Sep 23, 2014, 7:05 pm
Last edit by: Kmxu
Map of the current setup:
From the first post of the thread:
Security Checkpoint Setup
During this early stage of the construction, there remain four entry points for United passengers to get through security:
T6 Checkpoint: Although UA will soon cease service out of T6, T6 is connected to T7/C8 by a secured hallway, and the T6 security checkpoint remains a quiet checkpoint with full PreCheck.
T7 West Checkpoint (a/k/a T6.5 West a/k/a T6.4): This is now for general economy passengers only. There is no PreCheck and no Premier lane here now.
C8 Lower Level Checkpoint: Premier security is now at C8. No real PreCheck at this checkpoint.
T7/T8 to TBIT via tunnel, about 40 min walk with average speed (copied mostly from a blog; http://upgrd.com/blogs/doublewidesfl...-security.html ):
If you are flying through Los Angeles and are connecting airlines, just follow the signs that are located near the far southern end of each terminal to connect via underground tunnel to the other terminals.
When in TBIT, walk past the KE/one world lounge to the end of concourse - take a right handed u turn, up the escalator and the *A lounge is there.
In terminal 4, access the tunnel via the escalator that reads gate 44A-L
Continue to follow the signs to baggage claim, walk past the waiting room is for the bus to Terminal 6 or the American Eagle remote terminal.
to access the tunnels from Delta terminal in T5, the escalator leading to the tunnels is near the entrance to the Sky club near.
The access point from Terminal 6 is near Alaska Airlines' gates, across from the Alaska Airline Board Room and near the Ruby's diner. The tunnel ends at terminal 6, so you must exit the tunnel and access terminal 7 & 8 by above ground walkways which are near the terminal exit and security screening center.
From the first post of the thread:
Hi everyone,
With a lot of activity around the corner at LAX, we’d like to provide you with an update on our long-term construction plans, and what that means for your travel experience in the interim.
Our goal is to offer a world-class experience at our LAX hub, and to that end we will be investing $450 million over the next several years to modernize our facilities and enhance the experience for our customers. Some changes have already occurred, including reconfiguration of multiple gates in Terminal 8 to handle additional narrow-body mainline aircraft. We will begin further improvements later this year, and by the end of 2017 we plan to open:
To prepare for these changes, we will consolidate our operations into Terminals 7 and 8 over the next few weeks. Here’s what you need to know if you’re traveling to, from or through LAX:
Beginning September 24, 2014, the following changes will occur in the check-in lobby:
Beginning October 27, 2014, the following changes will occur in our operations:
Thanks for your patience during this transition, and we appreciate your “pardoning our dust” as we work to improve our facilities at LAX.
-UA Insider
With a lot of activity around the corner at LAX, we’d like to provide you with an update on our long-term construction plans, and what that means for your travel experience in the interim.
Our goal is to offer a world-class experience at our LAX hub, and to that end we will be investing $450 million over the next several years to modernize our facilities and enhance the experience for our customers. Some changes have already occurred, including reconfiguration of multiple gates in Terminal 8 to handle additional narrow-body mainline aircraft. We will begin further improvements later this year, and by the end of 2017 we plan to open:
- A brand-new check-in lobby and Premier check-in area
- A dedicated Global Services Reception with direct security lane access
- A reconfigured and expanded security checkpoint
- A refurbished baggage claim area
- Renovated gate-area hold rooms
- A brand-new United Club with sweeping views and new amenities
Beginning September 24, 2014, the following changes will occur in the check-in lobby:
- The Premier Lobby in Terminal 6 will close, and a temporary Premier lobby with Global Services check-in area will be available in Terminal 7
- Global Services members will be invited to enter LAX curbside through Terminal 7
- Dedicated Global Services security lanes will also remain available
- United will no longer use gates located in Terminal 6 (gates 60, 61, 62, and 63)
- The United Club in Terminal 6 will close
- The current United Club in Terminal 7 will continue to be available
- The current United Global First Lounge in Terminal 7 will convert to a United Club
- All departing flights and most arriving flights will be consolidated into Terminals 7 & 8
- Please note: Some international arrivals may use the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). These include flights from Sydney and Melbourne, and some flights from Mexico on a seasonal basis.
-UA Insider
During this early stage of the construction, there remain four entry points for United passengers to get through security:
T6 Checkpoint: Although UA will soon cease service out of T6, T6 is connected to T7/C8 by a secured hallway, and the T6 security checkpoint remains a quiet checkpoint with full PreCheck.
T7 West Checkpoint (a/k/a T6.5 West a/k/a T6.4): This is now for general economy passengers only. There is no PreCheck and no Premier lane here now.
The passageway to T7 remains open (guarded from the T7 side by very mean redcoats) and is now clogged with general economy passengers who check in in T7 and must schlep through the hallway to the West-facing checkpoint.
