Clifton

Curious if anyone knows for sure what this number is? We bought tickets for January through Eva and they say 1:30. The feeder leg is from STL to LAX on AA and they've moved that flight time now 3 times. It's gone from a comfortable gap to 1:33 (around the 2pm to 3pm timeframe on a non-holiday Saturday - lines at that time?).

Since it could be winter weather in STL and since we can't get the Eva boarding passes until we get to LA, this concerns me a little. And I've been in those lines entering Tom Bradley Terminal before, but not on a Sat afternoon and there is no other fall back flight for Eva that day. Alternatives to ask for from AA would be a earlier flight with an 8 hr layover or add a connect through DFW or ORD.

Thoughts, etc?
Thanks

BeachBoi

Clifton......This is straight from AA's computer:
T*CT-LAX/AABR/DI«
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE 1.10 1.30 2.00 2.00
OFFLINE 1.10 1.30 2.00 2.00
The entry was requesting connecting time "CT" @LAX between AA and BR(Eva).Since yours is an "Offline" connection and it is Domestic to Internationl(DI) then 1.5 hours is correct and "legal".The airlines are the ones who set "legal connections" so my rule of thumb is that if its good enough for them, then I can live with it.That being said,I think you need to decide what your comfort zone is.For me, I wold be more comfortable in January with getting out of STL and I could live with 8 hours in LAX.Hop in a cab go for brunch.Then be back at LAX early and in plenty of time.Your call and I hope this helps.......Stephen

Clifton

Thanks Stephen. It's a little close for my comfort too, even if AA thinks it's ok. They aren't gonna miss their ride to Bangkok. lol We talked it over and with the times changing 3 times in the last 30 days, we decided to let it ride another month and see what happens. We thought if it moves again, it'll be back to being earlier or they'll have changed it so that we have a bad connect time and will have to move us without us asking anyway.

Susan33

Clifton--1-1/2 hours probably is the magic number, but LAX can take lots of time to get from one place to another.

We were there a couple of months ago making a connection with LAN. Our incoming flight arrived on time, and we barely made a flight that left 3-hours later.

Getting from domestic to international takes quite a bit of time. Then LAN was not getting people processed quickly. Then there is security again, and we thought we were doing okay. Then we got to the gate and found there were shuttles to a plane out in a field somewhere. Then we had to walk up a spiral tower or wait in a long line for the elevator so we could board. We were among the last people to board.

Just remember the times you are given are not realistic. Arrival time is when the plane lands--not when you are actually off. Departure time is when the plane leaves not when the doors of the plane are closed.

Eight hours is a long time but you will make your flight. Whereas 1-1/2 hours is really iffy.

AAFrequentFlyer

Arrival time is when the doors open.

Departure time is when the doors close.

Clifton

Thanks Susan. You're right, we've seen those lines too, connecting to Qantas, but we always had way more time than we knew what to do with before. Have had time to head off into the city even, have dinner and come back. Have had shorter layovers too, but never on a Saturday afternoon and never this short.

Eva, for some reason, was resistant to book us that earlier AA flight. "Too long" they said. Not long enough to be considered a stop over, so not sure why that would be an issue. But we'll see what happens in the next 30 days and call AA direct to arrange differently if it doesn't change on it's own. I'd rather the 8 hrs than the 1:30 as well.