Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Hi all,

I just got an Air New Zealand Airpoint Update email which among other things contained the following information;


"From 3 December, Air New Zealand customers will enjoy a more seamless experience in Los Angeles when the airline moves its airport operations to the newly refurbished Tom Bradley International Terminal.

The move will provide the airline's customers with greater connectivity to ports within the US and the benefits of a newer terminal including faster processing, enhanced transit processes and more than 150,000 square feet of retail and dining space.

In addition, transiting customers on NZ1 and NZ2 will no longer need to remain in a dedicated transit facility and instead will be able to access the main terminal while they wait for their connecting flight."


You'll still have go through the immigration palaver at LAX, but at least the conditions in which you hang about the place have improved markedly.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

That's good news, although I did quite like the lounge which was an area of the holding space which they had put screens around

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Great news. My husband flew via LA he said never again!

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

I'll still try to avoid LA if possible.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Excellent. :thumbup:

No more free apples, packets of crisps and vending machine drinks though.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Wow, good news, I rate LAX with Frankfurt as two of the worst airports I use regularly!

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Or fly via Singapore since Air NZ and Singapore have a code share

I did LA once, never again.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

I found the immigration process more irritating and you'll still have to go through that. Never forget the time I queued up for the pleasure of being fingerprinted and photographed only to end up with only 5 minutes 'free' time before boarding again. spent about 1.5 hours in a queue :(
Though I see the ability to wander around as a definite bonus assuming you get through immi quickly:sneaky:.

Will still be going through Asia in future-usually cheaper that AirNZ.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

I havent got fond memories of LAX, my transit through there left me with an understanding of what death row prisoners must feel like

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Count yourself lucky you only had to deal with the airport.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

If you absolutely must travel through the US then try SFO instead.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

You could not pay me enough to travel through LA ever again they have spent years steaming into other peoples country's as leaders of the "free" world but there own country is anything but free !!!!

Singapore for me every time :thumbsup:

Neil

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

Same here, would never fly through LA, it was a nightmare of an experience.

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

This has made me laugh - positive information on flying via Los Angeles??? What next, politicians telling the truth???

I don't think Air New Zealand have realised that instead of making the visit to LA hell, they've now made it treble hell.

I hear at the moment you're in a combined room awaiting to go onto the second leg. Well that in itself is a far better experience than having to deal with the 'treat everyone as Osama Bin Laden II' staff that occupy that airport. Even the clerks and check in people consistently get out of the wrong side of the bed

Until someone teaches them that not everyone is some mad lunatic, and that they start treating people with respect and at least have a flippin smile, only then would I even consider going back to that dreadful airport. If you think the Tom Bradley international terminal is bad, you haven't experienced the domestic terminal. If you ever do and you are Koru members, I wish you the best of luck getting into the United Airlines lounge - despite being on a codeshare Air New Zealand flight

To say I hate that airport is an understatement. I thought JFK would be bad but that was paradise compared to LAX. Thank goodness for the agreement they did with Singapore Airlines - probably the best thing that's happened to Air New Zealand since they ended the Hong Kong route to London, which surprised me given the feedback of that route was far more positive than the LA route

However, when booking with Air New Zealand - always take a look at Hong Kong if Changi is not available. I think they also do Vancouver and San Francisco - well any are better than LA

Re: Flying via LA - Positive Info
 

A few years back now I researched UK/NZ flights and found the LA flight as bad so did not consider the route so we flew LHR with Malaysia. The flight from London to KL was excellent but KL to AKL was terrible. The trip to LHR was never ending (M25 accident) and the Airport terminal was filthy and over crowded.
When we made our one way trip we flew Emirates so that we could fly Brum to Chch and avoid LHR, so much better.;)