LAX - plane to kerb in 12min...sitting in Y and with a bag scan!

[Febs]

Hi all,

Bit of a nothing/fun thread with no real point...just thought I'd share.

Flew into TBIT from SYD on Monday, arrived around 7am LAX time. I was sitting in economy (46C, best Y seat on the plane IMO ) so I was able to get off in front of most Y pax, but still had to wait for F/J passengers.

Through the maze of TBIT walkways, straight into an empty immigration hall (with an even emptier airline crew queue).

Straight through using my APEC card...bag came out 2min later (5th one out). Through customs and I was asked to go for a bag scan/secondary search (which I've never had at LAX before).

Bags scanned, a few questions which I couldn't answer ("How many times did you travel overseas last year?" "Umm...not really sure...6 or so?") then straight out the exit.

From the plane to the kerb in 12min...easily a new record for me in LAX! Especially given I was in Y (used to travel in J) and had the bag scan.

Anyone else had similar tales of ridiculous airport efficiency? I also made it through DFW international to domestic in about 4 minutes one day, including customs, immigration and domestic security!

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[simongr]

Anyone else had similar tales of ridiculous airport efficiency? I also made it through DFW international to domestic in about 4 minutes one day, including customs, immigration and domestic security!

Cheers,
- Febs.

Every time I travel through HKG

 

[Febs]

Every time I travel through HKG

Is that with your APEC card or frequent HK traveller's card (or whatever it's called)?

I should also add that I haven't spent more than 5min from kerb to FCL in SYD recently. First check-in + APEC card makes things very quick!

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[simongr]

HKIAFV card and a J seat

 

[winetraveller]

Hi all,

Bit of a nothing/fun thread with no real point...just thought I'd share.

Flew into TBIT from SYD on Monday, arrived around 7am LAX time. I was sitting in economy (46C, best Y seat on the plane IMO ) so I was able to get off in front of most Y pax, but still had to wait for F/J passengers.

Through the maze of TBIT walkways, straight into an empty immigration hall (with an even emptier airline crew queue).

Straight through using my APEC card...bag came out 2min later (5th one out). Through customs and I was asked to go for a bag scan/secondary search (which I've never had at LAX before).

Bags scanned, a few questions which I couldn't answer ("How many times did you travel overseas last year?" "Umm...not really sure...6 or so?") then straight out the exit.

From the plane to the kerb in 12min...easily a new record for me in LAX! Especially given I was in Y (used to travel in J) and had the bag scan.

Anyone else had similar tales of ridiculous airport efficiency? I also made it through DFW international to domestic in about 4 minutes one day, including customs, immigration and domestic security!

Cheers,
- Febs.

My favourite airports for efficiency are FRA, often bags are spinning round by the time I get to the carousel. It helps to be tagged HON though.

BKK where I usually get met at the gate (by cute Thai girl) and walked through customs, and hand delivered bags in the arrivals hall.

LHR, oddly enough never had an problems, well not for a few years now. Used to better when they only wanted to see the cover of your passport (have a Brit passport).

SFO where I always seem to arrive at a quiet time, and get through quickly. Although the last couple of times my customs dec has been stamped A for Ag inspection when coming from Australia. I believe this is something to do with me working in the wine industry and the possibility of being in rural areas, although I hardly ever make it to out wineries. They do seem to be scanning more on arrival, but they also seem to be more welcoming over the last year.

Worst.

JFK, although it varies, Monday night was a good example of JFK at it worst. Arrived from St Maarten at about 8pm. GF walks off to the US Citizens line, I tell her not to wait and just head off to T5 and get something nice for dinner as there are ten times as many foreigners in the queue as Americans, and all their systems seem to be crashing and having to be rebooted. The agent as much as admitted this to me.

BOS, my home airport and would hope for something better. I often get the last JetBlue flight out of JKF to BOS and bags meant to come out at one carousel and come out at another. On international flights the Customs guys an indicative of the general unfriendlyness of people in Boston, a bit aloof, and not welcoming. At least the guys in NYC are friendly.

MAN, literally 500 people waiting in line when I flew in from Philly a few weeks ago.

 

[JohnK]

Generally I find around 20-25 minutes from aircraft to kerb is very acceptable. Anything better than that is a bonus.

