Air New Zealand Air Points - Advice on Connection time at LAX for AKL

I would appreciate advice on how much time to allow for a connection at LAX going to AKL. I will be traveling in mid-December from JFK to LAX and have a 2 hr layover at LAX. I'm traveling business and my concern is that if I miss the connection, I will be stuck for 1 night in LA and that ANZ will not be able to accomadate my wife and I in business class on a flight the next day. I don't want to fly to AKL in coach.

Does ANZ have extra seating in business at this time of year or should I just change my flight to the next earlier which is about a 4 1/2 hr layover in LA? I guess I can spend some time in the ANZ lounge.

Thanks
Mike

2 hours is more than enough time to connect to ANZ in LAX, I assume you are on United? If time is tight, cut through the parking garages in the center of the airport and you'll be in terminal 2 pretty quickly (15 minutes tops). You can also take the terminal bus. Security line shouldn't be too bad.

There are a couple NZ flights to AKL, are you on the earlier one? If so you may be able to take the later flight, or even take the UA flight through SYD. It's better than spending the night in LAX.

The NZ lounge is brand new and should be great if you want to get there earlier and hang out. I haven't tried it, but that is what I would do. Actually, I'd take the earlier flight and spend a little time at the Encounter bar in the space ship shaped sculpture just for the view and then lounge in the NZ club for the rest of the time.

Enjoy New Zealand, it's a great place.

Scott

Thank you for your reply. I'm actually on the later of the two daily flight from LAX to AKL (9:45pm). Unforntunately any long delay would result in an overnight stay in LAX. When I spoke to the United reservation agent about this, all the advice they could offer is they would put me on the next available flight. When I asked whether 2 business seats would be available on the flight the next day, she said if not business then coach.

I am flying on an award ticket so I assume they would consider any available seats to be satisfactory. During my conversation with United, it didn't appear that being put on another carrier if business wasn't available on ANZ was an option since I am flying on an award ticket.

Thank
Mike

2 hours is doable at LAX but it wouldnt take much to misconnect. Are you on single ticket for both JFK-LAX and LAX-AKL? If so then at least you'd be protected if eg arriving flight is late in. If on separate tickets then I'd want a longer connection.

If you're worried about misconnecting, how about seeing if going via SFO is an option?

During my conversation with United, it didn't appear that being put on another carrier if business wasn't available on ANZ was an option since I am flying on an award ticket.

They would put you on United if there was business class available. I've been moved from ANZ to United on an award ticket when there was a misconnection. If you stick to the flights you have and the flight looks like it may leave early, go in to the counter at the RCC and tell them the connection might be close, ask what else is available...they can protect you on United if it's available. Protecting you actually gives you a seat so an upgrader couldn't take it from you. This actually worked for me in May.

If you are really worried about it and can move to the earlier flight then go for it, definately not worth the worry.

Scott

United doesnt fly to AKL. Air NZ is the only *A option between LAX and AKL.

United doesnt fly to AKL. Air NZ is the only *A option between LAX and AKL.

true enuf, but this happened to me 2 yr ago on misconnect SEA-LAX & got rebooked Biz LAX-SYD-AKL (sure more flying, also more FFM, UA lounge is decent enuf in SYD, & because 'in transit' no landing hassle or chg)

Sorry, I mentioned the UA connection through SYD before and I meant that in my second post. The UA flight would be through SYD.

Thank you for your comments. I decided to change my flight to an earlier one (4/1/2 hr layover in LAX). I felt this was necessary since the downside of missing my flight is a guarranteed overnight stay in LAX and the uncertainty of what class of service I would be taking to get to AKL. I didn't mention it previously but my wife and I are traveling with our 1 year old daughter so I think its better to minimize the travel. WOuld rather not travel to SYD and then back to AKL.

As mentioned above, I'm traveling on an award ticket and it was very unclear to me how receptive (UA or ANZ) would be if the only business class availability was on another carrier. I would assume that in December most if not all Business class seating is booked in advance LAX to AKL.

Anyway with that decision out of the way I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the ANZ lounge is like at LAX. I was there about three years ago but I saw on some mention on FLyertalk that they were doing construction in 2005. Is that construction complete?

ALso, does anyone know if ANZ Flt 5 will be in the refurb configuration in mid-December? I called ANZ and they said its possible but could not guarrantee it.

THanks
MIke

Anyway with that decision out of the way I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the ANZ lounge is like at LAX. I was there about three years ago but I saw on some mention on FLyertalk that they were doing construction in 2005. Is that construction complete?

ALso, does anyone know if ANZ Flt 5 will be in the refurb configuration in mid-December? I called ANZ and they said its possible but could not guarrantee it.The NZ Lounge renovations have been fully completed. It's much larger then it used to be but still can get quite crowded at times - there's a thread about it somewhere if you do a search.

I doubt that NZ5 will be refurbished in mid-december because when there are 3 aircraft they were going to be put on all NZ1/2 services.