Flying Healthrow to Auckland but transiting in LA on Thanks Giving day

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afe66

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#230470 25-Feb-2018 16:03

I'm flying back with family from Heathrow to Auckland but have the usual annoying stop in LA where we get off and then get back on the same plane.

The issue is that transit stop is going to be held on Thanks Giving Day.

My last experience transiting in LA in 2010 was "unpleasant" but that was the old terminal and I didnt have Koru etc. (but then no kids either)

One school of thought is that it will be fine because just like christmas day, fewer people travel on the actual public holiday.

So my questions are.

- whats the new terminal like compared to the old one. Do we still have to leave plane go through customs or sit in an empty room?

- will the airport be busy/chaotic on the actual public holiday that people travel for.

- tips for improving quality of transit experience. I have Koru and lots of airpasses from air nz credit card. Will I be able to get me, the other half and two kids into an airport lounge ?

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#1963917 25-Feb-2018 16:03

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#1963952 25-Feb-2018 17:27

Last time I did this (September), they had reverted to the whole immigration then out into the terminal then back through security thing. They had to delay the plane because it took so long for all us transit passengers to go through the checks etc. Forget Koru, all you have time to do on getting through security is dash for the gate

Every time I do a LAX transit I swear never again, then five years or so later I forget I said that

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#1963954 25-Feb-2018 17:34

shk292:

Last time I did this (September), they had reverted to the whole immigration then out into the terminal then back through security thing. They had to delay the plane because it took so long for all us transit passengers to go through the checks etc. Forget Koru, all you have time to do on getting through security is dash for the gate

Every time I do a LAX transit I swear never again, then five years or so later I forget I said that

So happy I don't have to fly through LAX when going to Europe. Much more pleasurable to fly through Dubai.

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afe66

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#1963989 25-Feb-2018 17:58

Ive done Dubai three times, HK a couple of times but small people want to do disneyland out outward leg so contemplating returning the same way which is why I posted otherwise might be Singapore

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#1963990 25-Feb-2018 17:59

jarledb:

shk292:

Last time I did this (September), they had reverted to the whole immigration then out into the terminal then back through security thing. They had to delay the plane because it took so long for all us transit passengers to go through the checks etc. Forget Koru, all you have time to do on getting through security is dash for the gate

Every time I do a LAX transit I swear never again, then five years or so later I forget I said that

So happy I don't have to fly through LAX when going to Europe. Much more pleasurable to fly through Dubai.

I hate flying West around the world. It's the only time I ever suffer from jetlag due to the terrible timings of flights. Give me NZ2 via LAX any day, not to mention it's quicker.

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#1963992 25-Feb-2018 18:09

afe66:

I'm flying back with family from Heathrow to auckland but have the usual annoying stop in LA where we get off and then get back on the same plane.

The issue is that transit stop is going to be held on Thanks Giving Day.

My last experience transiting in LA in 2010 was "unpleasant" but that was the old terminal and I didnt have Koru etc. (but then no kids either)

One school of thought is that it will be fine because just like christmas day, fewer people travel on the actual public holiday.

So my questions are.

- whats the new terminal like compared to the old one. Do we still have to leave plane go through customs or sit in an empty room?

- will the airport be busy/chaotic on the actual public holiday that people travel for.

- tips for improving quality of transit experience. I have Koru and lots of airpasses from air nz credit card. Will I be able to get me, the other half and two kids into an airport lounge ?

A.

Firstly I have no idea what actual international travel would be like on Thanksgiving day. As you fly into TBIT which is an international terminal I'd expect it to be business as usual - if you were flying to the US for the occasion I can't imagine why you'd arrive on the day.

You've had to clear CBP and then screening before gaining access back into the terminal. If you're connecting straight through on NZ1 or NZ2 you can forget about the lounge as you simply won't have time. There is 2 hours between the arrival and departure with boarding starting 45 mins beforehand. On a great day you'll clear CBP and screening in 45 mins. On an average day you'll clear it in an hour, and only a bad day it'll take 75 mins and as a result the flight will be delayed because there will be plenty of pax affected.

If you all haven't entered the US on your current passport and ESTA you'll also get the dreaded X on your kiosk receipts and the process will take longer than it does if you've entered the US previously.

The LAX lounge is a Star Alliance lounge not a Koru lounge so your vouchers aren't valid there. Normal access rules apply which is 1 guest. You'd need to read the *A access rules but I believe children under the age of 2 are admitted free with you.

You can read a lot more about this in my NZ2 review https://traveltalk.nz/reviews-tips/flight-reviews/flight-review-nz2-business-premier-akl-lhr/

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afe66

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#1964002 25-Feb-2018 18:45

I've got a valid Esti.

