Last minute work trip to SLC - help!

[tuapekastar]

My last entry to LAX (admittedly into T4 on an AA flight from LHR) had me the first pax off the plane to reach a polite immigration officer who asked me 2 questions and through I went - very quick (though it took a couple of goes to fingerprint me, and I cannot recall how long the luggage took to appear).

 

[MatF]

Another quick one - sorry for all the questions, and thanks for your help so far ...


I'll be flying WGA-SYD and then SYD-LAX on QF11 on Monday.

I can either get in to SYD at 7:30am (which is a god awful start to the day), or at 11am (which is much more civilised).

I presume my bag will be checked all the way through to SLC from WGA, so would 2hrs be enough time from arriving into SYD at T2 and departing on QF11? (less F Lounge time, I know).


Also, do I have to do anything specific with my bag in LAX when I transfer from QF11 to AA3036, which is only 2.5hrs after I arrive?


Cheers,
Mat.

 

[Blackadder]

Collect the checked bag in LAX, go through customs immigration and then take the bag to the baggage transfer area (you will see the signs) ,
and they will get your bag on the way to the connecting AA flight.

 

[cove]

At LAX you have to clear customs and immigration and pick up your bag.

 

[MatF]

OK, thanks guys, much appreciated.

Any thoughts on the time issue in SYD before getting on QF11? I'm tempted to go with the 11am SYD arrival from WGA, but don't want to cut it too fine.


Cheers,
Mat.

 

[Blackadder]

IIRC 1.5hrs is the MCT dom/int for Sydney, however personally 2.5 hours would be a bare minimum for me.

 

[MatF]

Yeah, the 10:00 flight WGA-SYD would give me just on 2hrs (get to SYD at 11:00), so I think I'll take the earlier 06:30, which gets me in at 07:30 ... more time in the FLounge I guess.

 

[Blackadder]

Better off on the early morning flight IMHO, just to my way of thinking if your flight from WGA is delayed or worse still is cancelled then your connection to QF 11 is looking shaky at best.
As you say more time in the FLounge can't be a bad thing.

 

[cove]

You should be getting excited about now. Salt Lake will be quite warm now and the mountain snow will be much less than 4 weeks ago when I was there.There is a Flemings there on the light rail route if you are into steaks.America is a nation where there is tipping for service so that is about all you need to remember. Your work has chosen a good place for your first US visit.

 

[serfty]

Also note that QF11 will start boarding at ~12:20¹, so that reduces useful time.

¹ the BP will indcate later than this, but being a USA flight they tend to do it earlier.

 

[MatF]

Thanks guys - 06:30 it is. My wife will love taking me the airport then

Work has booked me into J on QF11 and 12, and I've put in F upgrade requests for both.
One other perhaps silly question - I haven't been on a flight where I've been given PJs before. Where do you change? In the toilet?

 

[connieguy]

Thanks guys - 06:30 it is. My wife will love taking me the airport then

Work has booked me into J on QF11 and 12, and I've put in F upgrade requests for both.
One other perhaps silly question - I haven't been on a flight where I've been given PJs before. Where do you change? In the toilet?

Well you could ask the ladies if they would like to see a public strip?

 

[tuapekastar]

One other perhaps silly question - I haven't been on a flight where I've been given PJs before. Where do you change? In the toilet?

Unless you want to frighten the children - yep! It's a pokey little place to change, but all that's available. Some people like to change immediately they get their PJs, prior to takeoff. Others prefer to wait until after takeoff just in case there is any unexpected quick pre-takeoff disembarkation required. And others prefer not to utilise the PJs at all (I don't mean they 'nude up', :shock: they just stay in their civvies).

 

[cove]

I always wondered if that toilet space was sqeezy or was it just that I am big person!
You have a lovely work place to put you in J for your first ride to America. With a bit of luck the First may come through seeing you have status

 

[MatF]

Heh, thanks guys.

Well, it looks like perhaps my F upgrade on QF11 tomorrow might happen.
My seat assignment has already changed from 12K to 5K

EDIT: F upgrade confirmed! Wooo

 

[MatF]

Have arrived in SLC. Nice sunny day, I've had a shower and am about to have something to eat and then hit the sack (5:30pm).

