2) bag will not be checked all the way through if I arrive from IAD on UA.

I will therefore have the bag with me at LAX - is there a kiosk/bag drop set up at VA check in at LAX to avoid check in desk queues?

One last thing - If I did fly IAD to LAX with DL on a separate ticket could they give me a VA BP at IAD after interlining my bag through? - UA did that for me last trip when I had a separate NZ ticketed flight back home from LAX - meant I didnt have to do NZ check in at LAX.

Thanks

 

[Jurahn]

VA still don't have online check-in for international flights, so you won't be able to do this for your flight back from LAX anyway. - and no, there's no kiosk or bag-drop setup currently available for VA at LAX, you have to check-in at the counter.

I'Ve never interlined on separate tickets, but there are others here who would have experience with this and will be able to advise one way or the other. If you ARE able to interline, then I would assume you'd be able to get a BP for your VA flight at IAD.

 

[Vacation1]

VA still don't have online check-in for international flights, .

I was basing my thinking on this from VA's website: assumed it applied to VA at LAX?

"Online Check-in for international travel will open 24 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure, and close 90 minutes prior"

(There's a link ON VA's website but I'm not allowed to post the link)

 

[CPMaverick]

If you ARE able to interline, then I would assume you'd be able to get a BP for your VA flight at IAD.

Not necessarily. Most airlines have interline agreements for bags, but very few can issue BP for other airlines.

I don't think DL will be able to issue BP for VA ticketed and operated flights on a different itinerary, esepcially if it is an international itinerary requiring document checks. But you can ask. If you do get a DL boarding pass it should get you through security at TBIT, but you'll need to get your documents checked by VA at the gate and reissued a VA BP before you board.

 

[Jurahn]

I was basing my thinking on this from VA's website: assumed it applied to VA at LAX?

"Online Check-in for international travel will open 24 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure, and close 90 minutes prior"

(There's a link ON VA's website but I'm not allowed to post the link)

Must have been a recent change then, although I flew to the US just over a week ago with VA and wasn't able to do online check-in. I thought I'd give it a try, seeing as i received a check-in reminder (although I always got these previously as well, regardless of the fact that international check-in wasn't available yet!) but it didn't work this time either - just received a message that I would need to check in at the airport, so I assumed it still wasn't an option. Possibly that's because I had a domestic leg first as part of the international itinerary? Who knows ... or maybe the VA website was having a hissy fit LOL.

Will be good if international check-in is finally in place ... and working!

 

[Muppet501st]

Not necessarily. Most airlines have interline agreements for bags, but very few can issue BP for other airlines.

I don't think DL will be able to issue BP for VA ticketed and operated flights on a different itinerary, esepcially if it is an international itinerary requiring document checks. But you can ask. If you do get a DL boarding pass it should get you through security at TBIT, but you'll need to get your documents checked by VA at the gate and reissued a VA BP before you board.

Not true, came from JFK-LAX last year on seperate DL ticket and they were able to print me the BP for LAX-BNE on VA on a seperate ticket. And also tag bags all the way to BNE. The first DL checkin agent didn't know how to do it, but she paged a supervisor and they showed her how to do it.

 

[CPMaverick]

Not true, came from JFK-LAX last year on seperate DL ticket and they were able to print me the BP for LAX-BNE on VA on a seperate ticket. And also tag bags all the way to BNE. The first DL checkin agent didn't know how to do it, but she paged a supervisor and they showed her how to do it.

Good to know. I assume you still had to do the DOCS OK check with VA in LAX? Did you do it at the counter or gate?

 

[Vacation1]

they were able to print me the BP for LAX-BNE on VA on a seperate ticket. And also tag bags all the way to BNE.

Sounds promising - did they sight your passport at JFK and you went straight to the gate at LAX or did you have to show it/(check in) at LAX?

 

[Muppet501st]

Sighted and scanned passport at JFK checkin counter. Then once in LAX, headed straight to the NZ lounge TBIT.

 

[Vacation1]

Sighted and scanned passport at JFK checkin counter. Then once in LAX, headed straight to the NZ lounge TBIT.

Thanks for your replies Muppet.

Assuming DL do the same for me at IAD, does that mean I'm checked in with VA and can go straight to security at TBIT instead of going to a VA check in desk or kiosk at LAX?

 

[Muppet501st]

Thanks for your replies Muppet.

Assuming DL do the same for me at IAD, does that mean I'm checked in with VA and can go straight to security at TBIT instead of going to a VA check in desk or kiosk at LAX?

yeap. And since I went thru last year, the airside connector is open, so you can walk from the terminal right thru to TBIT and avoid another round of TSA security.

 

[serfty]

Note that in May, DL are planning to move to T2 & T3 ... after that and until the TBIT-T3 airside connector (planned) is operational, there will be an airside bus from T2/T3 to TBIT or PAX can walk landside and reclear security.

 

[Vacation1]

yeap. And since I went thru last year, the airside connector is open, so you can walk from the terminal right thru to TBIT and avoid another round of TSA security.

No such luck. Delta are moving to T2/3 in a few months time - I'll be there in October. VA will stay at TBIT.

 

[Vacation1]

Note that in May, DL are planning to move to T2 & T3 ... after that and until the TBIT-T3 airside connector (planned) is operational, there will be an airside bus from T2/T3 to TBIT or PAX can walk landside and reclear security.

That airside bus sounds like the go - do you have a link for that please?

 

[Muppet501st]

Ive never bothered with the bus, nice easy walk to stretch the legs in preparation for the 14hrs of fun in Y