rhinochaser

I know that this post technically belongs on the LAX Airport branch, but the activity there is low and I suspect many on this branch could be helpful.

I'm flying from Sacramento to LAX on Friday night with my wife and infant son on Southwest. The flight is scheduled to arrive at 10:15P and we will have checked baggage.

I have TACA 601 from LAX to San Jose, Costa Rica, which departs at 12:15A. We are flying business class.

The question is do we have enough time to comfortably make this connection, or should I rebook for the earlier Southwest flight, which would put me in at LAX at 8:40P?

Also, any tips for speeding-up the connection process would be greatly appreciated.

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Happy Travels,

Rhinochaser

cygone

I would strongly suggest you take the earlier flight. First Southwest is located in a terminal quite a distance from the Bradley Intl. Terminal, and you will have to take a shuttle bus between terminals. If you have no luggage I guess you could make this transition in about fifteen minuets if you plane arrives on time. With checked luggage this could take 45 minuets to one hour, there is not interline agreement between Southwest and TACA.

The biggest problem with TACA-LACSA at the Bradley terminal is the security precautions. You must first stand on a line which can be rather long to have all your luggage xrayed. After your luggage is xrayed a porter delivers the luggage to the ticket counter (I am not making this Up) You will than have to wait in line for check in. I flew to EZE last month in Business class and this process alone took more than one hour. TACA does have a special line for Executive tickets but many people can not read and get in shortest line. They did not discrimate between coach and buisness in the one line they had for business class passengers.

but your problems have only just begun, there are two more security checkpoints beyond the TACA counter. The lines are a mess sometims over 200 people deep and extend into the street with many desperate passengers cutting into the line.

If you could make that transition within two hours it would really surprise me. By the way three hours is the minimum connection time allowed by domestic airlines to make international connection at LAX and that may be stretching it.

Good luck and hope this helps.

By the way if you are talking about flying on Saturday Feb 7 12:15 AM, we are on the same flight. I plan to be in the Bradley terminal before ten PM. I live in Santa Barbara so will drive to airport.



[This message has been edited by cygone (edited Jan 30, 2004).]

rhinochaser

cygone:

I've rebooked on the earlier Southwest flight, so I should get there at about 8:40P. Very much appreciate your detailed reply. We actually fly-out tonight, so different flight.

Hope you have a great trip!

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Happy Travels,

Rhinochaser