Security at LAX? - I am taking the red-eye AC flight to Toronto
Mar 9, 2003, 9:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,602
Security at LAX? - I am taking the red-eye AC flight to Toronto
I am taking the AC red-eye flight to Toronto, from LAX, next week.
I wonder about the new TSA security arrangements. Is the luggage checked landside? - if so, can I lock the luggage after they are finished?
Is the luggage checked along the check-in line, or is there a separate line - and is there a separate line for Elites? How long does this process take?
How long are the personal security lines, at that time? Is there an elite line for security?
If I want to be in the gate area 1 hr before flight departure, how long before flight departure should I arrive at the airport?
I wonder about the new TSA security arrangements. Is the luggage checked landside? - if so, can I lock the luggage after they are finished?
Is the luggage checked along the check-in line, or is there a separate line - and is there a separate line for Elites? How long does this process take?
How long are the personal security lines, at that time? Is there an elite line for security?
If I want to be in the gate area 1 hr before flight departure, how long before flight departure should I arrive at the airport?
Mar 9, 2003, 10:22 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: YEG - No Particular Loyalty Anymore
Posts: 3,610
The security line in Terminal 2 is bad usually around peak connection times so after about 8 pm or so it'll be okay.
Luggage is put through a machine immediately after you check in at AC. The TSA people are right there. Golf clubs are hand-searched and the guy used my key to re-lock my case after he was finished. We all laughed because I said maybe he'd find all the golf balls I had lost over the weekend! All the TSA people went to great lengths to say that was doubtful and were quite amused by it all.
I don't think you'll be allowed to lock luggage that merely goes through the machine because that's inside the TSA perimeter and no one is allowed in there.
You'll have lots of time if you arrive 1 1/2 hours before departure.
Luggage is put through a machine immediately after you check in at AC. The TSA people are right there. Golf clubs are hand-searched and the guy used my key to re-lock my case after he was finished. We all laughed because I said maybe he'd find all the golf balls I had lost over the weekend! All the TSA people went to great lengths to say that was doubtful and were quite amused by it all.
I don't think you'll be allowed to lock luggage that merely goes through the machine because that's inside the TSA perimeter and no one is allowed in there.
You'll have lots of time if you arrive 1 1/2 hours before departure.
Mar 16, 2003, 5:22 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,602
We arrived at LAX 2.5 hours, before flight departure - ie 8 PM.
No lineups at the check-in counter (either SE/E/business class, or regular lines) or security lines.
I agree with you about the TSA screening of luggage - again only one family ahead of us. The x-rays seemed to allow all luggage to go through - I did not see ours, or anyone else's luggage being manually checked.
The only surprises were that the check-out food establishments (eg Burger King) closed by the time we left the lounge at 10 PM (ie the time the MLL closes); this flight does not serve hot food (I wonder why?).
I was tempted to go to the Air New Zealand lounge, next to the MLL - I have never visited that airline's lounge - however, because it closed at 9:30 PM (the departure of the last Air New Zealand flight of the day) - and going to it would have meant being displaced to the MLL (for the extra 1/2 hour) - we decided to stay in the MLL. I wonder how this Air New Zealand lounge compares to the MLL.
At this time of night, all the newspapers had gone from the MLL - although I was able to look up the newspapers, on the web sites.
I was surprised that the washrooms are not physically in the MLL (however, they were a few steps away - on this floor where all lounges for this terminal building were located) - I wonder if any other MLLs around the world also are deficient in on-site washrooms.
No lineups at the check-in counter (either SE/E/business class, or regular lines) or security lines.
I agree with you about the TSA screening of luggage - again only one family ahead of us. The x-rays seemed to allow all luggage to go through - I did not see ours, or anyone else's luggage being manually checked.
The only surprises were that the check-out food establishments (eg Burger King) closed by the time we left the lounge at 10 PM (ie the time the MLL closes); this flight does not serve hot food (I wonder why?).
I was tempted to go to the Air New Zealand lounge, next to the MLL - I have never visited that airline's lounge - however, because it closed at 9:30 PM (the departure of the last Air New Zealand flight of the day) - and going to it would have meant being displaced to the MLL (for the extra 1/2 hour) - we decided to stay in the MLL. I wonder how this Air New Zealand lounge compares to the MLL.
At this time of night, all the newspapers had gone from the MLL - although I was able to look up the newspapers, on the web sites.
I was surprised that the washrooms are not physically in the MLL (however, they were a few steps away - on this floor where all lounges for this terminal building were located) - I wonder if any other MLLs around the world also are deficient in on-site washrooms.