T7 East Checkpoint (a/k/a T6.5 East a/k/a T6.6): This is PreCheck only, with a single line feeding to two TSOs, two x-ray machines, and two WTMDs. This is a probable significant improvement over the prior T6.4 Checkpoint PreCheck setup.C8 Lower Level Checkpoint: Premier security is now at C8. No real PreCheck at this checkpoint.
T7/T8 to TBIT via tunnel, about 40 min walk with average speed (copied mostly from a blog; http://upgrd.com/blogs/doublewidesfl...-security.html ):
If you are flying through Los Angeles and are connecting airlines, just follow the signs that are located near the far southern end of each terminal to connect via underground tunnel to the other terminals.
When in TBIT, walk past the KE/one world lounge to the end of concourse - take a right handed u turn, up the escalator and the *A lounge is there.
In terminal 4, access the tunnel via the escalator that reads gate 44A-L
Continue to follow the signs to baggage claim, walk past the waiting room is for the bus to Terminal 6 or the American Eagle remote terminal.
to access the tunnels from Delta terminal in T5, the escalator leading to the tunnels is near the entrance to the Sky club near.
The access point from Terminal 6 is near Alaska Airlines' gates, across from the Alaska Airline Board Room and near the Ruby's diner. The tunnel ends at terminal 6, so you must exit the tunnel and access terminal 7 & 8 by above ground walkways which are near the terminal exit and security screening center.
PSA: Upcoming LAX Facility Changes
Sep 14, 2014, 7:21 pm
#92
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By the way, since I haven't used United to get to SYD in a few years now, can someone explain this part of the "big announcement":
So does this mean they aren't or won't be using the T6 Immigration and Customs arrivals any more? The flights from SYD arrive in the morning, not too early usually. So are UA international arrivals now ALL going to the TBIT?
So does this mean they aren't or won't be using the T6 Immigration and Customs arrivals any more? The flights from SYD arrive in the morning, not too early usually. So are UA international arrivals now ALL going to the TBIT?
With MEL coming next month and PVG going to 787-9, UA/LAX international ASMs will be nearing historical highs.
Last edited by EWR764; Sep 14, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Sep 14, 2014, 8:11 pm
#93
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Sep 14, 2014, 8:17 pm
#94
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Oh good, less gates, because there is never ever a wait to park at LAX.!
Sep 14, 2014, 9:11 pm
#95
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Sep 14, 2014, 10:43 pm
#97
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In any event, TBIT arrivals are much, much more pleasant now with the expansion complete. Moreover, the early arrivals facilitate better connections elsewhere in the system. For example, a MEL customer will soon be able connect to JFK in just one stop and be in New York by dinner time, as opposed to a double-connect and late evening arrival. That's an improvement and makes UA more competitive with QF or VA/DL.
A double connection has not been required as far back as I can remember. There is typically a LAX-JFK flight between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM which worked quite well with the SYD arrival.
Last edited by LAXOGG; Sep 14, 2014 at 11:02 pm Reason: Merge
Sep 14, 2014, 10:54 pm
#98
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It is a long walk, though.
Sep 14, 2014, 11:01 pm
#99
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Sep 15, 2014, 12:00 am
#101
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Internationally, NRT, KIX, and HKG departures were in the morning (all 744), LHR and CDG (when was it canceled?) left in the afternoon, AKL, MEL, and SYD in the evening, and GUA, MEX, SAL in the wee hours.
Today, LAX-PVG and Mexican resorts are the new intl routes that I can think of. I dunno if they are enough to offset all the downgauges and canceled routes over the years.
Sep 15, 2014, 12:06 am
#102
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Look at the T1-T3 setup we had at SFO for a year or two, or the A-C bus at EWR, or ORD spread out across T1 B/C, T2 E/F, with international inbounds at T5, or the mess that is IAH.
AA can setup a shuttle to/from T6, and it will be fine. The gates give AA the ability to expand in a market with no gates. It's a shame UA gave that up.
What a bunch of sour grapes nonsense. The capital spending directly from UA's budget is going to be well over 30 million. At best UA might be able to get away with 1-2 less agents in the club. You can employ a lot of people for a long time for 30 million before you start "saving money."
But the main issue is that they have to do something anyway. Closing T6 means there's no point in keeping a club there. Moving the traffic to T7/T8 means they will need more club space in T7 or T8. The T7 club is already full as it is, so they have to build something.
And we have no idea what they're saving by relinquishing those T6 gates. This new club could pay for itself pretty quick anyway.
So you can't say they're spending $30 million because they want to clean the place up. They have to spend something to deal with the mess they created by giving up T6.
If they didn't push those T6 customers to T7/T8, they may not be doing this. They would get some new carpet at the T6 club and call it a day.
