Anyone been through LAX recently?
Oct 5, 2013, 1:39 am
#31
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Truly the worst airport on the planet with even worse people inside it with attitudes second to none. A true disgrace and all in the name of the war on terror.
The whole airport sucks. Right down to when you land and then they have to tow the plane to the final parking spot.
Try watching the the managers who watch the supervisors accompanied by the union leaders watching the baggage handlers handle your luggage.
Pray you dont need to use the airport shuttle buses to get to another terminal, if you do make sure you are fully immunized against all known infections.
The whole airport sucks. Right down to when you land and then they have to tow the plane to the final parking spot.
Try watching the the managers who watch the supervisors accompanied by the union leaders watching the baggage handlers handle your luggage.
Pray you dont need to use the airport shuttle buses to get to another terminal, if you do make sure you are fully immunized against all known infections.
Oct 5, 2013, 2:14 am
#32
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
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TBIT has had a smart upgrade but I wouldn't say arriving at LAX has got either better or worse in recent years. It's always unpredictable. Optimally, you'll have a brisk 3-4 minute walk from plane to immigration, 30-45 mins in line by which time your bags will be on the carousel. Then the most annoying part, another long queue for customs. (There are only two agents, so you get two queues snaking round the baggage hall. With 80-100 others in front of you averaging 15 second per person - well, you can work it out). At best you might be kerbside 1-1.5 hours after touchdown. For a best-case scenario that's not appealing. Worst case, with a bus from remote stand and a couple of Asian jumbos landing just ahead of you, it can be 3 hours.
I've taken to flying in to SAN instead. Arrival is smooth and speedy (20 mins to kerb). Short taxi ride to La Jolla, a relaxing dinner at the hotel, pick up a rental in the village after breakfast and you can be in LA for lunch. Maybe not an option for folks on a tight schedule but for a leisure traveller it's very civilised.
I've taken to flying in to SAN instead. Arrival is smooth and speedy (20 mins to kerb). Short taxi ride to La Jolla, a relaxing dinner at the hotel, pick up a rental in the village after breakfast and you can be in LA for lunch. Maybe not an option for folks on a tight schedule but for a leisure traveller it's very civilised.
Oct 5, 2013, 4:24 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2013
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I had a dreadful experience on Sunday 22 Sept. Arrived 15.30 is on BA 283. Was in J so off quickly via an airbridge. But 1 hour 45 mins at immigration. Totally disorganised. Different queues moving at different speeds. Queues being randomly shortened / closed lengthened. Transero / Asiana passengers who spoke little or no English were in the queues in front taking a long time to process. But if that wasn't bad enough, the 40 min queue for customs really takes the mick! Kerbside 2.5 hours after landing. Not great really.
Oct 5, 2013, 4:35 am
#34
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Welcome to Flyertalk seanyboy
Welcome to Flyertalk seanyboy, and welcome also to the BA board. And you have certainly joined the crowd, it seems half this forum is either in LAX or about to go there! So it's good to hear of your experience (though personally I think it's unfortunately not atypical for TBIT, and has been the case for years), please continue to contribute here.
Oct 5, 2013, 8:43 am
#35
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Is it a good airport? Unequivocally - no, it can be very poor. Is it "the worst on the planet"? Again, unequivocally - no. There are worse airports in the US let alone the world. Either you've been magically blessed in your travels or they haven't taken you very far if you actually believe your statement.
Oct 5, 2013, 8:54 am
#36
Join Date: May 2011
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Anyone been through LAX recently?
I arrived on 3rd oct, at 12:55. Air bridge for the 747, totally empty immigration hall, a wonderful new terminal, and about 20 mins from getting off the plane to leaving the terminal. Tbh, I was astounded, it was so quick and smooth!!!
Oct 5, 2013, 11:32 am
#37
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Is it a good airport? Unequivocally - no, it can be very poor. Is it "the worst on the planet"? Again, unequivocally - no. There are worse airports in the US let alone the world. Either you've been magically blessed in your travels or they haven't taken you very far if you actually believe your statement.
Oct 5, 2013, 12:05 pm
#38
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Oct 5, 2013, 2:00 pm
#39
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I would say racking up about 400 000 miles a year takes me to some of the crappiest airports in the world and LAX and the people who work there are right up the fella. For a nation that claims to the leader of the modern world I would hardly think that this dump belongs anywhere inside the USA. Its a national disgrace - end of story.
Oct 5, 2013, 2:57 pm
#40
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Well u guys maybe smart but flew through las on Thursday immigration a breeze out within 15 mins, albeit then spent a night at luxor and then 4 hour car drive to destination at psp but hassle free, leaving on Saturday from lax to lhr so should not have a problem. Lax is always known as being a nightmare.
Oct 5, 2013, 5:57 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2011
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Anyone been through LAX recently?
I also went thro Las Vegas a few weeks ago on BA from lhr, was the first pax into the immigration hall which was totally empty!! Couldn't believe it, then baggage out quickly and no taxi queue!! Gate to room at Caesars in 45 mins, unbelievable!!!
Oct 6, 2013, 2:53 am
#42
Join Date: Dec 2011
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That's great if Vegas is your destination but am not sure it's a viable alternative to LAX if your destination is LA. Burbank is a great local airport and in theory you could avoid LAX by going LHR-LAS-BUR but the last time I checked the connections didn't work. The choices were either a 3-4 hour layover or a tight connection which might work if you breezed through immigration but carried a high risk.
Oct 6, 2013, 3:35 am
#43
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I don't think it's really that bad. There are much worse airports in some far-flung parts of Europe. Long immigration lines are not unique to LAX: they can happen at any major US airport if you land on the wrong flight at the wrong time.
The traffic around the airport loop can be terrible at certain times, and when I'm arriving at Tom Bradley, the lines to exit through customs after baggage claim always annoy me. But despite small annoyances like these, I'd never actually take an extra flight to avoid it.
The traffic around the airport loop can be terrible at certain times, and when I'm arriving at Tom Bradley, the lines to exit through customs after baggage claim always annoy me. But despite small annoyances like these, I'd never actually take an extra flight to avoid it.
Oct 6, 2013, 4:24 am
#44
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LAX TBIT has always been a nightmare only eclipsed for rudeness and bored employee disinterest by Miami.
What really annoys me is the fact that I read on here so often about complaints over Fast Track at T5 and nothing of the sort exists in the US.
Why oh why cannot the UK have the same arrangements as the Republic of Ireland and Canada and have this all done in the UK? I last did this at SNN and it was in two words, a pleasure. This does not condone in any way the situation at T5 caused in the main because the UK would not sign up to Schengen. I feel uncomfortable criticising matters at T5 when our own house is in such disorder.
What really annoys me is the fact that I read on here so often about complaints over Fast Track at T5 and nothing of the sort exists in the US.
Why oh why cannot the UK have the same arrangements as the Republic of Ireland and Canada and have this all done in the UK? I last did this at SNN and it was in two words, a pleasure. This does not condone in any way the situation at T5 caused in the main because the UK would not sign up to Schengen. I feel uncomfortable criticising matters at T5 when our own house is in such disorder.
Oct 8, 2013, 5:31 am
#45
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Just went through TBIT today and was nicely surprised at the new terminal and how fast it took to go through immigration... Also, luggage came out about 10 minutes after getting off the plane, which was also a surprise... If the new TBIT can keep this up, hopefully its image will be quickly rehabilitated...
