Lax

[NanLaew]

I have a couple of buddies playing the options for travel next month flying CO domestic into LAX and then TG for the non-stop to BKK (and the return trip) versus CO non-stop to Narita and TG onwards to BKK (and the return trip).

My experience thru LAX a few years back put me off with arcane security on checked baggage plus the International terminal was under major refurb so there wasn't any lounges available.

Now that CO and TG are Star Alliance, does anyone have recent experience of doing the terminal change at LAX and if the security rigmarole is better or worse than it was?

[Musongman]

I think the nightmare will begin from where ever you start your flight in the US. You must be aware of the recent lunatic attempts to blow up aeroplanes? The yanks always go over the top when these things happen. However I think LAX/BKK direct is better than LAX/NRT/BKK, the time frame is surely longer? Hope things work out for you.

[tonititan]

I did something similar last year - AA to LAX, then TG nonstop to BKK. I had an 8 hour layover in LAX, and it really wasn't too bad. I don't know about an official lounge, but I found plenty of places to sit, shop, and eat. I didn't notice any construction.

I can't say for sure about luggage with CO and TG, but I would assume that your friends could check their bags all the way from their original departure city to BKK. Even with AA, they were able to do that for me since they are some sort of partners (not even Star Alliance, I don't think). I didn't have to pick up my bags at LAX, so the security on luggage was no problem.

Are your friends flying economy? If so, I would suggest that they seriously consider premium economy - completely worth it, in my opinion! Those economy seats are TINY, and the plane I was on didn't have individual t.v. screens in economy.

[Langsuan Man]

I flew CO from Newark to LAX at the end of October to catch the TG non stop. There was construction in the International Terminal (Terminal 7 if memory serves) and you could only go into the TG lounge AFTER security. The security lines were long and the weaved around the construction but it appeared to me, at that time, that the construction appeared to be winding down

My only problem was CO luggage policy which required me to pay for each check bag ($15 per bag if you pay in advance) yet when I got to LAX Thai allowed 2 bags free. There was no way to check bags all the way from Newark to BKK since CO is not affiliated with Thai. I tried when I left Newark but was told that I would have to pick up my bags in LA and physically take them to Thai

Now I did purchase my tickets on the web from both Thai and Continental and if I had purchased the tickets through CO, I may have been able to check them all the way through, but I doubt it

[tonititan]

Hmm, that's weird. Didn't the OP say that CO and TG are both Star Alliance partners? You would think the luggage wouldn't be a problem, but airlines are funny, aren't they?

Like I said, I flew AA & TG last year. I booked the two tickets separately through the AA & TG websites. Not only did they check my bags all the way through, but I also got to use TG's luggage allowance the whole way. When I checked in for my domestic flight with AA, I told them my itinerary. The lady looked up TG and said that my allowance was two 70 lb. bags (I think it MIGHT be 50 now). I actually had 5 heavy bags, but AA didn't charge me anything. I only had to pay the extra bag fee (x3) with TG.

My family came to visit last month, and they did the same - AA to LAX, then the nonstop TG to BKK, also on two separate itineraries. They had no problems checking their bags all the way through.

[GMoney]

Just did a similar trip before new years. Domestic flight to LAX and then TG direct to BKK (premium econ).

- Was able to check my bags all the way through even though I had 2 separately purchased tickets.

- The lounge is INSIDE security and is nice and spacious.

- Security was no worse (or better) than before the Christmas bombing attempt.

[ThaiRich]

I think the nightmare will begin from where ever you start your flight in the US. You must be aware of the recent lunatic attempts to blow up aeroplanes? The yanks always go over the top when these things happen. However I think LAX/BKK direct is better than LAX/NRT/BKK, the time frame is surely longer? Hope things work out for you.

Here's another way to look at it. Thank God the Yanks "go over the top". Since it is a fair assumption that the national language of the U.K. would probaby be GERMAN if we Americans didn't go over the top.

[NanLaew]

I think the nightmare will begin from where ever you start your flight in the US. You must be aware of the recent lunatic attempts to blow up aeroplanes? The yanks always go over the top when these things happen. However I think LAX/BKK direct is better than LAX/NRT/BKK, the time frame is surely longer? Hope things work out for you.

Here's another way to look at it. Thank God the Yanks "go over the top". Since it is a fair assumption that the national language of the U.K. would probaby be GERMAN if we Americans didn't go over the top.

Thanks for the threadf*ck people. I probably do more international flights in and out of the US than either of you. I can only arrive at one airport with entry certain to be denied at any other as I am already on a statutory secondary inspection regime with ICE every time I go there. Your comments and opinions are not only off-topic but already a sore point with this OP. I am not in any way radical, extremist, subversive, felon or diseased and have no problems going in and out of any other country on the planet.

But, since I am the OP and my questions about LAX transfers have been answered (thanks GMoney), here's another view to ponder. Do you know exactly how much the Brits had to pay the Japanese to bomb the yanks off the fence in 1941?

Mods can close this one any time now. Thanks!

[moe666]

I have always used LAX for flights to asia and it gets a bit crazy at times but never had much of a problem. I fly Southwest pickup my bag, I like to know it is with me, and recheck it at prefered airline.

