jmccarron

Hi All,

This seems to have been covered last fall, but given the pace of construction at LAX, I wanted to check in again. Will be flying into LAX from LHR on 135. I have a 1:45 layover to HNL. A few questions:

1) Will we arrive at TBIT or T4?
2) If landing at TBIT, do I have to go outside and walk to T-4 and then reenter?
3) Is the 1:45 enough time to re-check my bag and then make it through security? I am Global Entry and I should be TSA Pre-Check (though not sure if Pre -Check prints on the boarding bass is issued outside the US)?

Thanks everyone.

You are consistently my best source of advice!

Jamie

pssteve

AA 135 arrived at gate 41 today. One hour and 45 mins should be plenty.Worst wait will be for checked luggage to show up on the carrousel.While waiting be sure to check out location of entrance to Global Entry Customs line. If your LHR BP has no Pre Chek then try to re-issue it at a kiosk at LAX or with a ticket agent.Good luck.

SJC AA

I think this old glitch has been fixed. My BPs printed in Beijing had pre-check for the domestic connection.

As always, avoid checking bags with a tight connection if at all possible.

jmccarron

Saw this, but has baggage claim listed as TBIT. Yesterday's baggage claim is listed as CUST. Is there some connection that routes you to TBIT to go through immigration and customs?

jmccarron

Good to know. Thanks!

SeattleDavid

My experience has been one arrival at Gate 41, and being bussed to TBIT for customs and immigration; and one arrival at TBIT and a walk to customs and immigration (both this year). The former was remarkably slow - even with Global Entry and no checked baggage my 105 minute connection went by without time for a shower in the lounge (15 minutes in the lounge was barely enough time to grab dinner).

My mental note is that LAX arrivals can be very challenging compared to JFK or ORD (I haven't done DFW).

1K-SFO

Pre-construction, LAX was great -- similar to JFK and DFW: arrive into shared-use domestic/international gates, be routed off the jetbridge downstairs into immigration/baggage claim/customs, then exit into the domestic arrivals level to then only need to go upstairs to re-enter domestic. ORD is more challenging, because it's a separate international terminal that requires monorail to domestic.

LAX's current situation is worst of all: the interminable bus transfers. DFW is generally a breeze and on par with JFK.

VickiSoCal

If the plane arrives at TBIT it's pretty simple, go thru immigration, customs, exit, hang a right, very short walk to T4, enter, go thru security.

Non-intuitively arriving at T4 on an international flight is worse for a T4 connection. Because you get bused to TBIT, then go thru above!

GuidoVdS

jmccarron Any news about this topic?

PurpleCircle

All AA international arrivals must clear customs/immigration at TBIT regardless of where the aircraft parks. Yes, there are FIS facilities at T4, however, US CBP doesn't man that facility right now and all passengers are forced to TBIT to clear customs/immigration.

Oakshadow

Right now? Why doesn't CBP man T4 and will they ever?

Honestly, I would not book a long-haul international arrival at LAX on AA because of that ... TBIT bus.

HNL

T4 is currently shutdown because of construction of the T4 - TBIT connector which will open next year - w00t. In the past the T4 Immigration and Customs facility had limited hours due to the cost involved in staffing the facility. It worked when AA had limited and constrained international arrivals but as they spread to broader time frames more and more of the flights fell outside the staffing periods.

With the new and expanded TBIT the new reality is AA will now clear immigration and customs at TBIT. As more gates open less of that will involve busing.

travelinmanS

I got off a PVG-LAX flight a few weeks ago that landed just after the LHR-LAX flight. Our flight was at gate 41 and the LHR flight at 43. Since the LHR flight started unloading onto the buses first, they made us wait in the hallway (more like a holding pen) with most passengers backing up onto the jetway, until the entire LHR 777 was on buses. Then they allowed the PVG passengers to get on buses. We were stuck waiting in this cramped hallway for 15-20 minutes, a real bad welcome to the USA.

I understand the need for buses but I don't know why they can't mingle passengers from 2 different international flights. It was a bad experience and made me vow to avoid LAX for international arrivals on AA until they fix the walking connector.

IsleSeat

I also fondly remember the T4 arrival and T4 customs/immigration and have gone through all scenarios described above since that went away.

Oakshadow

How will this work? Will AA international arriving aircraft still park at T4 and pax will walk to TBIT CBP? Will there be moving walkways? I guess that would be somewhat of an improvement over the TBIT busses, but still awful compared to doing CBP in T4.