AS in LAS...yikes...
 

Just flew back to PDX from LAS last night and couldn't help but notice how slow going the operation seemed to be from the check-in counter to the gate....upon arriving at the counter, I noticed there were a total of 2 people working and since we were booked in F, I had my wife wait in the First Class/MVP line which already had people waiting while I proceeded to check us in using the regular kiosks...she quickly realized that I was going to get done faster so she left the F line and waited with me...then came the wait to get the bag tags which was probably still less of a wait than if we were to stand in the F line. When we got to the gate, we needed a stroller tag but the gate agent didn't have any (that was a first for me) so he sent us from our gate (D25) to D26 to get a tag but D26 didn't have an agent at the counter so we went back and just boarded without one and had someone tag it in the jetway. I can't remember the last time I arrived at an airport 2 hours before a flight on a domestic trip, but let me say this, even during what appeared to be a "slow" time at LAS, you WILL need every bit of that extra time. We would have had time for a sit down dinner at Beaches in PDX if we had arrived there 2 hours in advance...for you more frequent AS LAS flyers, is AS at LAS always this bad??

Depends. I've boarded flights when arriving less than 40 minutes before departure (no luggage, but the airport checkin had to let the gate know I was on the way). But I fly through McCarran a ton; I could probably sleepwalk to D26.

When it's bad, it's really bad. Was forced to leave on a Sunday morning one time and security was close to an hour and a half.

Usually take off when I know it's slow. Left on the 15th this month on the 1:10 flight and arrived at the airport at 12:15, checked a bag, and was at the gate 40 min before boarding as they were starting.

It's a city where you have most of the people are arriving and leaving on a few number of days. Leave when a convention ends or on Sunday and you are screwed, leave when a convention is starting or on a Saturday afternoon and it's one of the quickest major airports in the country.

Yikes :/ I have a quick fly in and fly out on Monday the 27th to LAS. Is my return flight on Monday evening (6:55PM) considered a busy time, such that I should plan on arriving no later than 5:00 for the return?
CTP

It would help if there were more than 2 agents at the counter....it's a good thing we didn't wait in the MVP/MVP Gold line because we would still be there.

LAS is always a tough airport. Whenever I fly out I always allow 2 hours. If I get through everything quickly, great, if not, then I have at least allowed the time.

Sometimes it's taken me MUCH longer than anticipated to reach my gate.... now if they would just remove all those damn tempting, conveniently-placed slot machines on the way to my gate... i would always be on time, :D

That shouldn't be a busy time for security because not many of the flights heading east would be leaving then. Probably one of the slowest times of the day.

It seems like every time I get in the MVP/F line in LAS the one agent manning it is always invariably tied up with dealing with some huge family who with at least 20 bags to check along with other complicated logistical issues to discuss. Worse, the agents working the regular queue tend to just ignore the people standing the the priority line.

As one data-point, around that time Monday this week security took 15-20 minutes even after both of us opted out of the NoS and had to wait at least 5 minutes for a pat-down smurf to arrive.

Good to hear that time of night should not be too time consuming. I should be able to avoid slow check in lines by carrying my tools on and printing up the boarding pass before I leave. Thanks

CTP

Its that bad during dead week? Maybe its just AS. On Monday i flew out of Vegas on CO in the morning 2 hours in advance and i ended up spending 90 min of it at the gate

I'm sure CO has agents actually working the elite line :)

I was the only one in the elite line and yes there was an agent there. Also C/D gate security line was short for everyone, elite or general passenger

...you weren't waiting in the CO PC :confused:

I was flying CO so no access. Yes i was cheating On AS but it was a cheap trip and couldn't resist

That sounds a lot better than my trip through a couple weeks back. Left on the 1:45 on a Friday and it was an absolute gong show - checkin itself was fine, but the lines at security were ridiculous. Had gotten to the airport at 12:30, checked in a bag and the checkin agent told me that the security lines were "a bit longer" (a massive understatement) today and to head straight through.
By the time we got through, we were hearing that dreaded named final boarding call. Had we known that lines could get so long, we would have gotten to the airport a lot earlier, but we still made the flight, so no big issue.

Yup, have been on 609 a couple of times and security has never taken more than 10-12 minutes. I feel that its one of the best times to fly out of LAS.

You can access the CO PC when flying on CO as a BR member....

Oh, how was the flight, first time in CO F?

DOOHHH!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't have had much time in there anyways at it was a6:45am flight. I got to the airport 10 min before the 4:30Am checkin opening. which woudl have only left 20-30 min to spend in there. Oh well at least the breakfast in flight was filling. I thought F was ok. I though the direct TV was kind of annoying as it sticks out so far from the seat in front of you. its worse when the person in front reclined. Having a hangover didn't help either. I also wish there was more legroom but the equipment boxes get in th way. On the positive side the pre-mixed margaritas were nice. Also F and Elite are considered pre-boards before the children and families which was nice as well

I've never used the AS ticket counter in LAS - it is pretty far out of the way. Either come with boarding passes or use one of the common kiosks elsewhere in the airport to print them and go straight to security.

The CO PC is pretty decent, though no much food and a bit out of the way.

But... I have found the AS gate agents in LAS to be relatively unfriendly and unhelpful. They don't really want to help if you want to stand by for an earlier flight. They don't tell you why you aren't boarding (when they are delaying for MX). They ignore you in the first class line if you come after they started boarding the regular line.