Flying Prof

I’m doing an AOne4 starting in AKL in August and I’ve got a few points I’d like some help/advice on. I’ve lumped them all together in this thread rather than starting separate threads so I hope the mods approve.

The first questions are re LAX. About 15 years ago I said I’d rather go via hell than via LAX and I’ve managed to keep to this until now. In fact, I haven’t been near the US since 2000. Previously I’ve managed to avoid the US by going via SCL but LA has dropped F class on this route. QF has gone to 2-class on SYD-EZE so, having no choice other than to go via the US, I’ve decided to go see some friends in Texas. Anyway, I’m on QF11 and I gather it arrives at TBIT and I then have to get to T4 for the flight to DFW. So, how long to get from TBIT to T4? It seems to be close enough to walk. When I get to T4 I presume there are AA lounges but it’s so long since I’ve been on AA I can’t even remember what their lounges are called! Can someone please remind me and tell me the distinctions?

Next question is US immigration related. There is a thread on the BA forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...er-us-lax.html) saying green forms are no longer required for LAX. Does this apply only to flights from the UK?

From DFW I fly on BA to LHR. Does BA have a lounge at DFW or does one use AA?

Finally, after some travelling around Europe, I fly LHR-SIN on QF32. I haven’t flown QF out of LHR since the move to T3 so I don’t know what the lounge situation is. Is there a separate QF lounge at T3 and, if so, what’s it like?

All comments and info greatly appreciated.

explorer13

Perhaps taking each question in turn,

QF11 does land in TBIT, very short walk to terminal 4 for AA, immigration then pick up bags then customs then drop bag before leaving TBIT walk to T4. I did this last month in 1st and took about 20 minutes plane to lounge.

The main lounge is the Admirals Club, travelling first into the US you will be able to use the Flagship lounge.

You will definately have to have a visa waiver completed and give to immigration on the way in. (I94W...I think it is called). I reiterate when I went through there last month, no queue for anything really!!

Can't add anything re LHR sorry.

Kiwi Flyer

LAX T4 is right next to TBIT - about 2 minutes walk once you are clear of customs.

LAX T4 lounges are Admirals Club and the inner Flagship Lounge.

For the past few visits to USA I have not needed to complete a green I94W form (but you do need a valid ESTA completed & confirmed online).

At DFW BA does have a lounge, and there are several Admirals Club lounges.

At LHR T3 you can use the Galleries First lounge. which is quite nice (but not in my top 5 lounges).

serfty

This is changing. The green i94-w forms will no longer be required for flights to the USA.

You will need to complete an ESTA before you travel. These last for two years and are currently free (Although a USD10 charge is to be introduced "soon").

explorer13

Thanks for the update serfty much appreciated.
I hope that they make the change soon, I still had to do both last month and hopefully will save having to make sure the butt is taken before you leave.....the butt of the I94W not yours!!

serfty

The change to ESTA has already happened for LAX. QF FA's handed out the green forms on QF93 June 11th and I filled it in but it was not required at TBIT immigration.

LAX T4 is right next to TBIT - Turn right immediately upon exiting TBIT landside and walk around ~2 minutes.

T4 check is one level up - walk along until you see a (scruffy) lift on the right - if you have your BP's already, take it to departures otherwise to check-in.

Once though security walk down about 60 metres to the A/C entry on the right. Enter, show your WP card and BP and they will give you a white key-card to access the Flagship Lounge. Head upstairs and ask for direction to the F/L (hint: show you key-card). In the F/L show your BP again and surrender your key-card. If you have time and desire a shower ask about it here. Also if you wish to access WiFi ask for a day card. If you wish to leave the F/L for a short while, just grab a key-card on the way out.

At DFW there are several Admirals Club lounges but BA does have a lounge, you have access to them all.

