Transitting in LA
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=33515
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Topic: Transitting in LA
Posted By: tishy
Subject: Transitting in LA
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 8:36am
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We're flying from London - Auckland on Monday with a 2 hour stopover in LA.
AFAIK, we get put in a room and then back on the plane again when it's refueled. Anyone done it? I'm just wondering what facilities are there. Cafe... Vending machines.... kids play area? |
Replies:
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:02am
When we did it ... it was just a room ... there was a table with food (free) .. mostly snack food and there was tea/coffee/juice (there were bathroom facilities too, but no showers, just toilets) .. but other than that it was just a room like they put you in before you board the plane. (And it took forever to get from the plane to the room with the security screening!) ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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tishy wrote:Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:06am
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That's a shame there are no shower facilities. When I stopped in LA many moons ago, I wasn't even given that option, slept on uncomfortable seats in the waiting area.
My husband is on his way home from Newcastle, he his doing the Dubai stopover, Emirates actually transfer them to a hotel so they can have a sleep/shower etc... he's got 6hrs there.. (I'm just hoping that they don't miss their flight by sleeping to long)... ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:27am
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2 hours isnt very long, it took us nearly that long to get through all the security at LAX so there probably wont be alot of time. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Gardengirl
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:33am
| HuntersMama is right, the security screening will take up pretty much all of the 2 hours (which is why I never transit via the States). |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:38am
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Transit Lounges never have much.
And I agree a lot of the 2 hours will be security checks, immigration etc. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:39am
TBH, I think I'm hoping I'll get fasttracked as I'm travelling solo with 2 toddlers. I'll be practicing my dishevelled look! 
Thanks for the information. Free food is good! It means I don't need any US$ |
Posted By: Gardengirl
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:42am
| Definitely ask to be fast tracked. I flew via HK last month with Air NZ (against my better judgement, absolutely the last time I do long haul with them) flying alone with an 8 month old. I found if I asked for help and for fast tracking I got it, but on the flight over I kind of assumed they would do that and I was left to fend for myself. Once I asked though the help was great. |
Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:48am
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[QUOTE=Gardengirl] Definitely ask to be fast tracked. I flew via HK last month with Air NZ (against my better judgement, absolutely the last time I do long haul with them)/QUOTE]
Oh really? They're our preferred airline, well second to Singapore Airlines. Lufthansa is my big No-No. 
Emirates is on my 'Must Fly' List.
Last year we went through San Fran and they we got fasttracked without asking (me, DH and 2 x 10months) so I guess I feel more entitled to it this time. |
Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 10:02am
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You'll get fast tracked, I've flown that route numerous times and families with small children always get moved to the front of the queue. It is just a big room with seats, a couple of tvs and then snacks like chippies and fruit, tea coffee etc.
It will probably be good for E & A to be able to get to run around a little. |
Posted By: Gardengirl
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 10:07am
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Yeah, I was surprised but I found the service to be patchy - excellent or non-existent, and the food was shocking. I haven't done the UK run with them for 8 years, usually I use Singapore and I really wish I had done this time. Even little things, like there only being a watered down soap pump in the loos compared to SA well stocked ones, and being given 1 nappy and a tube of nappy rash cream (?!) on the flight out but nothing on the flight back. They've won Arline of the Year and I can only think it is on the back of their business class.
Emirates are on my must fly list too (except for the extra stops). Hope you have a good trip 
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Posted By: Turtle
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 10:46am
It is a miserable depressing room they put you in. Normally there are free packets of crisps and mini biscuits. But the fingerprinting and photos of your eyes takes up plenty of your waiting time anyway. 
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Posted By: Chickaboo
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 11:52am
I was going to say that - you will probably find that by the time they take you to the transit room 2 hours will not seem long at all. It all depends if you still have to go through customs (which I am almost sure that they make everyone do now) Most transit rooms have toilets and vending machines ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
876 |
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 1:03pm
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Slightly off-topic ... I think everyone should fly SIA and stop here for a playdate instead of hanging out in the airport
Good luck for your flight home tishy! ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 1:10pm
Next time I promise as long as you bring me to the Chilli Crab 
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Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 1:11pm
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Why'd you have to go and mention chilli crab??? Now I want it for breakfast!! ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: Jaxnz1
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 2:09pm
Ugh I don't envy you doing that trip... it's bad enough without kids! 
I've flown Emirates, Singapore and Air NZ and have to say Air NZ was my favourite hands down. Alot of people don't like them, but I found the service, food and comfort were all way better than any other airline. When we went over, it took about an hour to get through security then we were in a room with drinks, nibbles, tv etc until we got back on. All the families got on first. We spent the whole time walking around.... but that was mainly to get my big puffy feet back to normal so that I could actually get my shoes on again ! Good luck, it's not a nice experience, but IMO I would rather do the quick stopover in LA and just get the second leg over and done with. ------------- 
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 2:28pm
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We went to the US last year with Air NZ and they were brilliant.
