[southparkers]

Hi All,

Can any of you who have been in transit at LAX please tell me if there are any shower facilities or if there is anywhere to get changed, also are you allowed into the departure lounge or is it a separate room, and is there anywhere you can have a quick ciggie.

We have family coming to visit next week and they wouldnt mind a quick wash and brushup between flights.

Thanks

April

[IanW99]

Hi All,

Can any of you who have been in transit at LAX please tell me if there are any shower facilities or if there is anywhere to get changed, also are you allowed into the departure lounge or is it a separate room, and is there anywhere you can have a quick ciggie.

We have family coming to visit next week and they wouldnt mind a quick wash and brushup between flights.

Thanks

April

Might have changed since we last used it a few years ago, but it was definitely a separate room from the departure lounge and not much in it at all apart from some basic refreshments and seats.

I guess you could get changed in the toilets? Don't know if they had showers but doubt it. Also, you don't get access to your checked-in luggage so you would need to carry your change of clothes with you.

Ian

[shakyle2906]

Hi

We came through LA last April and only recall the big lounge we sat in whilst waiting to get back on plane, which if memory serves me right, only had toilets. You werent allowed anywhere outside that lounge so a ciggie wil be out of question i guess.

HTH

Sharon

[Ojai]

There are only toilets. You will be separate from the transit lounge, and I seem to recall there are places you can smoke (though as a non-smoker I didn't pay that much attention).

[jshack52]

we flew in Jan 08 with Air NZ through LAX and when you exit the flight you have to have the green cards processed so that takes a while and then you go straight into a lounge which is separate from the airport. The q was long but you can go to the front if you have small children or are disabled. For some people at the back it probably took them at least an hour to get into the lounge.

The lounge we went into had toilets and sinks and they were large enough cubicles to change your clothes in but no showers. Lots of people had brought face wash and a flannel and washed in the toilets and then changed their clothes. We did that and it refreshed you enough to keep you going.

In the main lounge they had coffee and soft drinks. To eat there were some biscuits, crisp and fruit. The drinks and food were complimentary. I did not see anywhere to get duty free but was not really looking. There are def no shops or anything it is just a big room with some chairs. The business class etc get a different section to sit in with better seats and more refreshments but other than that it was the same process for them.

Baring in mind the stop is usually around the 2 hour mark. By the time you have got through the q, had a coffee, washed and stretched your legs you are back on the plane again.

[jonSE]

Only way at LAX to have a ciggie is to have a long enough stop to go through immigration into the US, pick up your luggage etc., and then smoke outside the airport, then back through customs for the next flight.

[Croft]

we flew in Jan 08 with Air NZ through LAX and when you exit the flight you have to have the green cards processed so that takes a while and then you go straight into a lounge which is separate from the airport. The q was long but you can go to the front if you have small children or are disabled. For some people at the back it probably took them at least an hour to get into the lounge..

Ah, but the back of the queue can often be quicker! Once they've cleared the queue downstairs o the people going into the States, they send the back of the queue down through standard immigration - you then loop back up straight back into the transit lounge, often passing people who are still in the 'standard' queue.

There are some TVs to watch as well, and sometimes a small shop will open which has magazines etc - seems to be hit or miss if it's open or not though.

Can't believe we'll be going through there for the third time in 3 years this June (on the way back - flying out via HK as the time was better for us).

[Kerry and David]

Just spoke to Hubbie who came through LAX yesterday , he waited in line for 1hr 45min to get his green card stamped, walked in to the lounge and straight back out again back on to the flight for Auckland:roll

K x

[southparkers]

Thanks for all the replys.

Still a little confused , do you have to collect your luggage and check in again or does it go straight through?

They have a 3hr stop over so this should be plenty of time to check out and back in again if your allowed to.

I kept checking in and out and gong off to have a ciggie but we stayed over in LA for 10 days on the way here so were in the departure lounge,
It would be good to find out as I will probably be transiting through there later this year .

April

[Mels]

If you go on NZ1 then your baggage stays on board and you just go into the transit lounge- all 'air-side'.
As they have 3 hour stop over it sounds they are changing planes, so they will have to reclaim their luggage and book in again. So they may get a chance to smoke and shower, but not at the same time!!!!

Mels

[Croft]

If you go on NZ1 then your baggage stays on board and you just go into the transit lounge- all 'air-side'.
As they have 3 hour stop over it sounds they are changing planes, so they will have to reclaim their luggage and book in again. So they may get a chance to smoke and shower, but not at the same time!!!!

Mels

They don't usually change planes - and 3 hours sounds about right. 1/2 hour to deplane (you have to take all your cabin baggage), another 1/2 - 1 hour (sounds as though you hubby hit it hard K! Must be the time of year) in transit 'immigration' (you do NOT go landside) then an hour or so in the transit lounge - by that time they're preparing to board you again.

[JandM]

Can't your family who are travelling check this out with their travel agent? - not wanting to be unhelpful, but after all, all of us who have been through LAX have done it on the particular airline we used and their arrangements may be with somebody totally different.

[dusk]

They don't usually change planes - and 3 hours sounds about right. 1/2 hour to deplane (you have to take all your cabin baggage), another 1/2 - 1 hour (sounds as though you hubby hit it hard K! Must be the time of year) in transit 'immigration' (you do NOT go landside) then an hour or so in the transit lounge - by that time they're preparing to board you again.

Oddly enough Air NZ do a 'non-stop' service where you don't change planes and the stopover is listed as 2 hours and another one where you change planes and the stopover is listed as 3 hours...

[Mels]

Sorry if I confuzzelled anyone - I've got used being that way all the time!!
I meant what Dusk said:

We took NZ1 which is non stop with 2 hr wait in LAX to top up plane with food and fuel, passangers remain airside (unless buisness class and special booking I believe)

A 3hr wait implies not one stop therefore change planes (ticket will show change of fllight number) and need to collect luggage and go thru the whole process of checking in etc.

Hope that helps/clarifies

Mels

[Jo Jo]

A 3hr wait implies not one stop therefore change planes (ticket will show change of fllight number) and need to collect luggage and go thru the whole process of checking in etc.

Hope that helps/clarifies

Mels

I have flown via LAX and changed planes (I think I flew a Virgin/ Air NZ combo), but we didn't have to collect our luggage and check in again as we were booked all the way through to Auckland from London - we just got off the first plane, went though customs, went to the transit lounge, and boarded the new flight. They transferred our bags for us. That was about 15 months ago, though, so things may be different now...

[sillyskuld]

LAX does have a few smoking lounges (scary small glass rooms with very scary grey tinted glass), but with how the airport is cut up with all the new security features, it's impossible to know whether or not you'll have one in your lounge area. I just remember being across from one, and there was a whopping four gates that it served.

[CJ22]

I'm at a loss to exlpain why they feel the need to process people who are in a sealed environment and never going ground-side. If you're at the back of the queue, you could spend the whole two hours waiting to be processed so you can get BACK on the plane. It's the very definition of pointless buraucracy.

[IanW99]

I'm at a loss to exlpain why they feel the need to process people who are in a sealed environment and never going ground-side. If you're at the back of the queue, you could spend the whole two hours waiting to be processed so you can get BACK on the plane. It's the very definition of pointless buraucracy.

I've often wondered what would happen at this point if they determine that they don't want you in the USA?

Do they send you back to UK or onto NZ? :exit

Ian

[southparkers]

They were going to ring Air NZ and ask, but I said I would ask the forumites as they will be a lot more helpful and knowledgeable, Which you always are, and again thank you for the replys.

I'll ask what the flight numbers are when I speak to her in the morning.
Think I'll go via singapore next time, :D