I love SFO... but the last few times I connected there, I ended up in the SQ lounge. It was small and uncomfortable.... :(

Obviously, you haven't been to the interim lounges at LAX TBIT. :D They make the UA RCC look good. :eek:

No, I haven't... but my father had the misfortune of departing from TBIT last week. He had no idea how
bad the interim lounge is. He thought anything "new"
shouldn't be too bad... boy, was he wrong... :(

Consider yourselves lucky. For many of us who are not flying C or F but normally get lounge access with elite status, there is NO lounge access at all for at least the next 8 months. But what the heck, I get a $15 voucher for the shops. Hey, that's enough to buy me a carton of duty free smokes.

I thought KiwiFlyer or others have posted that elite-based status gets you into the interim J lounge? Or is that airline dependant?

Not me. I did say that elites who normally get F lounge do not get interim F (my situation). But I don't know if elites flying economy get interim C or voucher or nothing.

I'm not sure if it is airline based or if it is due to some sort of capacity control but in my case EVA has suspended all lounge access for elites and is offering $15 vouchers instead. Dismal as the existing lounges were, LAX TBIT is certainly near the bottom of the list of international airports where you would want to be hanging around the terminal without lounge access. I mean if you turned me loose at Changi with only a $15 voucher I could fend for myself but at LAX TBIT there is not much more than crowded gates to amuse myself. 8 months seems like a long time. I'm not sure I will survive. ;)

The new lounges are badly needed though.

I have a business class trip from ORD-AKL using AA & QF in March.
Should I just stick around the main terminal, and use the AA flagship lounge during my 3.5 hour layover?

Yes stay in the flagship lounge until it is time to get to TBIT. Be sure to visit the QF desk in the lounge (just before the entrance to FL) to get your BP reissued (they always reissue BP ex-US) to save some time later.

I would leave about 60-75 minutes prior to departure to allow time to clear security at TBIT.

Thanks for the tips

Does anyone have photos yet? I am curious to see what this interim business class lounge looks like in advance of a trip next week (to put some visuals on this discussion and figure out whether it is worth the bus ride). Thanks!

A similar question: I'm doing FAT-SIN using UA and SQ later this month.
Would folks recommend using the UA RCC, rather than going to the interim TBIT business lounge? I'm conflicted because the LAX RCC can be kind of tatty.

I'm no fan of the LAX RCC. The IFL is better if you have access to that. I'd probably just go to TBIT interim lounge. If you're in first then you'll get the escort through security, and if in business then at least you are already through security (so a known short time to get to the gate).

Oh YUCK. I've got a four hour layover coming up in a couple of weeks - into LAX on UA domestic and connecting to Asiana first. That sounds so underwhelming to have to expect. Blech.

LAX may be a dump, and not much at TBIT, but at least we have an IN-N-OUT burger a short shuttle ride away!?!? :rolleyes:

OAK is even more of a dump but I'll bet the in-n-out burger on hegenberger is a lot closer timewise. There is also a Starbucks, Jamba and Quiznos for those who have had their daily grease ration and don't want to pay ripoff terminal prices. :cool:

Hi! I'm flying SQ F on 11/16 from LAX to SIN and I would like to know which lounge should I use and how much time should I allocate for clearing security and getting to my gate (I arrive into LAX at 10:00AM on UA255 and leave at 1:05PM on SQ11).
TIA!
Angel

Stay in the UA's IFL at LAX for as long as possible. The Interm F lounge isn't that much of an improvement over a standard domestic RCC or USAir Club and is before security. On 10/14, the staff at the Interm F lounge recommended leaving 50 min to clear security to make SQ11.

SQ will give you an invitation to the Interm F lounge when you check in with them at TBIT.

If you take the interterminal bus, figure on leaving 20 min to get to TBIT. Whether or not you need it will depend on how long you actually have to wait for the bus.

On 10/14 SQ11 departed from one of the remote gates, so you will have to get on a bus after you clear security which took additional time.

You will love SQ F.

That's what everybody says !! :D
Thanks for the info! ^

Given the timings, if you flight is more than a few minutes late arriving I would not bother with the UA IFL. Once in the interim F lounge someone from SQ will escort you through security when it is time.

Kiwi Flyer, do you mean SQ helps the F lounge PAX jump the
security line, or an escort to the back of it?

Has anyone determined Y passengers with status getting lounge access?

I am plat on AA and coming into lax on AA21. Connecting to CX 881. Trying to decide if I should hit the lounge in the AA terminal or if I should just go to TBIT and deal with it. Just under 2 hours before flights.

This is very good to know, as I will avoid the h*ll out of the LAX for tpac trips for the next few yrs (or at least as long as I am skyteam elite+). PAID internet access in an intl lounge??? ...??? I sure hope the future Skyteam lounge (wonder what happens there if DL & US merge?) will follow the lead of CO & NW - FREE wifi instead of DL's t-mobile whoring. Guess we'll see.

My husband, *A gold, flying Y on TG was told he could not access the interim lounge, and was offered the voucher instead.

LAX: Unofficial TBIT Lounge Guide (pics included!)
 

