xubxin

Happy holidays!

We booked our trip to Tahiti 12/23-1/2. Today when I took a further look I realized that we only got 2 hours connecting time at LAX to get on to ATN flight. So first question would be, is that enough? Our flights are all under Qantas with codeshare but operated by AA and Air Tahiti Nui. My big concern is that it's on 12/23 and air traffic could be quite difficult, there might be a good chance that we got delayed. If first flight can make it on time, we should be fine? Does anyone recall how the security line looked like prior to a major holiday at Terminal B? Our flight will be landed at 9:40pm and intl flight depart at 11:40pm.

Another question is when we landed at LAX, we plan to check through our bags directly from EWR to PPT, I know there's inter-terminal shuttle bus available for use, can I avoid security screening line by using the bus to get to Terminal B from 4? Since I do need to check in at ATN counter to get my updated boarding pass (according to agent), can I do so at the gate?

Any input is appreciated! Thanks.

Echo

xubxin

sorry another question, does anyone know where the Air Tahiti Nui counter located at Terminal B? Thanks!

Yoshi212

you have a few potential issues
1. EWR-LAX during holiday winter weather. As AA doesn't have as many flights from EWR to LAX as say JFK if there is an issue you could be late or SOL
2. Connection within LAX during the holiday and having to clear Security again. This can take an hour or more during bad times.
3. Checking bags through helps and if you're on 1 PNR you'll be rebooked but they can use Weather excuses which invalidate a lot of the responsiblity leaving you with potentially high costs.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

The terminals are numbered at LAX except for TBIT (Tom Bradley International Terminal). There is no Terminal B. Air Tahiti Nui is in TBIT. Don't confuse Terminal B with Terminal 2 when you get to LAX or you'll certainly miss your flight.

I would say 2 hours is cutting it close, especially with the security theater at TBIT. Luckily for you, AA is in T4, which is a 5-minute walk from TBIT, so if you escape from T4 quickly enough, you may have enough time.

bzcat

Here are answers to your questions

1. You must exit T4 and walk to TBIT. The shuttle will not work for you because you will not have a QF boarding pass. the walk from T4 to TBIT is short... About 30 yards to your left upon exiting T4.
2. TN check in counter moves around, there is no fixed location but usually next to CX. You cannot check in airside with TN. You must check in outside security zone. Look at the directory at the TBIT entrance for the TN counter location on the day of your departure.
3. You better hope there is no weather delay at EWR... 2 hours is cutting it close but you should be ok if the in bound flight is not delayed.
4. TBIT security lines should be manageable. Use the north side entrance which is usually less busy than the south side entrance.

xubxin

Thanks a lot for your input guys! I'll try to find a way to change to an earlier flight...If can't, will have to pray

SoCal

Why wouldn't OP get their ATN boarding pass (even if it says Qantas operated by ATN) when they check-in at EWR? Their bags should be checked through. I realize that is separate from getting a boarding pass, but OP should be able to confirm with AA (the carrier from EWR to LAX, apparently) whether they will have that boarding pass. Since the ticket is a through-passage, purchased at one time, I don't understand why they wouldn't already have their ATN boarding pass. I don't know anything about the special shuttle, but having the boarding pass would at least allow OP to bypass the line at the ATM check-in counter at TBIT. I would think OP could confirm that with a phone call to AA. Since OP's bags will be checked through to Tahiti, so they won't have to fool with them at LAX, I agree that walking to TBIT would be quicker than taking the regular inter-terminal shuttle bus (which is available to everyone, regardless of boarding passes), that goes counter-clockwise among all of the terminals.

