Two LAX Transfer / Lounge Questions

[BJReplay]

Hi All, long time lurker, rare poster. I'm transiting LAX twice in JAN with my family. I'm WP/OWE, they no status. I'm booked MEL-LAX in J through work, they Y.

Arriving LAX on QF93 6:40 departing 9:10 LAX - ASE (this is the only flight each day to ASE on a OW airline).

Family is booked through on QF code share MEL to LAX to ASE, so I'm assuming that although I need to collect bags, I won't need to re-check them but just drop them off.

Although I'm booked separately on points LAX - ASE (as work paid for my fair to LAX, but not to go skiing ), I'm hoping I should be able to check my bags through too.

I'm assuming 2.5 hours will be very tight for transfer, but should be OK as QF allowed the booking as MEL-ASE on their website.

Questions on the first transit - do I get any customs / security priority flying J, and if so, is there ANY chance I can use it for the entire family to speed things up?

On return, we're flying in to terminal 4, and the family then heads home on QF94 departing from TBIT, and I head off to ORD for work departing T4. This time the transit is 4:10, so plenty of time.

For the second transit - I believe that we will still have to clear customs at LAX (i.e. we can't stay airside, but must go landside even if bags checked through, then clear customs and security again). From reading other threads I believe we might be able to all get airside in T4, and with any luck I can guest the entire family into the AA lounge in T4, and they can then catch the airside bus to TBIT about 90 minutes (10pm) before their flight.

Question for the second transit: is it still possible to clear security / customs in T4, and transfer airside to TBIT - it looks like it probably is according to other posts, but if anyone knows it definitely is no longer possible, please shout out! Also, how strict is the guest policy for the lounges - is it one adult guest and children, or strictly one guest?

Thanks

BJ.

 

[TomVexille]

You should be able to check your bags through to ASE.

No such thing as priority Immigration/Customs for J passengers (other than you get there first)

There is no Immigration/Customs outbound at LAX. Don't know about the airside bus from T4-TBIT. Others will have to advise about that. Even without it, the walk to TBIT is pretty short, and it's just security to navigate through.

Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club Lounges | Qantas

That says you will be allowed 1 child in the AA lounge, but I have no idea how strict they are with it.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I'd call QF to get seating pre-allocated for your family in whY. Even if they have no status that allows free seat selection, as they are travelling with you (being WP) they should do this for you. That way they can be seated as close to the front of whY as possible so you can exit promptly on arrival at LAX.

On checkin at MEL make sure they link you all & they will need to add in the OW oncarriage flight LAX/ASE for you as that's in a a separate pnr. Bags will be tagged MEL/LAX/ASE however you still need to collect them off the carousel at LAX then after clearing customs, redeposit them at the bag drop at TBIT.

After exiting TBIT, turn right for T4. I'm assuming it's AA LAX/ASE so if that's the case you should receive your AA boarding passes in MEL so once you get to T4 just head directly through the TSA screening point to the Admirals Club.

As mentioned above already there is no customs clearance on departure from the USA - you simply checkin & proceed through the TSA screening point to your boarding gate. There are often a mix of both international and domestic departures that depart from the same terminal unlike Australia where domestic & international flights depart/arrive from separate terminals.

AA in ASE should be able to through check your bags ASE/LAX/ORD & for your family ASE/LAX/MEL.

 

[BJReplay]

I'd call QF to get seating pre-allocated for your family in whY

Thanks, Oz, I hadn't thought of calling QF to get seating pre-allocated for free - I'll give it a go.

 

[BJReplay]

There is no Immigration/Customs outbound at LAX.

I'm starting to figure out the differences - but I don't think I've seen anyone put it so clearly Thanks.

 

[BJReplay]

Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club Lounges | Qantas

That says you will be allowed 1 child in the AA lounge, but I have no idea how strict they are with it.

Thanks for pointing me to that page - I'd read it, but never as far as the fine print at the bottom:

~ Except for the oneworld lounge at Tom Bradley International Terminal, where Qantas members are allowed two children up to 18 years of age.

Bingo - If refused guest and two kids at AA in T4, we'll all schlep down to TBIT