[Gnomon]

I'm flying from London to NZ via LAX with OH and3 young kids in a few week premium economy with air NZ and just wonder if anyone has had any experience with this. I have read on this forum that here are showers in LAX, do you need us$ for these facilities at LAX and towels etc. as a shower half way through would be great?

David

[sophiedb]

Doesn't look like it - sorry! I flew threw LAX in 2001 and was very underwhelmed, but it may have changed.

http://www.iflylax.com/lax_information_faqs.php#q9


Does LAX have shower or exercise facilities I can use during a layover?

While LAX does not offer shower or exercise facilities, some gymnasiums are located near the airport. Check local phone listings to find more information. You will need ground transportation to visit one of these sites. In addition, many airport-area hotels offer discount rates for their exercise facilities. Airport-area hotels can be found at www.lawa.org/lax/laxframe.html. Once at that site, click on the Hotels tab on the left-hand side of the page. Then, when you get to the page listing all of the LAX-area hotels, you can click on any one of the hotel names for contact information.

[72andsunny]

I have read on this forum that here are showers in LAX, do you need us$ for these facilities at LAX and towels etc. as a shower half way through would be great?
David

Several years ago, there was a "Skytel" inside the airport. Essentially, it was a (rather nice) hotel that rented by the hour. To keep out undesirable elements, they did not allow more than one person to a room, so if you were not traveling alone, you were far better off at a cheap motel outside of the airport. The Skytel proved unpopular, and closed shortly after opening.

Sophiedb's suggestion of finding a gym is a good one. You can even get a free week at 24 Hour Fitness: https://www.24hourfitness.com/PromoOfferHome.do?promoCode=CLUBPASS (I'd recommend not showing up as a family of 4...and I'm not sure if the kids would even be allowed inside--maybe some 24 hour fitness members can chime in.)

Also, keep in mind that there is no luggage storage at LAX (or any US airports that I can think of); even if the airline will take your bags early, you will be dragging all your carry-ons around with you.

There are several nearby hotels for <$80 (US). You can probably get that down to <$60 using priceline or hotwire. Pretty expensive for a shower, I suppose.

[Jo Jo]

I flew Air NZ via LAX just a month ago. Are you flying straight through, i.e. on NZ1 all the way? If so, then when you get off the plane in LAX you will have to go through security, then are taken to a transit room where you have to wait until you re-board your flight, so you don't have access to any of the facilities at LAX. The transit room has toilets, but no showers. They do provide you with tea, coffee, soft drinks, fruit, biscuits and crisps, and free wifi. And there is a titchy, tiny little stall for buying a very limited range of duty free which is opened for about 5 minutes.

[Duncan74]

As above, on NZ1 then you will get very little, but then you're only in there for an hour (after you've left the plane, then asked to reboard). Business class you can get to the showers, but even that's a lot of hassle for a short time.

[jo1966]

Hi, I did the straight through flight with the kids last year and no showers as the others have said. A word of advice make sure the kids go to the loo just before you get off the plane as my 8 year old needed to go whilst in the queue and he had to go off with an airport official which he was not very happy about. Jo

[unar]

Last time I was at LAX on the way to NZ (2007). They put us in a room with nothing but a vending machine. I hope you don't get that treatment. Maybe that was a temporary thing.

-Una

[Gnomon]

Thank you for your comments!

Yes we are flying straight through on NZ1. I was thinking of stopping for a few days to go to Disney and Getty but the kids would be too tired and it could end up being too much hassle. I was hoping that on prem economy that you might get similar facilities as business class.

Free wifi is a plus though!

Cheers

David

[Kitten Witten]

Hiya,

Thought you might find this link (taken from UK and Republic of Ireland AirNZ website) helpful:

http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/before-you-fly/international-travel/transiting-via-la.htm

We are transiting on the NZ1 via LA in November ourselves and I am such a geek about it all I read everything months before I need to know it :laugh

But my OH has transited through LA in both ways (i.e. being in chicken coop room ;) and having free reign in the airport) and he reckons that although the room is boring it's much less stressful than having to collect luggage and re-check in so swings and roundabouts I guess!

[The Bolers]

Hi

We flew from LAX to AKL a couple of weeks ago - the lounge can be used by premium economy and business class passangers (although not sure about those in transit might be worth while checking?) There is hardly any shops etc at the airport but there is a free shower in the lounge - if you can use it!

[Wooly_Cow]

Hi

We flew from LAX to AKL a couple of weeks ago - the lounge can be used by premium economy and business class passangers (although not sure about those in transit might be worth while checking?) There is hardly any shops etc at the airport but there is a free shower in the lounge - if you can use it!

I think you are talking about flights starting in LAX and not those in transit, which don't offer showers for Prem. Ecc.