I was sitting in economy (46C, best Y seat on the plane IMO ) so I was able to get off in front of most Y pax, but still had to wait for F/J passengers.

I would have to agree with you. I will be sitting in that same seat in a few days SYD-SIN on what appears to be a very full flight. I hope the IFE is working....

 

[stuartfaz]

I got off a QF flight from SIN at PER INT and was through customs, collections and transfer, and at PER DOM's QF departure lounge inside 25 minutes. Managed to catch an earlier flight to MEL as a result

Given the horror stories I had heard about PER, I was shocked. Pleasantly shocked.

 

[anat0l]

I arrived at SYD T1 on a Saturday night at 1930 but I had to make a tight 95 minute connection at SYD T3.

My surprise was that the "bottle neck" was not customs, but the baggage claim.

It took quite some time for the baggage to come out, and I was more concerned (since I wanted to get my bags first) whether they'd be out on the belt or in the special handling area. (I had my luggage tagged fragile). As well as this, the bag was tagged with the magenta bag tag, but we all know priority baggage works selectively at best.

Finally bags started to arrive out just as pretty much the whole plane had now started crowding around the carousel . Luckily priority baggage worked that time so I grabbed my case and headed with haste to customs. To speed my way through customs, I thought I'd be smart and write down exactly what I wanted to declare in response to all the questions on the incoming card. The preliminary check was done and they sent me to a bench. I then proceeded to rattle off my declarables and expecting to get a dress down, but instead I only had to quickly show the items I had and that was that. I even answered the question about being on a farm recently and quickly showed my shoes; no intense testing of soles or stuff. Customs inspection was completed in less than 5 minutes.

After getting the 3rd degree from AKL customs the previous week for bringing in a mere box of chocolates and two innocuous bottles of alcohol, this was a most surprising experience.

Had the bags been on the belt as soon as I cleared immigration, I would have been out of SYD T1 within 15-20 minutes. Instead the rigmarole was stretched to 50 minutes. Probably still very respectable for SYD T1, but considering the tight transfer and the fact that it was just the bags taking its time.....

And yes, I made my domestic connection on time.

 

[JohnK]

Had the bags been on the belt as soon as I cleared immigration, I would have been out of SYD T1 within 15-20 minutes. Instead the rigmarole was stretched to 50 minutes. Probably still very respectable for SYD T1, but considering the tight transfer and the fact that it was just the bags taking its time.....

Here we go again. I must be using a different SYD airport. I am consistently home in the suburbs less than an hour after touching down. In fact recently I was home within 45 minutes of touch down after collecting duty free and getting secondary at quarantine and the long walk to the taxi queue. And yes I have arrived at peak times in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Had issues in MEL waiting for luggage in early October and did not make the connecting flight so was put on the next flight. See how I go with early morning BNE arrival in a few weeks time....

 

[sr81]

JFK 12th Nov 2008 - HKG - JFK.
Sitting in 11K, so front row of J on their new 773 and after the walk had no queue at immigration. Bags were tagged First and came out very quickly. Made it from plane to Federal Circle in about 25 minutes.

Given last year this took me four hours and I was impressed.

US Immigration had 10 officers waiting when we arrived. I can only assume we got in JUST before packed BA, AA and IB flights.

 

[anat0l]

Here we go again. I must be using a different SYD airport.

Nope, just appears I was unlucky.

I'm surprised that there seems to be a light consensus about that SYD T1 is more efficient than BNE I. At BNE I (although it has been a long time since I last cleared arrivals at BNE I), I would be lucky to clear out within an hour. My parents have had a similar experience.

I'll get my second take at SYD T1 arrivals (and AKL I) next month - see how I go.

 

[Febs]

Here we go again. I must be using a different SYD airport. I am consistently home in the suburbs less than an hour after touching down.

I'm in the same boat JohnK - waiting for the bag conveyor belt is always my biggest wait at SYD T1. Typical time from plane to kerb lately has been 15-20min.

APEC cards and First-tagged bags certainly help.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[straitman]

I guess I have to put up with the slow road for a while longer. I have no APEC and my passport does not have a chip so no smartgate :!: :evil: