Zanders

Hello all,

I'm flying MELB to JFK on Sunday and only have an hour and 45 minutes to change planes in LAX. I should have kicked up a fuss with my travel agent when he proposed the itinerary but he was so confident it would be enough time.

Now travel date is getting closer I'm not so sure!

We arrive and leave at the Tom Bradley, so that's a plus I guess, but do people experienced with this route think it will be enough time?

We are only taking carry-on sized luggage, but it's definitely going to be over Qantas' crazy 7 kilo limit, so if they make us check it I feel like there's no chance we will clear customs and collect baggage in time to make our connecting flight?

Would love to hear from anyone who has made it in this time and any tips they have for making a tight connect at the vortex of doom otherwise known as LAX.

Thanks!

beckoa

Welcome to Flyertalk Zanders.

As this is pertaining to a QF flight to the USA and then a connection, we'll move this to the QF forum for now, as they'll have the best insight into the flight timings and your connection. Also they can answer the query in regard to your carry on and if they are indeed monitored. Is your second flight on QF as well? I'm thinking it might be as you say its a TBIT departure to JFK.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

Mwenenzi

Is MEL-LAX-JFK on 1 ticket/PNR? Or separate tickets/PNR's ?
Is MEL-LAX-JFK all QF?
QF would not have sold you flights on 1 ticket that did not meet the MCT minimum connection time.
What a TA could do to get a sale in another matter

Dave Noble

Assuming that you are on QF93 connecting to QF11 , then you are fine. This is a valid connection and if you were to misconnect, QF will sort you out

number_6

Easy connection and if the immigration/customs queues are huge then QF sends a rep down to collect connecting pax to get them to the JFK flight on time ... last month it was taking maybe 15 min to clear immigration (not the 3 hours that you read about in some horror stories about TBIT -- doubt those happened more than once a decade). I'd say you have 99% chance of making the connnection, and worst case if you miss it then QF will put you on one of the dozen AA flights LAX-JFK.

serfty

What class are you travelling and one what airlines/flight numbers.

Answer these and more useful responses are possible.

I hate to generalise on the basis of the limited information provided.

number_6

Disagree that the viability of the connection depends upon specific airline flight and class -- it simply isn't that tight and LAX isn't that inefficient at immigration and customs clearance. MCT is 90 minutes so there is 15 min slack (and the MCT is for all pax, not just F or J ). Most of the time -- I'd claim 99% -- this will be fine provided that you show due diligence to clear immigration and make the flight. Doesn't leave too much lounge time (I'd estimate 15 min in the lounge if you have access).

Kiwi Flyer

I'm typically taking 2+ hours to clear immigration & customs at TBIT in several trips over the past year or so. Some of these have been over 3 hours, even more if connecting to onward flight and add in time to clear security to get back airside.

Agree if miss the QF onward flight will be rebooked onto AA.

serfty

Most times I am through (aircraft to landside) in 10 to 20 minutes. However, there are exceptions.

Earlier this year I was directed into a queue for detailed processing - they redirected 50 or so pax queued up between two random points to this queue, unfortunately I was caught up. It was 10 minute per person with many selected for secondary.

I was finally landside 95 minutes after disembarkation.

I like lounge time - at least enough to have a shower.

Also, I mainly travel on non-refundable First fares and would hate to travel later in the "main cabin" due to not allowing enough time.

Being on Qantas, as you yourself indicated, can result in special processing and, ergo, you have contradicted your statement: "Disagree that the viability of the connection depends upon specific airline flight ...".

docbert

You can get an idea of the average/maximum wait times to get through immigration at http://awt.cbp.gov/

During the time frame when the QF flights arrive the maximum wait time this month is around 90 minutes, with an average closer to 20 minutes. But as has been said, the QF ground staff will provide express passes to customers with tight connections so the maximum times are not a good indication for purposes of this connection.

And worst case, if you do miss it, QF will put you on a later flight to JFK.

number_6

Wow, you either have very bad luck or I have very good luck, I can't remember taking more than 30 min in the last 10 arrivals at TBIT or seeing queues that were so long. For airside security I usually go via AA and it has been <5 min in the past year since they redid the process -- great improvement over past years when it was often 30+ min. I thought the days of 2 hour queues were gone based on my observation, but apparently not. I'll keep planning for 1 hour MCT and push my luck

serfty

Obviously you are not aware of the revamped TBIT transit security accessed from the landside arrivals level which will have one at the QF First lounge entry five minutes after bag drop.

tanglin

What about applying for GE (or whatever it's called in Aus)?

I use my GE to get into SYD no issue, I would think (but don't know) that it would be reciprocated.

og

No GE in Oz. "Express" priority cards are given to Biz and F pax incoming and outgoing. If you are a VIP then there are quicker ways of getting you around the riff-raff.

docbert

APEC Business Travel Card would be the nearest equivalent, and it absolutely works wonders when arriving in the US (I've never been anything other than 1st in line, no matter how long the "Visitor" line has been).

That said, with a 6+ month wait to get the card and a fairly strict criteria to be approved, it's not something you'd bother with for a single tight connection...