LAX positioning help
 

Hi All,
I'm hoping some of you might have some guidance/experience with positioning at LAX for a transpacific flight about the middle of May.

My initial thought is to book my positioning flight on a mid-afternoon Friday out of CMH-(MSP)-LAX arrive 19:30 on DL. My connecting flight is the KE flight for ICN at 23:00 which would give me approximately 4.5 hours to claim our bags and recheck.

My gut tells me that it’s too close since my vacation to Bali is on the line though I've pushed international flights this close before. Being that I've never flown into LAX I'm not familiar with the time necessary to claim and check-in (especially on a Friday afternoon/evening); GOES might payoff here.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

won't the bags be checked thru to icn?

more info needed re bali if you have a ?

I will be booking a reward flight R/T CMH-LAX and a paid R/T LAX-DPS.

Please continue to follow this thread in the Delta Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

My first thought was "Why not check the bags thru" until I remembered the new rules that went into effect Jan 1. Even it it is not technically allowed, you can always ask when you check in. I've had some luck when asking nicely and getting baggage rules "bent" (mostly when I have a 23 hour layover on an international trip and I want the bags checked thru)

The terminals at LAX are laid out as big U -- terminals 1 2 & 3 down one side, the Bradley Terminal (TBIT) at the base and terminals 4,5,6,7 & 8 up the other side. KE is at the TBIT and DL is in Terminal 5.

Without bags (or only hand or rolling luggage) I'd say just walk. It would take 10 minutes if you were slow. If you have more, there is a shuttle bus but the hassle of getting on and off with luggage is probably not worth it. I'd just rent one of the "Smarte Cartes" and wheel your stuff along.

You can through-check, and give yourself about 2 hours - I have done DL-SQ in under 1.5 hours in LAX. Delta has delayed implementing through-check limitations, for now.

Call Delta, they codeshare with KE so they'll wanna know your entire itinerary, and will explain how to make it easier. Bottom line your itinerary will work well. Have fun!

Unless there are flight delays, 4 hours is about the right amount of time to do this connection. If something starts to go south with weather earlier in the day in MSP you can same-day confirm to an earlier flight or even call and beg to be rerouted due to a misconnect.

If they don't through-check them, you'll have to claim bags in LAX then walk or take the bus between terminals to TBIT. There are a large number of late evening flights at TBIT and security can be very jammed, so give yourself plenty of time.

An aside, but KE usually only have one daily ICN-DPS flight so this must mean you've got a long layover in ICN. Are you planning to leave the airport and go out to explore? It's an easy place to do it in a daytrip like that (subway goes right to the airport).

Update: On October 25, 2012, Delta published a policy on delta.com clarifying the baggage check process for customers traveling on separate tickets. The publication stated that for travel on or after January 15, 2012, Delta policy would be to check a passenger’s baggage between the origin and destination points of a single or conjuncted ticket exclusively. Delta has since determined that it will postpone the implementation of the clarified policy in order to further assess implications, to better understand any applicable regulatory requirements, and to provide travel partners with additional time to evaluate potential adjustments to ticketing practices associated with such policy.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...p/checked.html

if you have to pick up the bags, get a skycap or cart & walk....

I try to leave myself at least 3 hours for this connection, and would not attempt less than 2-1/2. In addition to getting bags, you hoof it over to TBIT, presumably get a boarding pass at KE then clear security which can be busy then.

If you are the worrysome type, stick with 4-1/2 and relax.

Again, I repeat - you don't have to pick up your bags. You can through-check.

Wow, thanks for the quick reply everyone. I appreciate all the advice. Time wise it doesn’t sound like I should be too concerned.

currentjer: Thank you for the link on Delta’s through-check policy. I imagine the same generosity wouldn’t apply I encountered delays out of CMH or MSP, or do they? So Delta is able to lookup the flight I purchased through Korean Air or would I have to give them some for my itinerary?

dll: My layover would be about 12 hours and my thought was to shoot into Seoul for the day. It’s been a couple years since I was there last and first for my girlfriend. Like I said it’s been a few years, is customs relatively east out and back? I vaguely remember it not taking long. I see that AREX takes about 45 min. to get to the city center, would 12 hrs. be enough?

Again, thank you all.

You can take either the AREX or the regular (commuter) subway into the city. AREX is about 10 minutes faster and nonstop (I think, I've not taken it) but the commuter line is plenty fine for me. 12 hours is plenty for this transit stop - I had a similar stop about 3 weeks ago, 12 hours, and was able to get to the Gyeongbokgung Palace for a nice stroll even in 2 degree F temps! We had a great lunch nearby then headed back to the airport. It was about 45-60 minutes each way on the regular train.

If you have lounge access in Seoul (not sure if you do), you can actually go through transit on your connection back into the airport then leave your backpack/bags in the lockers in lounge. They have electronic combination locks on them. Just pay attention to the set of stairs you came up from the transit security area and go back down there, ask the guard to escort you to immigration as you are going out for transit. It was not a problem for us. I believe those stairs are located near departure Gate 25.

If you do not have lounge access I also believe there is a left luggage center somewhere in the arrivals area, but I did not investigate that as I left mine in the lounge. We went through, had breakfast in the lounge then went out for the day. it breaks up an otherwise long day! Have an awesome trip. I'll be in Bali in April myself!

Firstly, tell them to through-check all the way to DPS - it can be done. I have done >12 hour layovers in Singapore with bags through-check from DL-SQ-KL fine. Just be insistent.

And you just need to show them some form of your itin, on your phone/ipad or printed - they just need to get your bags onto the right flag.

Oh yea, check out Ubud - love love that place. PM if you want more info on DPS, I do DPS once a year.