Air NZ and Visas
Aug 5, 2017, 1:16 pm
#31
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,419
Aug 5, 2017, 6:37 pm
#32
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YSB & YAM, Northern Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG Gold Elite, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 1,100
This is why NZ promotes NZ-23/24 as bypassing the US!
Not necessarily related to the OP question but folks here might like to be aware that ANZ actively promotes their Vancouver, Canada service as being non-stop and avoiding transit through the US - a lesson which incidentally Qantas has yet to learn!
Jan 30, 2018, 7:56 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,539
what do through passengers at LAX on NZ1 & NZ2 do physically upon deplaning at LAX?
do they exit the plane, escalator up to the walkway leading to US immigrations, then US customs, then exit Bradley lower, clear Bradley TSA lower, and go back to the NZ departure gate?
or, is there a similar process to the T2 holding-pen where through passengers exited the plane to the immediately adjacent holding pen for 45 minutes without having to go down to US immigration & customs?
do they exit the plane, escalator up to the walkway leading to US immigrations, then US customs, then exit Bradley lower, clear Bradley TSA lower, and go back to the NZ departure gate?
or, is there a similar process to the T2 holding-pen where through passengers exited the plane to the immediately adjacent holding pen for 45 minutes without having to go down to US immigration & customs?
Jan 30, 2018, 10:11 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,098
Not quite option 1 - you clear TSA on L1 of TBIT the same as all other pax using the airport. You clear CBP but not customs and then head to the transit desk. After you've gone through the transit desk your transit card is replaced by a stamp on your boarding pass which will let you access the transit lanes at TSA if they're in use (this is not always the case).
Jan 31, 2018, 12:00 am
#36
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: Air NZ *E
Posts: 160
There are other options to get to NZ from London on Air NZ, albeit one leg codeshare. Via Vancouver, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.
Jan 31, 2018, 10:33 am
#37
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,539
Not quite option 1 - you clear TSA on L1 of TBIT the same as all other pax using the airport. You clear CBP but not customs and then head to the transit desk. After you've gone through the transit desk your transit card is replaced by a stamp on your boarding pass which will let you access the transit lanes at TSA if they're in use (this is not always the case).
Jan 31, 2018, 11:38 am
#38
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,098
so, these passengers clear US immigrations like any LAX arriving passenger and then, rather than going escalators down to baggage claim & US customs, there is a "transit route" from immediately after immigrations that takes you back to airside Bradley departures via TSA? assuming any checked luggage does not have to be touched at LAX.
Luggage checked through on NZ2 does not leave the plane. Passengers collect a transit card from staff when they leave the plane, clear TSA along with all other pax, proceed to the transit area at the end of the CBP hall where they take your transit card, tick you off the list and stamp your boarding pass with "transit" and then send you on your way. You then enter landside on the ground floor check-in area and then head up the escalator to L1 TSA screening with all other departing pax.