The Galleries First lounge at LHR T3 is good.

number_6

BA at DFW has a dreadful lounge; the J area is nicer than the F, there is no bar (or rather, the liquor is kept locked up and you must wait hours for the attendant to deign to fill your glass) and about the only good point are the UK papers that BA flies in; otherwise use the AA lounge which is J only -- much nicer, and with showers. Sadly DFW-LHR is a poorly served route by BA, not sure why but MIA-LHR has much nicer service than DFW-LHR (maybe a lack of competition?). You won't get the normal level of BA F TATL experience. If you can spare a sector you would be much better off going via JFK, LAX, SFO or even SEA than DFW-LHR. Even DTW had better BA lounge and service than DFW (!!!)

Flying Prof

Thank you all very much for the very quick and useful replies. I've already got my ESTA (heard they are about to start charging for it), and not having to fill in that meaningless green form is definitely a plus. I guess I've still got to run the INS and TSA gauntlets though. They didn't have TSA in 2000 and I don't imagine INS attitudes have changed greatly so I'll just have to grimace and bear it. Do they take fingerprints at LAX? I vaguely recall somebody saying to me that they'd had an iris scan.

On the subject of lounges, it'll be interesting for me to see the quality of the AA offering and to sample the BA Galleries at T3. I've been quite impressed by the F lounge (and the CCR) at T5.

number_6

The new T3 lounge is substantially identical to the T5 lounge (sans the building!) and a great improvement over the old BA lounges at T3 (closed years ago) and the AA and JL lounges; CX has had a nice lounge in T3 for years. Of course the T5 facilities are top-notch, as befits the billions spent.

Finger print and photograph are the norm for all visitors to the US (few exceptions) and a fairly painless process. Iris scan is only if you are signed up for fast track (which you won't be). CBP processing (the new INS) is actually much more pleasant as all the money invested to improve technology for security has made the agents' job better, so they tend to be in a better mood.

DownUnderFlyer

USCBP started to test paper free immigration (not customs clearance) with NZ flights some time last year. Since then this is being rolled out to more and more airlines and airports so there is still a chance to find a form here or there.

Agree. It is much better to use some of the AA lounges. Their former flagship lounge is still quite nice with great shower rooms.

DavidJBell

Don't forget to fill in the electronic version of the forms before you go, US immigration are phasing out the paper forms by moving to electronic versions.

Leumas

Does the electronic version still ask you whether you're a communist or whether you intend to smuggle drugs or rage war against the US?

serfty

Yes it does!

CO FF

Some suggestions:

Before leaving TBIT, go upstairs (to the ticketing level). THEN go outside, turn right, and walk the 2 minutes to T4. You'll be in the air, rather than on the roadway, and can do some planespotting. Plus, it shortens the walk a bit.

When you clear the "security" gauntlet at T4, the Admirals Club will be on your right just past the first gate and first store. In the morning, they screen admissions downstairs; that's where you should ask for the Flagship Lounge cardkey. When you get upstairs, go to the right of the desks where the ticketing staff works; the Flagship Lounge will be on your left.

If you don't mind waiting until DFW for your shower, the AC at DFW-Terminal A (and, I think, also Terminal D) has magnificent showers! They're about 2m square (not 2 sq.m), with a huge (18 inch) rainforest shower head plus a hand-held jet plus 6 body jets - 3 on each of 2 sides. (After discovering this at DFW last summer, my wife and I agreed that it's a shame to use that shower alone! )

Flying Prof

Again, thanks for all the wonderful feedback. FT is such a marvellous source of info I often wonder how other people get by without it.

Sounds as though I should give the BA lounge at DFW a miss. I don't have any option about going via DFW as my friends live near Dallas. Re the lounge at T3, I'm very familiar with the CX F lounge which, although very pleasant, is a bit small and can get crowded (especially if there's a family with 3 badly behaved kids). I couldn't imagine that lounge coping with much extra traffic.

I'm glad to hear Immigration attitudes have improved, but it couldn't have got much worse. Has all the money made processing at LAX any more efficient? My comment about going via hell rather than LAX relates to an occasion when I arrived from HKG on CX with a connection to MIA on UA 4 hours later. I can vividly remember sprinting down the terminal concourse (can't remember which terminal it was in those days) and falling in the aircraft door just as they were about to close it. That was in 1995 and I haven't been through LAX since. I still can't believe it took over 3 hours to get through immigration and customs. Makes LHR seem almost efficient.