LAX security queues
 

Is there a Elite security queue for T4 in LAX, if so who is it available to and how does one access it? I get in regularly of QF149 at around 6.30am to transfer to an AA flt and the queue can be horrendous. Why haven't they done something about these queues?

The priority line at T4 (west side of the terminal) is for J/F and AAdv Exp, Plat and Gold, as well as OW Emerald, Sapphire (and not sure about Ruby - but my guess is yes since AAdv gold are allowed). You enter it at the escalator form the premium checkin area which also has the QF checkin area.


Until there is some common sense thrown into the whole TSA screening debacle they call security, there is not much they can do - almost every time I have gone through security at T4 all of the security lanes are open - ie there is no more capacity at the current standard of screening. Write to Mr Bush c/- 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20500with your feedback ;)

The T4 queues are very long but also transient -- for a few hours a day. This is particularly bad at LAX T4 due to AA having mostly east-bound flights, thus almost no departures from 2pm until evening. The queues are bad at ticketing, not just security, and last from 6 am until 8 am ... it has never taken me more than 5 minutes to get through security after 9 am! The next set of long queues are for the red-eye flights (circa 10 pm) which unfortunately coincide with the QF departures. The TSA is probably unsympathetic to increasing capacity as the exisiting equipment and personnel is under-utilized most of the day, and probably views the queues as the airline's problem for scheduling half their daily flights in a 2 hour window in the morning. Too bad AA bought TWA and not AS. What's needed are some flights that use T4 during the day and even out the load.

Thanks for the assistance.

I'm a PLAT, do they let me in the Elite line with my 75yr old mother who is not an Elite?

Technically no (there isn't a provision for guests), however they do take wheelchairs to the front of the line, so maybe you should request a wheelchair for your mother. Or you can chance having a sympathetic boarding pass checker -- most are not sympathetic though and are sticklers for the rules. I'd say the wheelchair approach is your best bet, and that gets you faster than priority lane service.

I have never had to wait more than about 10 mins in the security queue at T4.

Note that the priority queue is not necessarily faster and is not completely separate from the general queue. It just allows you to enter the queue at the point it has reached at the top of the escalator. So when it is very busy you may be entering the queue at the halfway point. But in practice, the people entering from the priority queue tend to turn hard left and use the right hand side machines, while the people entering from the non-priority queue swarm to the left machines.

You don't want the queue on the extreme right - that's the one for those with SSSSS on their boarding passes! And this trip I did not get on secondary screening experience. So I am either looking less threatening or did something in the booking process to appear less suspicious.

Now theres an idea :cool:

My experience is that if you are travelling in J/F with a Qantas BP - but don't have FF status - you'll get turned away from this line. The AA BP have FIRST typed in bold letters, so if you don't have this or OW Emerald/Sapphire on your BP then you're turned away. It's no point arguing that Seat 3A on your Qantas BP is in First class, it just makes them dig their heels in more.

But then QF BP's are pre-printed and colour coded for the three types of travel class. Perhaps they are just missing the bleeding obvious and it needs to be pointed out to them.

My experience with AA/QF is a group 1 boarding pass traveling with any other number allows both pax to use the priority queue. T4 LAX seems to be catch and kill your own though.

Meloz

When I was last in LAX i was talking to the check-in girl and QF have a deal with AA that is supposed to let all QF customers on QF Flights to access the Premium Security line however AA never abides by this.

Thanks for all the info. I've never had less than 40mins in queue and after a flt from SYD I hate it, to think that they haven't fixed the problem in the last few years sucks.
I love the idea of the wheel chair and once I explain to my mother that they're as popular in the US as SUV's maybe she'll go for it!!

I had no problems with a QF107 F class BP using the Permium Security entry point (up the escalators from the premium checkin desks).

Where my QF BP caused some confusion was in JFK. I was issued my BP for my BA JFK-LHR connection at LAX and it was also printed on QF F BP stock. I had to point out the BA flight number at least 4 times while in JFK.

Firstly the DF shop assistant tried to tell me that QF passengers could not purhcase there (QF108 is a domestic sector), but I was on BA non-stop to LHR. Secondly in the BA lounge I was told that pre-flight dining was not for QF passengers, only BA J/F passengers. Re-entering the BA lounge after a walk around the terminal I was told I had missed my flight (QF108 has departed for LAX - I was heading for LHR). And lastly when boarding the BA flight I was told I was at the wrong gate - this is not a QF flight!

I wish people would read the BP and not just assume a particular logo or colour means what they think it means!

But I have never had a problem with a QF boarding pass using the premuim security line at LAX.

I was in the USA last week, with colleague. He is QF bronze whilst I have attained QF gold / OW platinum. Trips were syd/lax/ord/lax/las/lax/syd.
Each time at lax, we moved to the escalator together, with self in front holding both BPs, mine on top showing PLATINUM in bold. We were allowed to go up the escalator with instruction to keep for each of us, the BP and ID together.
In ord, the BP has SSSS on it for me alone. When we went in the queue, we were led to the front of the line and promptly put through the security drill. In effect, we bypassed around 300 pax. I didnt at all mind the checks and wondered if I should remind check-in agent to put the SSSS on rest of the sectors...never asked though.
Whatever SSSS means, it certainly speeds one through the security check processes.
One advice for all travellers is to check-in up to 2.5hrs before flights. There is peace of mind in being at the airport early.
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QF Gold is OneWorld Sapphire, which is what would be printed on the BP. It is also the same level as AA Platinum, but you need to be an AA member for that to be printed on the BP.
The SSSSS indicated you have been selected by the computer system for secondary security screening. Your experience is not typical of people with SSSSS on their boarding pass. Normally you remain in the queue until close to the checkpoint and then get the third degree wanding, pat down, shoe removal, explosives testing etc.

At LAX T4, the SSSSS flagged people are ushered to a roped off line at the far right of the screening checkpoint. In my experience, this secondary screening at LAX has always taken longer than people passing through the normal screening process.

My last trip through the USA is the first time I have not have the dreaded SSSSS on my AA domestic BP's since they started the process. So either I am no longer considered a threat, or my ticket was purchased in a different manner this time and the computer didn't flag me.

Believe me, at most USA airports you don't want to go through the secondary screening if you don't need to.