My First Class upgrade on QF11 did indeed come through, but I was moved from 5K to 1K sometime overnight (I found out when checking in at WGA for WGA-SYD-LAX-SLC). The reason was "Nil seat recline", but I guess they must have fixed it, because there was someone in 5K on the flight, and the seat looked reclined to me.

I have to admit, that has annoyed me a bit - as 1K was right near the toilet, so I could clearly hear every flush (it sounded like a jet engine!) as well as the door opening and closing all the time, and whenever someone went through the curtain to/from the toilet area, I copped the light in my eyes. 5K is a nice quiet seat at the back of First, which I think would have been significantly better. Still, quite a comfortable seat, and good service on board.

To be honest though, I feel a bit underwhelmed with First. The seat was good, but is it really much better than a J seat? The service was also good, but again, I don't know if it's really that much better.

The little things were missing - I wasn't given an express pass in SYD when I was transferring from domestic through to QF11 (the boarding pass was enough for the guy at T1 thankfully), and the website talks about "first hosts" at your destination, but there was nothing at LAX. The only advantage was getting off the plane first, but after that - going through immigration and customs - it was no different to arriving from Y, join the same queue(s) as everyone else. I was hoping for a bit more in this area?

Man, LAX is a bit of a madhouse. My first visit


Might start a trip report tomorrow.


Cheers,
Mat.

 

[MatF]

Just reading back through this thread to get myself sorted for returning through LAX on Tuesday ... this is an interesting comment that I missed earlier:

End result, I got a priority immigration pass, and was out within 5 mins. (carryon only). The normal queue was pretty empty, but that type of access would be beneficial at times.
My mate who arrived in LAX a bit earlier said it was a zoo, and he managed to get an express pass too (not sure how).

... as I specifically asked the First Class FA about express immigration at LAX before we landed on Monday, and she said there wasn't any


On Tuesday next week I plan to go to the T4 Flagship Lounge as suggested earlier - I will have about 6hrs at LAX before jumping on QF12. Can anyone pls help with where I get the bus to TBIT when I'm ready? Is it the same spot near Gate 44 where I jumped on the bus to the American Eagle "terminal".

For the record, I didn't find the AE flight from LAX to SLC too bad. I had selected a seat on the single side (11A), so room was OK. Reminded me of the Rex Saab SF34's that I sometimes suffer through, but longer and without the props

I'm on the same type for the return journey on Tuesday, though it's an AA flight number (on the way down I was booked on the QF codeshare flight number), so I don't seem to be able to preselect a seat?



Cheers,
Mat.

 

[cove]

Being a REX shareholder I am pleased with your reply on American Eagle and it sounds like you had a smooth run.
Did you get a look at Grand America hotel?
TBIT and American terminals are pretty much next door to each other....just a short walk.The longest walk is to get to the front door of American terminal and then you turn left to get to Tom Bradley terminal.

 

[serfty]

I don't think these passes being mentioned are typically handed out onboard aircraft. I saw similar at DFW and there was a triage where something like them were sparely handed out to those who may miss their connection.

The bus leaves from gate 44 and is timetabled for the Hour and every ½ hour after 4pm - It is pretty much on time. Gate 44 is about a 90 second walk from the AC/FL.

Not that due to the construction of the new TBIT the drop off is west of gate 123, the furthest physical part of TBIT from T4. The trip including walking back to the lounge currently taking up to ½ an hour. It may be faster to walk landside and re-clear security at TBIT.

More here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....eless-in-tbit-ow-lounge-31829.html#post467480

 

[MatF]

Thanks again guys, much appreciated

I'm staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Sandy, which is quite nice. Had a hard time finding a place at short notice, as there's an outdoor retailers convention in town. Everything was booked out (inc Little America), but thankfully our SLC office called in a favour for me. At one stage it looked like I was going to be spending 2 nights at a work colleague's place. It's not far to drive to the office (in Daybreak), which is a bonus. Not a whole lot of restaurants nearby, but it's OK.

I haven't seen much of SLC except the hotel and the office so far, but I'm here over the weekend, so I'll have a bit of a look around.

Had a great dinner last night at the Market Street Oyster Bar in South Jordan. I must say, the American service level and hospitality in general leaves Australia way behind.

Have seen a lot of these:

and will be making a second visit here this afternoon to pick up some Bose QC15 headphones and possibly an ipad2
Shame I wasn't here last week when the dollar was $1-10.