This is my attempt to put together some info on the temp lounges at TBIT, along with an update of the new lounges as they come online I will try to maintain this thread as best I can. This will be organized as follows:

Temp F Lounge
Temp J Lounge
-----------------
New oneworld Lounge
New Star Alliance Lounge
New SkyTeam Lounge
New "Redheaded Stepchild" Lounge

And please respond with your own impressions as well! But to start off with: Temp F Lounge

Reserved for: Temp F Lounge
 

Pictures from December:
Seating Area
Refreshment Counter
Comfy seats, computers, and my personal decorating touch.


Location: Mezzanine Level, behind food court.

First Impressions: This was nicer than I had expected it to be. I find the navy/khaki decor relaxing yet modern. It definitely looks like a lounge in it's own right... but it probably doesn't stand up to the expectations of many FTers. The lounge occupies the space that formerly was the dining area of the food court, facing Westward and overlooking the taxi area between TBIT and the American Eagle satellite terminal.

The following is a quick list of amenities (which will be updated and sorted soon):

SELF SERVICE REFRESHMENTS
=========================
Soft Drinks:
-Coke
-Diet Coke
-7up
-Canada Dry Ginger Ale/Tonic
-Welch's Apple/Grape/Orange Juice
-Campbells Tomato Juice
-Mr. & Mrs. T's Bloddy Mary Mix
-Dole Pineapple Juice
-Perrier
-Arrowhead Water
-Milk
-Coffee
-Tea.

Liquor:
-Jonnie Walker Black Label
-Crown Royal
-Hennessey VSOP
-Remy Martin VSOP
-Stock 84 VSOP
-Smirnoff-Gordon's
-Beefeater
-Bacardi
-Sauza
-Jose Cuervo
-Kahlua
-Bailey's

Bubbly: Cooks

Wines: Woodbridge Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon

Beer:
-Budweiser
-Bud Light
-Corona
-Heineken
-Kirin Ichiban

Edibles:
-Cup o Noodle, Shin Cup, Raisan Bran, Cocoa Krispies
-Doritos, Lays
-BabyBel Cheese, Crackers
-Milano Cookies
-Fresh Fruit
-"Sushi" sampler
-Finger Sandwiches
-Cookies, Rolls, Pastries
-Butter, Jams/Jellies

READING MATERIALS
=================
Newspapers: La Tercera, Tribine de Geneve, Irish Independent, Daily Mail, LA Times, The Japan Ties, other Asian paper, A Hebrew Paper

Magazines: available in Spanish, English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese.
-Including BusinessWeek, Small Biz, Newsweek, Economist, Golf Digest, High Life Shop.

OTHER NOTES
===========
-Most comfortable chairs are by the entrance (the big white leather ones).
-3 Free Internet Terminals.
-T-Mobile Hotspot (which does NOT work in the comfy chairs by the entrance :()
-Flight Info board for all TBIT departures/arrivals.
-Seating for 85-90 (by my estimation).
-NO restrooms in the lounge (but are right outside the entrance).

Reserved for: Temp J Lounge
 

Reserved for: Temp J Lounge

Reserved for: New oneworld Lounge
 

Reserved for: New oneworld Lounge

Reserved for: New Star Alliance Lounge
 

Reserved for: New Star Alliance Lounge

Reserved for: New SkyTeam Lounge
 

Reserved for: New SkyTeam Lounge

Reserved for: New "Everyone Else into the Pool!" Lounge
 

Reserved for: New "Others" Lounge

The temp F lounge is 4000 square feet; the temp J lounge is 16000 sq. ft.
The fire-rated capacity is 133 for the F lounge, and 578 for the J lounge.
Airlines are paying USD 7 million to operate the temp lounges, on top of the USD 20 million cost of the perm. lounge construction.

The LAWA press release is at http://www.lawa.org/news/newsDisplay.cfm?newsID=849

The temporary F lounge is before security, up the escalator, to the left of the food court area. It is a large, airy lounge, overlooking the runway. It has extensive seating; however, there are very few outlets. If you need to charge your laptop or your phone, chose your seating well. You have to pay for internet. There are 3 terminals that require payment to use. There are modest food offerings, including sushi (that went in minutes when i was there, and was not replenished).

LAN sent us, as business class passengers, to the F lounge. They do not use the temporary Biz lounge.

Where's the In-n-out? I'd rather take a shuttle bus there! The lounge sound depressing...

This might assist: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=545412

Bump.

And a request for info on the C/J lounge.

What info do you want? It has worse food/drink than the temp F lounge (detailed above), is reached by an airside bus (lounge is located in a hangar near TBIT), allow 15+ min each way for the bus. Pretty nice for a temp lounge in a hangar, but not as nice as the old TBIT J lounges were. The new lounges will be ready Fall 2007 and should be quite nice.

Best lounge at LAX?
 

I'll be flying Y into LAX, on AS, in Jan. and was wondering which airline has the best lounge/club/boardroom? I've heard CO, NW & DL give out free booze. I know about the 'average' UA lounges. How about the AS lounge? Looking more for good snax and wi-fi instead of free booze.

I have an AS lounge pass but would consider buying, or trading for, a different one if one is head and shoulders above the rest.

Phil

Jan? 2008? OK, I believe you cannot go from terminal to terminal unless you have a flight there. AS lounge has free wine, beer, vodka and your basic snacks, cheese, chips, etc. AA lounge is suppose to be decent. UA lounge is stingy and crowded. More important what airline are you continuing on and why do you need to find a lounge? Layover?

Yes, Jan. 2008. :) And yes, a 3 hr. layover. Going on to PVR. Looks like I'll use my AS pass. Thanks!!