So the stats from the plan are that the new club will be 29,000 square feet.
The main one downstairs is 13,000 square feet.
T6 was about half the size of the T7 club, so call it 7,000 square feet.
Global First lounge even smaller, call it 5,000 square feet. Total 22,000 square feet before.
We're getting about 30% more space in a central location!
The main one downstairs is 13,000 square feet.
T6 was about half the size of the T7 club, so call it 7,000 square feet.
Global First lounge even smaller, call it 5,000 square feet. Total 22,000 square feet before.
We're getting about 30% more space in a central location!
Since T6 will be gone, the new LAX setup will have more long walks with more pax at gates further from a United club than we currently have. At least now if you're in the 60's, you can use the T6 club, and if you're in the 70's or 80's, you can use the T7 club. The only people who are far from a gate are those in T8.
The same number of flights will now be spread across just T7 and T8, meaning more people out of T8, or a long distance from the club.
Most people want a club close to their gate. Kind of like how ATL has 9 SkyClubs, or IAH has 5 UA Clubs.
It's over 1,000 feet from the center of the T7 entrance to the end of T8. This would be like UA closing the IAH C Club North and making people use C South and walking to the low-numbered C gates at IAH. That's about the same distance, though in IAH there are a couple moving sidewalks between North and South C, so it's actually easier than this.
A better solution would have been to add a T8 club instead. That way when they creep your delayed flight, you're not far from a club to duck back into. Real easy to do at T6 at the moment, fine at T7, not so easy at T8.
Sep 15, 2014, 12:51 am
#103
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"A double connection has not been required as far back as I can remember. There is typically a LAX-JFK flight between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM which worked quite well with the SYD arrival"
Sorry, but all Melbourne pax had to change planes (or at least deplane/reboard) in Sydney for the LAX flight so yes there was (is until October) a double connection to JFK.
Sorry, but all Melbourne pax had to change planes (or at least deplane/reboard) in Sydney for the LAX flight so yes there was (is until October) a double connection to JFK.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:18 am
#104
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I'm not sure what the allure is about a central location.
Since T6 will be gone, the new LAX setup will have more long walks with more pax at gates further from a United club than we currently have. At least now if you're in the 60's, you can use the T6 club, and if you're in the 70's or 80's, you can use the T7 club. The only people who are far from a gate are those in T8.
The same number of flights will now be spread across just T7 and T8, meaning more people out of T8, or a long distance from the club.
Most people want a club close to their gate. Kind of like how ATL has 9 SkyClubs, or IAH has 5 UA Clubs.
It's over 1,000 feet from the center of the T7 entrance to the end of T8. This would be like UA closing the IAH C Club North and making people use C South and walking to the low-numbered C gates at IAH. That's about the same distance, though in IAH there are a couple moving sidewalks between North and South C, so it's actually easier than this.
A better solution would have been to add a T8 club instead. That way when they creep your delayed flight, you're not far from a club to duck back into. Real easy to do at T6 at the moment, fine at T7, not so easy at T8.
One big club there at the entrance between the piers.
And walk is similar to furthest gates of ORD midfield C where the club is smack in the middle.
Separately, for all the retrenchment talk, we all forget UA added an entire new pier of gates at SFO for a net gain over the old CO setup.
I venture to say UA's LAX intl ASM peaked in year 2000, when LAX looked like an actual hub. IIRC UA operated flights such as 3x LAX-IAH, ~40x LAX-SFO, and even hourly service to SBP, MRY, etc. (There were lots of other examples, of course.)
Internationally, NRT, KIX, and HKG departures were in the morning (all 744), LHR and CDG (when was it canceled?) left in the afternoon, AKL, MEL, and SYD in the evening, and GUA, MEX, SAL in the wee hours.
Today, LAX-PVG and Mexican resorts are the new intl routes that I can think of. I dunno if they are enough to offset all the downgauges and canceled routes over the years.
Internationally, NRT, KIX, and HKG departures were in the morning (all 744), LHR and CDG (when was it canceled?) left in the afternoon, AKL, MEL, and SYD in the evening, and GUA, MEX, SAL in the wee hours.
Today, LAX-PVG and Mexican resorts are the new intl routes that I can think of. I dunno if they are enough to offset all the downgauges and canceled routes over the years.
Two economic cycles and two management teams since have shown that late 90s level was unsustainable for UA and a fleeting moment.
Maybe if things post 9/11 weren't so dire for them there was a shot, but even that is pushing it. UA was over-exposed to the late 90s California tech bubble and expanded/contracted accordingly. Part of that was being too aggressive too quickly bulking up LAX. It became a net share donor for about 10 years.
I wish TWA was still flying JFK transatlantic too.
Last edited by J.Edward; Sep 15, 2014 at 10:25 am Reason: merge
Sep 15, 2014, 6:57 am
#105
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