Yoshi212

Is there a single website that lists MCT times?

xubxin

Thanks SoCal, I called ATN yesterday and they said, normally I should be able to get the second boarding pass from AA at EWR, and they'll be able to tell in their system that I'm on my way to LAX, which is a big relief for me. On the other hand, I found that there's a QANTAS private shuttle that runs from T4 to TBIT which only carries Qantas pax who head to AU and NZ every 30 mins, by taking this airside bus, people can avoid going through security line again. Since it operates from gate44, I'll give it a try and see if I can get on with my Qantas reservation, called Qantas as well but looks like their knowledge is not more than me on this...

xubxin

here you go!
http://airtravel.about.com/od/airpor...incnxworld.htm

SoCal

Did you call the Qantas central reseration/cusotmer service number? If you could find a number for Qantas at LAX they might know more? I imagine they'd be open just for hours around their flights' arrivals and departures. Worth a shot. I doubt AA's office there would know, but, again, worth a shot. I haven't gone through security at TBIT for a few years but it wasn't too bad. If you can avoid it, great, If not, and you have your boarding pass in hand, it still sounds like you'd have enough time.

VickiSoCal

The OP is flying Swiss Air.

Definitely spend the night.

tenacioustins

I know this is my first post but I don't travel a ton...just to Australia once a year to see my best friend. Anyway...I've done this twice...this year, and last. I live in New England so flew out of Boston, took an AA flight non-stop to LA, then non-stop from LA to Melbourne with Qantas. Both times, I have had an AA flight to and from Boston with no issues. This year, the AA flights are all filled up and I will be put on a Virgin America flight from Boston to LA, with the AA flight on the way back from LA.

Now here's my question...or questions, I should say. Virgin America lands in terminal 3 at LAX. What do I need to do? Walk to TBIT? Do I have to go through security again (which is fine by me)? I'm fairly familiar with TBIT now, but previously, I was able to take the airside bus from T4 to TBIT and not have to go through security or go up any levels or anything.

Next question is this. Both years, I have had incredible difficulty transferring from TBIT to T4. I don't know why, but I've gotten so confused. The first year, I went in the arrivals level after walking to T4, after which I found I couldn't go upstairs. I walked in and out until I finally found a hidden elevator inside the arrivals level and I took that up to I assume departures. I went through security and after that was good. However, I noticed that tons of people who had been on my flight were in a separate line across the way, going through a different security post so I was not in the right place, obviously. This year, I went in there with a "ok, the heck with this, I am going to do this right" attitude. I found the escalator outside and thought "GREAT! I've finally found it." Wrong. Took me to the ticketing level. I couldn't figure out (and no one would tell me) where I was supposed to go from there. There was this MASSIVE line of people outside who were apparently transferring or something of that sort to an AA flight like I was so I just stayed there until some random airport dude came running and got us all back to TBIT where we went through security and then waited for a bus.

SO. What is the fastest way to get from TBIT to T4 departures level? I don't want to be confused this year. After getting off my flight, I am SO disoriented even though I tend to get good sleep on Qantas flights. So I really don't want to deal with this again if you know what I mean. I'd like to know what I'm supposed to be doing. I even took videos of my walk from TBIT to T4 so I'd remember but since I only got as far as a huge line at the ticketing level, I still don't think I was supposed to be there lol.

Also...is there any power available at LAX in T4? I didn't notice any and had a 5+ hour layover last time I was there and all of my electronics eventually went dead. Normally I'd just read or something, but I had to keep my mind active because I was having severe jet lag and needed to be awake.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the novel!

cbn42

Yup, you need to go outside to the curb, walk to TBIT, and re-clear security. Just follow the signs, or ask someone if you get lost.

tenacioustins

I get the walking to TBIT but what about the departures level? I can get to the ticketing level ok but that doesn't take me to departures. I didn't notice much for signs other than the obligatory "ticketing and departures levels up" type of signs. I tried asking last year and everyone that I asked (this is personnel we're talking about too! lol) looked at me like I was dumb and just told me to go to departures. Didn't tell me HOW to get there. There didn't appear to be any way "up" to me but again, very very very hazy coming off the flight. I probably will have time between my flights on the way over to walk over to T4 from T3 so I might get a better look.