Two hours in LA isn't long as you have to go through the security checks again but will give your little ones a chance to run around. Make them jump, run, do star jumps or whater, we did this to Caleb before long haul flights just to burn off any surplus energy. I always take a facecloth, clean undies and T shirt, deoderant, toothbrush and toothpaste on the plane and have a stand up wash in the transit lounge bathrooms when flying longhaul. After 12 hours you need it, especially if you've slept in your clothes. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 4:12pm
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Singapore Airlines is my favourite, and Virgin is the worst! We went LAX - London on Virgin and it was the wrist flight of my life! I was wedged between 2 huge guys (one was my DH) and could barely even eat. I couldnt get up for the whole flight either.
I spent the next year dreading the flight back to NZ, but Singapore AIrlines was so much more spacious. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 7:51pm
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Hi
Surprised about the comment on being fast tracked with kids and toddlers at LAX. I have just moved back from being in the states for 3 years and flew thru LA alot and never got any help with kids and toddlers. Never got asked to board early etc. No help what so ever until I hit akl airport and they were lovely. Actually after doing a lot of travel the passport people and general airport people in LA are the rudest I have ever had to deal with. We were flying american airlines and qantas so it might be the airline that makes the difference. I remember standing in a screening line and after 1 hour (I only had 20 mins to make my flight) I said loudly to no-one in particular "for gods sake sept the 11th was 7 years ago you would think you would open up more xrays and hire more people in that time" This didn't go down well but they let me go thru. I think airlines and airports hide behind extra security measures to cover up for bad service. Better stop now as this is my pet peev and I can rant ffor hours. lol. Good luck with the flight. Take an extra t shirt for yourself as kids will always mange to spill stuff and it normally ends up on mum. I also pack zip lock bags of chips and snacks and a few toys from the $2 store for each kid. Named and then when they need something they get it from their bag themselves. I tuck them into the seat pocket. Go comfy on the clothes. I do the closest clothes to pjs that don't look like pjs for flying. For shoes use crocs as you have to take them off so much that when you are a family juggling sweatshirts, bags and shoes etc as well as kids and all their stuff laces or velcro is an added pain. Easy on and off shoes. Take care and hope you have a good flight. |
Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 8:33pm
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I hear you Kiwi2. My daughter had a gun pulled on her at LAX when they Xrayed our bags, found our toothbrushes, thought they were knives and asked us to step away from our bags, and she stepped up to her bag and went to pick it up. She was only nine!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 9:32pm
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Jaz that does not surprise me. We had friends. (He was pakastani with full beard and even he says he fits the stereotype) who was flying to the US for a holiday. He had bought some duvets and put them in those vaccum space bags. When they went thru the xray it just showed a mass so they poked thru his bags with a pointy thing. He said "Don't do that or they will explode" Even he says it was a bad choice of words but he got the gun pulled on him and his family (wife and three girls 6 years and under) and spent 5 hours in custody until they sent him and the family on the next plane back home. He then took the kids to paris 3 months later as they wanted to go to disneyland and had to cancel their plans to do the ones in the USA.
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 21 May 2010 at 8:46am
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Yeah, bad choice of words there.
When we came back from LA last time there was no fast tracking for parents as such but I noticed we got through quicker with a toddler than I did two years earlier travelling with my daughter at nine years. This could have been a coincidence though, or better passenger management in LA. We weren't pushed forward in the line and there was no special lines or earlier seating for families the way they do in NZ. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: KatzWtgn
Date Posted: 21 May 2010 at 11:42pm
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Slightly off topic, but have they stopped early seating in NZ as well?
I just flew Air NZ to Christchurch and back alone with my DS (only 6 weeks old), and there wasn't any early seating or other assistance on either flight. I was standing in the queue trying to manage nappy bag, handbag, coat, etc, as well as trying to hold my baby, and there wasn't any offer to let me go first or help with getting down the aisle, seating, etc. It was other passengers who saw me struggling and helped with getting my bag up to the overhead lockers, etc. Or is this just cause it was domestic? (Having said that, there was a most wonderful air hostess on the last flight who helped me off the plane, and saw me all the way out to where I was met.) ------------- [IMG]http://lb3f.lilypie.com/rGG7p13.png] |
Posted By: Gardengirl
Date Posted: 22 May 2010 at 8:01am
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KatzWtgn, I found the same thing. There was no early seating on my domestic flight from Akl to Chch....but the cabin crew were excellent and got me to stay in my seat afterward and helped me off the flight.
Air NZ seem to be very hit and miss - people seem to have some excellent experiences with them or it can be completely shoddy. Fortunately they have some really good staff, but I definitely won't be using them for long haul again (I promised myself that after my first LH flight with them and then again after I flew them to Perth, so I really should have known better). |