Qantas operated LAX First/oneworld lounges at TBIT

[texter]

I have long proponed that it is quicker to walk from the T4 Flagship Lounge and go out landside (stay at the departures level) before going back through TBIT security to the lounges than take the bus.

Other than that there is no point fronting for the (now) gate 45 bus other than 25 minutes after or 5 minute before the hour.

So, the shuttle only operates every 30 minutes then?

Feel sorry for those that have just missed one and have to stand in line for 30 minutes at T4 for the next one...

 

[serfty]

I found out the hard way ... Just like that ...

The bus departs on the hour and the half hour from 4pm.

It can take upto 45 minutes to traverse the maybe two km extended loop due to aircraft having full right of way (rightly so).

 

[wandersen]

Yes I thought it would be close (I mean the terminals are right next to each other) but the bus goes initially on completely the opposite direction and then finishes at the furthest most possible part of TBIT from terminal 4. Whoever designed that should be shot.

 

[moa999]

Be much easier when they complete the connector building, albeit hasn't been mentioned for a while on the lawa development newsletter

 

[Dmac6345]

I found out the hard way ... Just like that ...

The bus departs on the hour and the half hour from 4pm.

It can take upto 45 minutes to traverse the maybe two km extended loop due to aircraft having full right of way (rightly so).

I cant believe the bus has taken 45 minutes from T4 to TBIT. Is this normal ??
The last 4 times I have used it in the last 24 months, I swear it has taken no longer than 15 minutes. Ok, so maybe I wasn't completely sober and a little mesmerised by the size of the A380's when travelling underneath their tails.
If it ever took me more than half an hour, I would absolutely walk between terminals after Flagship Lounge time.

 

[jimmylikesitwet]

I cant believe the bus has taken 45 minutes from T4 to TBIT. Is this normal ??
The last 4 times I have used it in the last 24 months, I swear it has taken no longer than 15 minutes.

The last time I used it I walked straight onto the bus and I was there in 15 minutes. I guess I was lucky!

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Re: LAX Lounge

What a nightmare this new lounge is. I was there last Thursday night with a group of three other colleagues. Yes it's nice. yes, the food selection is good. BUT:
- we arrived about 1:15 prior to departure of QF12. Impossible for us to find any seats together, rather the only seats available were single seats. We ended up "mingling" near the bar which was the only option.

Wow - 400 seat capacity, and it was crowded? Or not particularly crowded by simply single traveller taking up blocks of seats? If it was crowded, that's almost an entire A380 worth of QC/SG/WP/OWS/OWE sitting in one lounge at once...

 

[wandersen]

Every single seat was taken (pretty much). Most people were sharing. Remember it's a OW lounge not just a Qantas lounge. We had to wait 15 mins at the bar just to get a drink. If definitely consider that crowded!

 

[TheBOSman]

Every single seat was taken (pretty much). Most people were sharing. Remember it's a OW lounge not just a Qantas lounge. We had to wait 15 mins at the bar just to get a drink. If definitely consider that crowded!

There are two CX flights leaving not soon after the QF flights depart as well, one just before midnight and one shortly after 1AM most days. Also a BA A380 to LHR at 9:45PM. And of course, all four QF flights leave from TBIT now, so anyone early on the BNE flight will be there in addition to the 2xSYD and the MEL. There's also a LAN flight to LIM some nights just after midnight.

 

[Kangol]

Are there any benefits for F pax? I'm going tomorrow and have a fair few hours transit at LAX, will definitely be in the F/L for an appreciable amount of time before heading over...

 

[serfty]

I cant believe the bus has taken 45 minutes from T4 to TBIT. Is this normal ??...

No, it's not normal, and in fact, it actually took 45 minutes AA F/L to *O F/L, there were 20 minutes of waiting/walking included in that.

