US Immigration delays due Budget cuts

[elbarto]

Could be a good reason for anyone travelling from Europe to US to go via LCY and take he BA1 or BA3 and do pre-clearance in SNN. Or take a flight directly from SNN.

 

[TheFergus]

Oh, no - quite the opposite - you have lucked out with an invalid in tow Straight to the fast lane you will go.

 

[richie g.]

We flew Qantas (Melb to New York via LAX) a couple of years ago. The whole changeover at LAX was 'really' stressful. First of all quite a few planes seemed to be arriving at once and we took ages to get through immigration, only to be presented with another long line for customs/quarantine? The lines snaked all over the place and people didn't even know where to pick the lines up. You'd think you were in the right place and then you weren't with nobody really able to easily tell you where to go. So with our luggage (cos it has to be checked when you enter the country) we went on to check in for our New York flight leg. We were sure that we had missed our plane and resigned ourselves to rebooking and being late to meet up with friends in NYC. Fortunately Qantas were great and because so many were in the same predicament, they held the plane for us all. In fact as we started to make our way through the airport, Qantas had people at strategic points to help send us on our way. Still, multiple frustrating security points along the way slowed things down. We made our plane, I stumbled on board and said to the hostess "Boy, what a stressful experience!" and she said "It's okay, you're with Qantas now" and you know, I felt really happy that I was. However next time, I'm going to allow mega time for my changeover.

How does qantas handle this for their passengers going on to JFK? I'm doing the MEL-LAX-JFK flights on QF in May... I think it's a 2.5 hour connection

 

[jastel]

Been to US twice, SYD to LAX on A380 business class, so off the plane quickly.
First time took over 3 hours, second time took 10 minutes.
The first time there were 2 Australians diplomats in front of me and they got no special treatment and missed their flight.

Lucky for me I was not connecting.

 

[Jo145]

How does qantas handle this for their passengers going on to JFK? I'm doing the MEL-LAX-JFK flights on QF in May... I think it's a 2.5 hour connection

Did this last year with 2.5 hours for connecting QF flight to NYC. We were 90 minutes late landing and QF arranged for those on connecting flight to NYC to receive a yellow "Express" card. I was shown to a gate with no queue and managed to get through immigration and out the other side with my bag in 15 minutes!! Dropped the bag outside Customs and raced up to Tom Bradley only to spend 40 minutes queuing to get through security for the connecting flight. Because it was QF flight they held the plane until all passengers were on board. We were 30 minutes late leaving, but thanks to a massive tail wind made it into JFK 30 minutes early ... and then there was the 40 minute wait for bags - a whole other story.

 

[Hvr]

I did the QF93 to 107 transfer in LAX on Tuesday morning. Travelled in J and walked very quickly to get to the immigration line. Got in front of the people coming off the flight from BNE.

Took about 15 minutes to get through immigration. They actually opened up extra line for foreigners!

Had HLO so no wait there, ticked yes for food and was told to keep going, just not interested in me. Straight up to the F lounge and had some breakfast and stocked up on Vegemite sachets,

 

[irv]

On a similar theme, a bit of advice required please. I am in a group of four arriving QF11 am into LAX in early Aug. We connect with Alaska Airlines on a mid afternoon flight to YVR. No problems timewise there I gather, but as QF and AS are partners are we still then obliged to clear US customs on arrival at LAX or can we just head to the transit lounge for a few hours and clear Canadian Customs when we arrive there? We are joining a cruise ship in Vancouver to Alaska and will remain in US territory from thence onward incl flight back to LAX later.

Will need to clear US Customs as per everyone else then deposit your bags through the transit area after customs

 

[Emkay]

Would appreciate advice for my upcoming LAX transit.

On a DONE4, QF93 MEL-LAX Fri 24/5 09:15-06:35 then AA76 LAX - IAD 09:20-17:15. Connection time 2:45, IF we arrive LAX on schedule. Bit tight, according to prev posts.

According to Flight Times the recent 7-day average arrival time of QF93 into LAX was 19 minutes early, but I see that tonight's is 60 minutes late. But according to Flight QF93 from Melbourne, MEL to Los Angeles, LAX the long-term average for this flight is 43 minutes (50% of flts <10min late, 75% <30min late).

Do I conclude that, arriving at that time of day, flying J with no checked luggage, and both sectors on the same OW ticket, I should have enough time for the connection IF we arrive on schedule. But if we are late by the average amount of 43 minutes, I am almost sure to miss the IAD flight. As I see it, I have a choice:

Risky: stay with the current reservations and if I miss AA76, hope that there will be a seat on the next IAD flight (AA144 14:55 - 22:45). Tolerable, as I am staying at an IAD airport hotel that night, OR
Safe: change my LAX-IAD reservation to AA144 right now. An awful long wait at LAX from 6:35 to 14:55 if it turns out that QF93 arrives on time!

