BThumme

I flew through LAX last week. What an absolute mess.

I was on a segement run LAS-PHX-LAX-PHX-LAS.

I moved up to an earlier LAS-PHX flight, and the GA also moved me up to an earlier PHX-LAX flight since there was first open. It was on a CRJ 700, but whatever. We landed at the remote terminal in LAX, but I had 6 hours in between to get over to the mainline T3 terminal for my return flight. Well I got an email saying that my flight that night was delayed an hour and a half, which would mean I would miss my connection to LAS at night.

After being on the phone with the DM and opting against a direct AA LAX-LAS flights, I saw there was a flight LAX-TUS on US express (didn't know they had it; apparently it was the first day on it). This flight was scheduled to leave at 3:20pm, although the phone agent said there was ~ a 15 minute delay. It was currently 2pm. I got rebooked then LAX-TUS-PHX-LAS.

Being as I was in T3 (where there were no US Agents at the gates), I waited almost 40 minutes for a bus to come pickup myself and another women who was also connecting to the LAX-TUS flight. The bus driver picked us up at nearly 3pm (20 minutes before scheduled departure), and then get this, admitted on the way over to the AA terminal he didn't know where we were going - he actually went down the wrong pier. I had to actually direct him to the appropriate gate. We get to the AA terminal at 3:10, where I have to connect again to get to the remote terminal. Thank the Gods that the flight was delayed or we would have never made it.

What a mess.


Easy fix would be to have two shuttles run on an opposite loop (One goes Remote-AA-US, other Remote-US-AA). Having to use an intermediate point is a big hassle.

Also, in the main terminal, a lot of pax were getting confused since the signs arent labeled clearly. US Express flights are NOT the same as US, and thus need a different line. Some of us on here could probably realize that, but for everyday pax, they would never know. Will look to avoid this in the future if I have to play that game.

FWAAA

No, that's a regular T-3 gate.

I wonder whether AA will try to hold onto all three of the T-3 gates? AA had to relinquish two of them (of the three preferential use gates) but has been using those two on a common-use basis. If AA really intends to grow at LAX, then AA should probably hoard existing gates as best it can. The mid-field terminal gates will probably take longer to construct than the expected timeline, so it may be a few years before AA can get those gates.

phlwookie

Sadly, LAX is one airport, like LGA, that I try not to connect through. Its layout of some disconnected terminals for security can make connecting tedious, and this seems to be exacerbated by poor signage, reticent/unknowledgeable employees, and generally poor operational planning. It's "fine" for the most part as a destination or origination point however.

WiscAZ

Where is the remote terminal for US? I fly a US Express flight in to LAX as well. Where does this end up?

BThumme

The American remote terminal (gate 44).

WiscAZ

Is that party of T3? T4?

serfty

AA are currently using Gate 45 for Bus transfers.

I am not sure the US Air shuttles would leave from the AeAgles nest (East of T8), they may indeed depart from the remote gates at the far West of the Airport.



Yellow: West Remote Gates, Blue: AeAgles Nest, Yellow: T4, Green: T3

meballard

Sometime later this year, I haven't heard of an actual date though (and it's been delayed a few times in the past already).

BThumme

They do leave from gate 44, which is the American remote terminal. A quick search for flights today lax-SJC and lax-Tucson as a reference both show gate 44. When I flew out last week I don't think I saw any planes at the west remote gate.

serfty

Sure, the AeAgle (now "Envoy") terminal is gated as 44.

But in recent times PAX have needed to catch the bus from T4 using gate 45.

I flew out from a bus gate a month ago and used gate 45 at T4 to board the bus. Gate 45 was also being used for the Qantas bus to TBIT.

Gate 44 at T4 was closed - even though all AeAgle flights were still showing as departing from from the AeAgles nest gates 44A/B/C/D/E/... those needing to get to the "nest" had to catch a bus at gate 45 to go to the 44 gates.

Also, back in April my flight to Tokyo used a bus gate and at T4 gate 45 was being used.

Having posted that, this use of Gate 45 for bus access rather than gate 44 I believe is/was an interim thing - are you saying they have now moved back to gate 44 at T4 to catch a bus?

BThumme

You're correct -there is Three lines at gate 45 there; one for T3, one for the nest, and one for Qantas/Alaska.

The US express flights are leaving/ arriving into the nest (44 a/ b/c/d/e/f) as the poster had asked though.

WiscAZ

Some good information here. So I am flying PHX to LAX on the "Envoy" plane which flight tracker shows going in to gate 44G. Once I arrive, I will need to take a shuttle from there to T4 which will take me to gate 45. From there to get to TBIT I can either take the Qantas shuttle (my next flight) or walk landslide. Is that correct?

T4 is also where the flagship lounge is, correct?

BThumme

Correct on all accounts, the flagship lounge is across from gate 40. I have no idea off hand the frequency of the Qantas shuttle though, I'm sure that's somewhere here or online. I'd probably be contempt with hitting up the lounge for a bit and then just walking landside if time isn't an issue.

Edit: found this:
take that FWIW...I know I waited a lot longer for my us shuttle bus to come around.

serfty

The Qantas shuttle is generally reliable in relation to departure time; although it can take anything from 25 to 45 minutes as it needs to travel to the North West tip of TBIT, travelling some miles. For me, walking landside, it takes about 20 minutes Lounge to Lounge.

It will be better when the airside T4/TBIT connector walkway scheduled to open next year.

This thread has more information, especially with some more recent posts: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

la2clt

That would be awesome. I was never a fan of T1, but T3 makes T1 look like the FCT in FRA. I could almost hear the TWA announcements it's so old. And I think I saw a white courtesy phone.