The 'lounge' for business class and Prem. Ecc. is a screened off area of the main transit area with some sofa's in it....and yes you get WiFi access.

The tip about the loos is a good one, however the queues don't take that long and when I have travelled families with young children have been ushered to the front.

It's not the best experience in the world, but it's also no where near as bad as some would have you believe.

[Gnomon]

Hi, I did the straight through flight with the kids last year and no showers as the others have said. A word of advice make sure the kids go to the loo just before you get off the plane as my 8 year old needed to go whilst in the queue and he had to go off with an airport official which he was not very happy about. Jo

I certainly will, thank you.

David

[Gnomon]

Unless someone has actually used this facility In LAX with prem economy I'm think there's not shower. Oh well. At least there's WiFi, the travel time from Dublin is 34 hours, I don't think I've not use the Internet for such a long time, I even got Internet on my phone when in the car I could access it! May be I've got a problem! Will I suffer from withdrawal symptoms? Probably

David

[bobo]

When I 1st came over to NZ I got off NZ1 at LAX and got onto a flight direct to Chch (this flight is no longer available). LAX was horrible and so were the airport staff that I met, so you will not be missing anything.

[lin]

Hi David - we flew premium economy at Easter & its only the transit lounge that you get access to in LA if you are on NZ1.

On the way out to NZ, the "Business" part of the transit lounge was open to Prem Econ passangers too, but as there were only 4 of us in Prem Econ (did I mention we'd got upgraded to Bus Class from LON to LA :yes ) & about the same in Bus Class, I assume they were just being nice to us. On the return flight, the "Busines" lounge was restricted to "Business Class" passengers only. Have to say, the staff were lovely on our trip, but the flight was not full & very few were continuing on to NZ.

As Wooly_Cow has said, the "Business Lounge" is just a partioned section of the transit lounge - though you get bigger seats & free beer/wine in there too; don't know about the wifi access as didn't have my laptop with me. There is nothing fancy about it. All other facilities are shared with the rest of the lounge - no showers in the transit lounge I'm afraid.

[Gnomon]

On the way out to NZ, the "Business" part of the transit lounge was open to Prem Econ passangers too, but as there were only 4 of us in Prem Econ (did I mention we'd got upgraded to Bus Class from LON to LA :yes ) & about the same in Bus Class, I assume they were just being nice to us. On the return flight, the "Busines" lounge was restricted to "Business Class" passengers only. Have to say, the staff were lovely on our trip, but the flight was not full & very few were continuing on to NZ.

Hello Lin

I did think about not booking our seats so when we went to check in they could not put the young children on there own as prem economy was almost full, and I thought then we we might be bumped up, but I just booked the seats anyway. The five of us are in two different are areas of the plane so maybe they will do something for us! Were you bumped up or did you pay to get moved up if you don't mind me asking?

David

[lin]

Hello Lin

Were you bumped up or did you pay to get moved up if you don't mind me asking?

David

We were really luck on that trip - it was a 777 & there were only 2 couples in Prem Econ. When we boarded the steward approached us & told us not to put our bags up in the overhead locker. So we waited while they boarded the rest of the plane & then one of the crew invited us up to Business Class.

Business Class only had 3 or 4 people in it at that point, so I think it was to save the crew from waiting on so few in people in the 2 different areas. We were so spolit - everyone got 2 flat beds each (one to sit in & watch movies, the other for sleeping). It was very hard to go back to our PE seats when we got back on the plane (747) in LA as the flight from LA was full. We didn't have to pay but I think its quite unusual to get the upgrade.

[Duncan74]

Wasn't wifi in the Business transit lounge in March 08. Business class passengers can however go through customs (hold bags stay on plane), and use the normal Air NZ lounge at LAX which does have 6 shower cubicles to use, and that lounge does have wifi and a lot of facilities. However, as you've jsut eaten a meal, then youget 2 hours of food forced you in the lounge, before another forced feeding just as you leave then missing the LAX feed is not a big deal, and although the shower was good, then the stress of getting to the main lounge and back meant we didn't bother on the way back, just stayed in the Transit pen. Only 3 of us in there, Me, my wife and on other person.

[Gnomon]

Aren't you the luck one Lin! You must have looked the part to be picked, I suppose now evey time you fly you'll be think of paying the extra.

David

[lin]

Aren't you the luck one Lin! You must have looked the part to be picked, I suppose now evey time you fly you'll be think of paying the extra.

David

Just a fluke me thinks! :) As my OH has been an AirNZ member since the 80's he was delighted as he only ever got 1 upgrade in 20years! In PE you'll get the same washbag* as Business class and the same snacks so hopefully that's some consolation if you don't get an upgrade.


:D *Warning - spoiler alert - contents of washbag listed below c. Easter 2009:

toothbrush & paste, pen, eye mask, socks, earplugs and a sachet to keep your clothes smelling fresh!