Frequent inbound LAX transiters - what would you do?

 

[serfty]

...
Frequent inbound LAX transiters - what would you do?

Stick with your booking - QF93 arrives reasonably early; you are in Business, and finally should you misconnect (which I doubt) AA will re-accommodate you anyway.

 

[mel-world]

We must have been blessed with some excellent luck or good timing (or both). Arrived from MEL on VA 23 (J) on April 20. We pulled into T5 and used a dedicated immigration area within this terminal. We were early into the hall but through in 15 mins. The bags were already waiting so made it through priority security screening for connection (in T5) to SFO in about 30 mins. We were expecting the worst and allowed nearly 3 hours for connection but the longest delay was an agent working out how to put our VA numbers against a Delta connecting flight with a VA flight number.

I can only surmise that an early (0830) arrival on a Saturday was the reason for the almost faultless connection. Later flight from SFO-IAD did not present any longer security lines than usual. I believe the US Congress and the President are getting so much pressure from disgrunteld pax that they are about to cancel the slowdown and restore the staffing levels - if they have not done it already. I have a few more internal flights coming up so maybe my favourable impression will change over the next fortnight.

BTW, the VA23 and a later VX (Virgin America) flight were both excellent.

 

[CaviAck]

With all these stories of how long it takes to clear US immigration, I'm not sure if I should feel lucky or unlucky about a 9 hour connection at LAX, moving from QF11 out of TBIT to AS in T6...

 

[LAH]

I avoid LAX and my gateway is now SFO.

 

[Stitchit]

We flew through San Francisco last September as I have been aware of the delays in LA which have not improved over the years at all! San Fran had its own issues as their computer systems failed every day for over a week with up to 2 hours delays! it certainly takes the shine off landing after the 15 hour Sydney flight! The US authorities really need to work on this matter, it took us only 15 minutes clearing in Sydney on our return with Australia's systems in place even with 3 jumbos and 2 A380's arriving at the same time ..... very impressed!Greg

 

[blueflamenco]

I avoid LAX and my gateway is now SFO.

Okay, how did I miss this! Who does direct to SFO these days?

 

[drewbles]

I avoid LAX and my gateway is now SFO.

I too used to be a semi-regular on QF73/74 to avoid LAX. With the demise of these segments, I'm stuck at LAX (I refuse point blank to fly UA to the USA, heck even within the USA ).

 

[drewbles]

Okay, how did I miss this! Who does direct to SFO these days?

United out of SYD does SYD-SFO. That's the only direct from Australia that I know of.

 

[McTavish]

I transferred from QF93 to QF 107 in LAX on 20 April (post Boston) Both TB. We had a two hour layover and spent at least 1 hour in the QC. No problems.

However, at Montreal 8.00 am on 28 April only 2 of 26 US Customs counters open, so we joined the big snake at the back door!

 

[EvanC]

We must have been blessed with some excellent luck or good timing (or both). Arrived from MEL on VA 23 (J) on April 20. We pulled into T5 and used a dedicated immigration area within this terminal. We were early into the hall but through in 15 mins. The bags were already waiting so made it through priority security screening for connection (in T5) to SFO in about 30 mins. We were expecting the worst and allowed nearly 3 hours for connection but the longest delay was an agent working out how to put our VA numbers against a Delta connecting flight with a VA flight number.

I can only surmise that an early (0830) arrival on a Saturday was the reason for the almost faultless connection. Later flight from SFO-IAD did not present any longer security lines than usual. I believe the US Congress and the President are getting so much pressure from disgrunteld pax that they are about to cancel the slowdown and restore the staffing levels - if they have not done it already. I have a few more internal flights coming up so maybe my favourable impression will change over the next fortnight.

BTW, the VA23 and a later VX (Virgin America) flight were both excellent.

Somewhat reassuring for me to hear your experiences. I'm booked on VA23 in late August (albeit on a Tuesday), and I was beginning to worry that the 4.5 hours I'd allowed to get to my next leg (Delta from T5, but not booked together) wouldn't be enough. But it sounds as though I might even have some time to check the place out a bit!

 

[alexplat]

What about going the other way?

I have 2 separate award flights booked:
JFK - LAX Arriving at ~7pm
LAX - SYD Departing at ~10pm

Will I be in any trouble trying to make the flight back to SYD?

 

[cirqueboy]

What about going the other way?

I have 2 separate award flights booked:
JFK - LAX Arriving at ~7pm
LAX - SYD Departing at ~10pm

Will I be in any trouble trying to make the flight back to SYD?

You will be fine. There are no customs or immigration requirements to leave the USA. Just get to TBIT straight after you land (or stay where you are if you land and depart T4) and go through security. You should have around an hour to spare in TBIT assuming you land on time and your award tickets are on OW (ie AA & QF).