Air New Zealand Air Points - A couple of questions from a first timer

I am traveling to BNE from CLT. The CLT-LAX is on US Airways. I am Chairman's Preferred on US, so I have Star Alliance gold. I am concerned about the connection in LAX. I have 1 hour and 45 minutes to get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. What's the best way to do that? Also, We have seats 36 H and k. I am hoping that no one takes J . When I called a Air New Zealand, the woman was very helpful. She said that she would link our itineraries so that "maybe" no one will be seated with us. Do you think that my Star Alliance status will help at all?
Any other tips to make this bearable? It will be the longest trip we have taken together and I am afraid it could be quite the relationship test ; )

thanks so much!

T1 & T2 are next door to each other so you should be fine. Air NZ lounge at LAX is very nice indeed.

Have a great trip.

I am traveling to BNE from CLT. The CLT-LAX is on US Airways. I am Chairman's Preferred on US, so I have Star Alliance gold. I am concerned about the connection in LAX. I have 1 hour and 45 minutes to get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. What's the best way to do that? Also, We have seats 36 H and k. I am hoping that no one takes J . When I called a Air New Zealand, the woman was very helpful. She said that she would link our itineraries so that "maybe" no one will be seated with us. Do you think that my Star Alliance status will help at all?
Any other tips to make this bearable? It will be the longest trip we have taken together and I am afraid it could be quite the relationship test ; )

thanks so much!

The J seat between the two of you will likely be one of the last to be given away. The NZ lounge agents in LAX will give you new BPs printed on NZ BP stock, you can ask them as well about the middle seat.
Enjoy NZ's excellent service.

Assuming all on one ticket then you can get checked in for LAX-AKL-BNE at CLT. If not, then you may spend most of your transit dealing with hassle.

As MrSydney points out the terminals are adjacent. On arrival take the escalator up to departure level, and take the short walk on the footpath. If not already checked in then check in at the *G line (on the right hand side - ie closest to T1 - IIRC). Then BP checked before up escalator to security. Security can take anywhere from 5 minutes to almost an hour on really bad days. I assume I'll take 20-30 minutes.

As *G you can use the very nice NZ lounge at LAX, upstairs on the mezzanine level. Either take the lift on the right past security, or the stairs on the left a bit further in to the terminal. I usually take a shower to reinvigorate. Try some nice NZ wine to get in the mood.

The sticky seating guide has info on good seats. If you stay with 36 HK then in the worst case of full flight one of you can swap with the person in the middle so you can sit together.

NZ has great IFE, and of course plenty of free food and booze. The flight is overnight and nicely timed for decent amount of sleep. I find this flight passes very quickly.

Make sure you don't have to much planned for your first day in BNE as you will probably be exhausted from the trip.

As Kiwflyer has pointed out - Air NZ is a great airline with good food, fantastic IFE and excellant wines.