Other half had one in 2011 but will need to reapply.

Both children never had one so obviously they are agents of evil til proven otherwise.

Can stick all sort of agents in those nappies after all

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#1964029 25-Feb-2018 20:17

Have you actually booked yet? My advice is to always split the connection between NZ2/NZ2 or NZ1/NZ5 rather than NZ1 or NZ2 right through as the transit experience is so much better when youre not rushing from the minute you leave the plane until the minute you get back on it and have time to enjoy a rest and shower in the lounge.

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#1964038 25-Feb-2018 20:24

You have to clear CBP, get into the main terminal and queue for security again. There's no "transit" like you see in other airports.

Last time I went to London the transit was really tight in time.

On the way back there was a queue for transit passengers only so I got to security a bit faster than usual but the main problem is really clearing CBP getting out of the arrivals.

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#1964041 25-Feb-2018 20:36

freitasm:

You have to clear CBP, get into the main terminal and queue for security again. There's no "transit" like you see in other airports.

Last time I went to London the transit was really tight in time.

On the way back there was a queue for transit passengers only so I got to security a bit faster than usual but the main problem is really clearing CBP getting out of the arrivals.

They changed the mezzanine floor TSA screening setup late last year so it's actually a lot better now. CBP is still sloooooow, but clearing security last month was the fastest I've ever had at LAX.

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#1964042 25-Feb-2018 20:39

Are they still doing strange stuff like you self-scan your passport, take photos and fingerprint, take a card off the machine and then show the card to an officer that do everything again?

Waste of time... But not unexpected: Border Patrol has not validated e-passports for years because they don't have the software for it.

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#1964044 25-Feb-2018 20:45

freitasm:

Are they still doing strange stuff like you self-scan your passport, take photos and fingerprint, take a card off the machine and then show the card to an officer that do everything again?

Waste of time... But not unexpected: Border Patrol has not validated e-passports for years because they don't have the software for it.

It depends.

At LAX if you get an X the answer is yes and you will also be asked 20 questions. If you've visited before and don't get an X you'll either be fast-tracked with only brief questioning (such as your purpose for the visit) or at worst have a few questions thrown at you and have to do a single set of prints again on one hand just to verify your data so they can call up your details.

LAX is just horribly slow, my experiences through SFO and IAH in recent years have always been plane to leaving the baggage hall in under 20 mins.

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#1964048 25-Feb-2018 20:50

One plus (hopefully) would be we might travel auckland to LA, go to Disneyland then fly on to Heathrow, then return and "transit" heathrow to auckalnd via LA.

Any immigration questions would be asked on entering on the outward leg so hopefully when return 10 days later, all questions should have been addressed.

Or am I being hopelessly optimistic ?

No tickets bought yet, the other half wants to go through travel agent rather than the usual internet.

afe66

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#1964050 25-Feb-2018 20:55

sbiddle:

Have you actually booked yet? My advice is to always split the connection between NZ2/NZ2 or NZ1/NZ5 rather than NZ1 or NZ2 right through as the transit experience is so much better when youre not rushing from the minute you leave the plane until the minute you get back on it and have time to enjoy a rest and shower in the lounge.

No haven't booked tickets yet as need leave from work confirmed.

I'm a bit confused by your advice to split NZ2/NZ2 or NZ1/NZ5 bit.

?fly to nz1 then nz2 rather than nz1 or nz2 the whole way??

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#1964053 25-Feb-2018 21:08

afe66:

sbiddle:

Have you actually booked yet? My advice is to always split the connection between NZ2/NZ2 or NZ1/NZ5 rather than NZ1 or NZ2 right through as the transit experience is so much better when youre not rushing from the minute you leave the plane until the minute you get back on it and have time to enjoy a rest and shower in the lounge.

No haven't booked tickets yet as need leave from work confirmed.

I'm a bit confused by your advice to split NZ2/NZ2 or NZ1/NZ5 bit.

?fly to nz1 then nz2 rather than nz1 or nz2 the whole way??

NZ6 leaves AKL a couple of hours (exact timing depends on the time of year) before NZ2 does. This means you get a couple of extra hours in LA which is perfect for heading out of the airport for a walk and then being able to relax in the lounge with a shower before connecting to NZ2. Likewise coming back NZ5 leaves after NZ2. The only downside of this is that you get your bags tagged right through but have to pick them up at LAX and drop them in the baggage drop area which normally takes an extra 10 minutes.

If you're connecting through on NZ1 or NZ2 you should not expect to have time to visit the lounge. If you're lucky and get through CBP and TSA quickly you'll have at most 15 minutes or so before the onward flight, which often won't be enough time for a shower as everybody else has the same idea.

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