evanaggie

I'll be honest: I read the first 2 pages and the last page. =)

I'm flying back from BNE on Q15. On time performance is 86%. I checked and in some cases on-time = 10-15min early. I'll be in business class. I'm going to apply for global entry (to also get TSA PreCheck).

Q15 arrives @ 6:35am on a Friday in LAX. I would really like to make a 800am flight from LAX to DFW on AA. It looks like based on page 1 Qantas (Arrivals) are at the same terminal of American Airlines.

What do people think? It sounds like this may be at early portion of the Trans-Pacific arrivals? My other option is an 830am flight, but it also arrives 75 minutes later at my destination (I guess 45 if you take out the 8am v 830am departure)...

debracey

The published minimum connection time for LAX International --> Domestic is 2 hours, so I don't think you can even book this on one ticket. Maybe you intend to book two separate tickets? Be warned, if you book two tickets and miss the flight to DFW you're totally sunk.

Qantas typically arrives at TBIT, the diagram is really old. Doesn't really matter, terminal 4 is only about a 5 minute walk from TBIT (exit to the right of the building).

You've only got 1:15 minutes to deplane, clear passport control, customs and TSA security (I took 10 minutes off because you have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior...) You mention that you want Global Entry -- will it actually be approved before your flight? Also, GE does not guarantee TSA Pre Check.

For this connection to work, which is super tight and not "legal", all of the following must be true:

• The flight must arrive on time / early
• You must not check any bags
• GE kiosks must be working (they have been down before, and although you can get in a shorter line, it still takes time)
• You must get a clean GE ticket (e.g., not selected for additional screening on arrival -- those tickets are marked with X)
• You must not have anything to declare at customs, and you must not be selected for additional screening there
• TSA precheck must be working and you must receive it

The mornings are typically busy for TBIT and T4, which complicates things. I personally wouldn't book anything before 8:30 at the earliest (yes, I have GE).

This being said, I have done the whole process described above in 10 minutes. Although in my case I was in the T6 CBP facility with United, but the process would be the same. Everything went amazingly well that time, in *ALL* subsequent returns to T6 things have taken longer (most recently the GE kiosks were down, one other time the kiosks had huge lines...)

evanaggie

Thank you very much for the quick and detailed reply.

The flight is 7 weeks away. I will apply for GE asap.

I checked the Qantas website and they still show terminal 4.
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airl...eles/global/en

I wasn't able to book @ the time this flight regardless because my business class ticket on QF was booked with the business-saver fare, and at the time (and still today), they did not have economy-saver available. However, I checked the flight(s) and they are almost completely empty on the 752 and 763 flying at 8am/830am. I'll set an alert to tell me if T-class ticket opens.

As an experiment, I checked AA's website and did the connection through LAX to Austin and they don't even list the 830am flights either. They only show ~1030am flights. However, I agree, 830 would be more comfortable.

Also, this is will be my first time going through customs. If Qantas is right regarding T4 arrivals, where does the luggage arrive? At the terminal w/ customs? I am told by friends that travel often from Korea/India/China that I can tell them to forward my luggage in most cases to whatever flight. I don't know if that has to be taken care of in advance from Qantas or if I can do it after I deboard and inform them that I'm connecting to an AA flight.

Thanks again!

bzcat

BNE flights departs from T4 gate 41. It usually arrives at TBIT.

However, which terminal you arrive really doesn't matter because you are dumped outside security after customs so TBIT OR T4 doesn't make a difference, you have to go thru TSA at T4 at peak hours in the morning when there will be hundreds of AA frequent flyers with precheck slowing down the line.

Also due to construction at TBIT, there is also a chance that any 747 flight will be directed to the remote pad and you will be bused in to TBIT for processing, which will add about 30 minutes to the process.

I would not attempt any connection with less than the required 2 hours.

evanaggie

Thanks! I'll scratch the 800am flight off my list. That leaves an 830am which would be 1hr 55min connection. It is confusing that they say Qantas arrivals T4. I wish it'd be more clear.

Thanks!

TWA884

This is what I see on the Qantas site:

evanaggie

Okay, I apparently am dumb and couldn't click on the tabs on the Qantas site. Okay, it makes sense now.

I found something interesting though:

If I interpret this chart correctly, it looks like QF I/D to AA TRM 4 may be just 1.5 hr MCT. I wonder if I can book the 830 and if we are early, can try to change the ticket to 800am.

STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE 1.10 1.30 2.00 2.00
OFFLINE 1.10 1.30 2.00 2.00

** OR * ARE ALL
QF-AA ID 2.00 ALL - FLT 1 - 5599 TRM ** - 1
**-AA ID SUP ALL - FLT 5600 - 8599
**-AA ID 1.50 ALL - YYZ TRM ** - 4
**-AA ID 2.00 TRM ** - 1

debracey

The luggage comes out after going through passport control/GE kiosk but before you go through customs. You collect it, go through customs (where you may or may not be selected for additional inspection) and then drop it back off with your continuing carrier. All major carriers (AA included) have a desk where you can drop bags at TBIT.

1:55 is still too tight if you're checking bags. It's not uncommon to have to wait for 30 minutes or more for bags to start arriving. For the 1:55 to work, all of the conditions from my previous post still apply. LAX is pretty good about bags marked priority, but that doesn't always work.

Also, Global Entry requires an interview before it becomes active. You'll have to schedule and go to the interview prior to your trip to Oz. You can only interview at major airports (at least, last time I checked...), and the waiting list could be quite long.

Good luck!

-- Dan

bzcat

It says all minimum connecting time is 2 hours: QF to flight # AA1 to AA 5599... that's every flight in the system that are operated by AA metal.

serfty

... and even then, for ** (non QF) to AA it's 110 minutes (1:50).

nas6034

Have CBP times approved on TBIT arrivals? I have a VA arrival at 9:15 A.M. with a DL connection to JFK at 11:35 A.M. What's everyone's thoughts on this? No checked baggage.

serfty

Single booking? If so then you would be protected.

Bags get redeposited before leaving TBIT.

You can take any of the A or C buses from TBIT to T5 or it's a (at most) 10 minute walk.

nas6034

It is single booking however, DL has said they won't protect me. I booked this as award travel and at that time the lax-jfk leg was at 11:15am with the syd va1 flight arriving at 9:15 a.m. Subsequently, that 11:15am flight was canceled and i was moved to a 1:45 p.m. flight but upon checking yesterday I saw a 11:35 a.m. flight and i told them to move me to that one. At first they said no because you need 2.5hrs MCT but i told them my original flight was at 11:15 then they said that the supervisor said fine but that i'm on my own if i miss it. I don't know how well that'll hold up but i'd like to get info on whether TBIT cbp is moving quickly.

My father just traveled from india to jfk and he said that jfk customs is 5 mins for USC's because now it is all automated.

bzcat

2 hours is MCT so the original booking was legal. The new flight is also legal so DL would be responsible if they ditched you. However, 2.5 hours is recommended if you have to change terminal on opposite end of LAX, which is the case here.

If you have no checked bags, you have a fair chance to make the connection in 2 hours if you are US citizen.

serfty

Indeed, 2 hours is the filed MCT for VA International to anyone else:
Results from ExpertFlyer.comTBH, I would hardly say that TBIT is on the opposite side of the airport from T5 and taking the bus or walking are a wash timewise.

Anyway, this thread may be of some assistance:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html