Departed F/L 8:50pm to gate 44, boarded Bus 9:00pm, the bus travelled right past TBIT, past hangers some 400 metres past thenturned right and up to the North, and then back to TBIT. It's stopped at every TAXI way and there was a 10-15 minutes wait with a aircraft stationary over the designated ground transport lanes; waiting for an aircraft still at Gate 48. Was dropped of at the TBIT bus gate to the far north west end of the building from where there is a 10 minute walk and wait for lift etc before reaching the lounge. The bus stops and waits at taxiway crossover points if there the remotest sniff of an aircraft in the area

It's was the last time I used the transfer bus; I have walked landside every time since.

 

[RooFlyer]

Every single seat was taken (pretty much). Most people were sharing. Remember it's a OW lounge not just a Qantas lounge. We had to wait 15 mins at the bar just to get a drink. If definitely consider that crowded!

There are two CX flights leaving not soon after the QF flights depart as well, one just before midnight and one shortly after 1AM most days. Also a BA A380 to LHR at 9:45PM. And of course, all four QF flights leave from TBIT now, so anyone early on the BNE flight will be there in addition to the 2xSYD and the MEL. There's also a LAN flight to LIM some nights just after midnight.

So the new enhanced bar service is working - have to wait to get a drink now, rather than serve yourself ... brilliant.

So will the F extension alleviate this crowding? Doesn't sound like it, much.

 

[serfty]

Be much easier when they complete the connector building, albeit hasn't been mentioned for a while on the lawa development newsletter

Still slated for "3rd Qtr 2015" - it is to sit atop a new baggage handling facility.

This document from January:

Home - Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific - LAX Development Update Jan 21 2014

 

[kermatu]

I'll be there in mid-December for a few hours. Was hoping the first lounge would be ready (WP and actually flying first for a change) - but doesn't seem that the lounge will be open by then? I must have missed the news but I thought it was to be finished in 2014 so was hopeful.

 

[wandersen]

The people in the lounge told me the new section would be open by year end (though they are probably not even as informed as us!). The connector is under construction - I saw it on arrival connecting from TBIT to T4 (walked staight past it). That will make a massive difference to the QF/AA experience at LAX.

 

[JohnK]

We had to wait 15 mins at the bar just to get a drink. If definitely consider that crowded!

You'd line up again for a drink after getting a drink?

 

[amaroo]

You'd line up again for a drink after getting a drink?

I stopped doing that when I was about 20.

Fair dinkum, sounds like premature opening to me!

 

[serfty]

I'm booked to come through in the new year - looks like I'll be hanging out in T4 F/L as normal ... Although there was a small queue for the coughtail mixer (human) back in April.

 

[JohnK]

I stopped doing that when I was about 20.

Fair dinkum, sounds like premature opening to me!

Lining up for 15 minutes to get a drink does not sound like fun.

 

[Kangol]

No, it's not normal, and in fact, it actually took 45 minutes AA F/L to *O F/L, there were 20 minutes of waiting/walking included in that.

Departed F/L 8:50pm to gate 44, boarded Bus 9:00pm, the bus travelled right past TBIT, past hangers some 400 metres past thenturned right and up to the North, and then back to TBIT. It's stopped at every TAXI way and there was a 10-15 minutes wait with a aircraft stationary over the designated ground transport lanes; waiting for an aircraft still at Gate 48. Was dropped of at the TBIT bus gate to the far north west end of the building from where there is a 10 minute walk and wait for lift etc before reaching the lounge. The bus stops and waits at taxiway crossover points if there the remotest sniff of an aircraft in the area

It's was the last time I used the transfer bus; I have walked landside every time since.

I must have missed it being reported, but the TBIT transfer bus from T4 is in a different place - not in the downstairs bit on the left (gate 44 was it?). It is now gate 45, on the right as you head away from T4 security (same level) and there is also a QF "service desk" there.
I'm in the F/L now, the QF service desk inside the A/C is no more.
Will be walking over to TBIT soon - just to try it out..