I am not crazy about flying a different airline to LAX even though they will check bag thru. It's a bit crazy to fly Albu., Denver, Lax on United and Albu., Salt Lake, Lax on Delta.

[ThaiRich]

Thanks for the threadf*ck people. I probably do more international flights in and out of the US than either of you. I can only arrive at one airport with entry certain to be denied at any other as I am already on a statutory secondary inspection regime with ICE every time I go there. Your comments and opinions are not only off-topic but already a sore point with this OP. I am not in any way radical, extremist, subversive, felon or diseased and have no problems going in and out of any other country on the planet.

But, since I am the OP and my questions about LAX transfers have been answered (thanks GMoney), here's another view to ponder. Do you know exactly how much the Brits had to pay the Japanese to bomb the yanks off the fence in 1941?

Mods can close this one any time now. Thanks!

Wow!!!

You post on a public forum and get angry when someone posts an opinion or view that is different than yours. Your the OP of this topic, not the owner of the website. At any time you don't like what someone has posted you are more than welcome to skip that post and move on to the next on.

My comment was directed at the poster that said "the yanks go over the top when something like this happens". Please forgive us Americans for not being layed back and relaxed when someone tries to blow up a plane. Forgive us Americans for not being comfortable about acts of terrorism on our soil. Forgive us Americans for not seeing terrorism against America as another day at the office.

Please see the blue highlights above. You say that the brits paid the japs to bomb america, that sounds like an anti american comment to me. You post a comment like that on a public forum and then are offended that you are on mandatory 2nd inpection by ICE on entry to america?

[Langsuan Man]

Hmm, that's weird. Didn't the OP say that CO and TG are both Star Alliance partners? You would think the luggage wouldn't be a problem, but airlines are funny, aren't they?

Like I said, I flew AA & TG last year. I booked the two tickets separately through the AA & TG websites. Not only did they check my bags all the way through, but I also got to use TG's luggage allowance the whole way. When I checked in for my domestic flight with AA, I told them my itinerary. The lady looked up TG and said that my allowance was two 70 lb. bags (I think it MIGHT be 50 now). I actually had 5 heavy bags, but AA didn't charge me anything. I only had to pay the extra bag fee (x3) with TG.

My family came to visit last month, and they did the same - AA to LAX, then the nonstop TG to BKK, also on two separate itineraries. They had no problems checking their bags all the way through.

Press Release 2009, Member airlines

NEW YORK CITY, USA- October 27, 2009

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES JOINS STAR ALLIANCE

Strategic Network Expansion in the Americas, Asia and Europe. New York/Newark Becomes New Star Alliance Hub

NEW YORK CITY, USA – October 27, 2009 – The CEOs of the Star Alliance member carriers today welcomed the alliance’s 25th member:

I missed it by 4 days

LSM

[NanLaew]

^ I flew IAH-NRT-BKK on the weekend that CO moved from Skyteam to Star Alliance. There was a day when CO were outwith any formal alliance but they credited the miles earned to my OnePass account so not a total loss. I posted in another thread that the new alliance means that CO's flights use the same gates as UA's flights so those transfers are slick. Not sure what gates TG use at NRT as a CO/TG connection gets you into BKK almost 2 hours earlier than UA and I assume TG to NRT leaves later in the morning from BKK on the return hop. The security rigmarole that UA goes through before sunrise in BKK can now be avoided; well delayed until one gets to NRT anyway!

My buddies have been sold on the IAH-NRT-BKK route instead of IAH-LAX-BKK as it came in around 50 bucks cheaper so end of debate. Thanks for the answers.

^^ Without getting into a pissing contest with people here; my thread was all about domestic transfers at LAX and first one person adds some needless comment about the excesses of US airport security, then ANOTHER (not me) gets all defensive and chips in with the debatable opinion on how the US of A saved the world. Since BOTH those posts were irrelevant and in response to BOTH puerile posts, I posted a well-known bit of US conspiracy theory which appears to have only pushed more buttons. Don't tell me that someone may actually believe that?

I wasn't having a beef because someone had posted a different opinion; the beef was about people hijacking a thread with irrelevant nonsense, or a threadf*ck. So as the OP, I posted something equally ridiculous IMHO. I am not the one showing my panties over what's being said on this forum or the internet.

My "sore point" with ICE isn't debatable; even with them! I never said I was offended by how ICE came to have me on a watch list; I accept it and maybe some day they will rectify the errors that caused it but I am old enough and worked in the US long enough to know that I should not hold my breath. If you seriously reckon that the comment that you nicely highlighted in blue is something that they should be made aware of... then... oh bugger it! Where is the 'walking away shaking my head in disbelief' emoticon when you really need it?

Now, is it beer time yet?

[Musongman]

WOW, must remember not to add a reply to an OP who has already had over 2,600 posts before me. Surely they must know everything being from the US. Please get your historical "facts" correct regarding the WWII comments.

[NanLaew]

^ You can reply with relevant stuff and opinions, just don't expect civility when you post opinionated, irrelevant nonsense.

In other words, you started it!

PS. Since when has popular conspiracy theory ever been regarded as historical fact?

PPS. My buddies are US citizens and frequent international travelers so know the score regards OTT security.

PPPS. I am not a seppo.