Hello,
I am booked on a Qantas flight from Melbourne direct to Los Angeles that arrives at 6.45am. I also have a connecting flight with Qantas to JFK that departs at 8.45am (all on the same ticket). With that being said, I am not entirely sure it's enough time to collect my bags, clear customs and go through security. I don't have to change terminals, but am I pushing it or should I change it to a later connection? Apparently, this Qantas connection is only for Australian passengers going on to JFK, so would they wait if my flight is delayed by any chance?
Thanks
Arrival into LAX from MELBOURNE with connections to JFK?
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If your MEL-LAX is too late for the connection they'll just put you on American's next flight to JFK - there are numerous ones daily. That said, the LAX-JFK Qantas flight, QF 107, is notoriously late itself, and in fact the nickname for the return JFK-LAX flight, QF 108, is "Qantas One-Oh-Late." So your LAX layover may be longer than you expect.
IF there were enough passengers unable to make the connection they might very well wait a few minutes, but I think you'll be ok. Last year, I did a worse connection at LAX and even had to change terminals (V Australia to JetBlue, different tickets) and I was able to make my connection in less than 2 hours (I did the whole thing in an hour). The key to making it is to get off the plane as quickly as possible and then head straight to immigration. There's where the backups usually happen. Luggage was very prompt. I was among the first passengers to go through and only had to wait about 5 minutes for my bag. You will have it a bit easier since you will already be checked into your next flight, so you just drop your luggage at the transfer desk and head up to security. (Security at the Tom Bradley terminal can be onerous, however, and that may be the key to whether you make it or not.)
You will most likely be given a bright card to hold as you get off the plane at LAX to go through immigration quickly.
This practice has happened on my last 3 flights from Mel to La and has helped considerably.
Gaby
We flew Qantas to LAX then on to NY in October. Although we departed from Brisbane the arrival time in LAX is similar. We had time to go through homeland security and airport security then pick up luggage (it is not on a carousel to collect as you are continuing on with Qantas. Airport staff directed us to collection point on way to departing terminal. It was much easier than expected and all staff were helpful. Then it was a case of checking in luggage and walking to departure gate. We had time to have a cuppa and husband who is a smoker had time to go outside and have a much longed for cigarette after the long haul from Brisbane. I was worried about the two hours between landing and departing but it really was easy. My only complaint was the lack of shops open at that early hour in the airport. I would have browsed in them if they had been open.
Last March we flew to LAX from Sydney on United with a 2 hr stopover. Our plane was delayed by 1/2 hr before it arrived in Sydney and then we got to LAX slightly late, to meet a 10am flight. Being a little unfamiliar with LAX we had no idea of the size of the airport, the poor signposting or the length of the queues. It was horrible, even though they fast tracked us a little because we had a pram. You have to go through immigration (long queues), and then pick up your luggage irrespective of where you are travelling to (fast), and then clear customs (which was pretty fast), and then surrender your luggage for the connecting flight (also fast). But then you have to go back through security again (millions of people waiting) before going to the gate. We got to our gate 5 minutes late and they had already closed it when we got there, so we missed our connecting flight. To make things worse, there were no other seats free on United or any other airline because it was the end of a holiday period. We were at the airport trying to make alternate arrangements or standby flights until after 10pm, being moved from queue to queue, and did not get to bed until 1am. We were stranded in LA for three days, but our luggage faithfully got dispatched on to our destination, where it was waiting for us. OK, there are worse places to get stranded, and the airline put us up at a nice hotel near the airport but it was an annoyance, and one we hadn't planned for, especially clothing-wise and weather-wise. But the lesson I learned was to allow at least a few more hours at LAX rather than just 2 hrs, which is just too narrow a window if something should go awry. The airline was also trying its best under difficult circumstances, so I don't bear any great malice, it was just all very unfortunate.
Lavandula