LAX

[seaboy4hire]

Hey there Hoo boys! Question here. How are the conditions at LAX? I will be flying in and out of there. Any tips and such? Btw I have flown out of the airport more times then I can remember but I haven't flown at a high emergency alert since a few days after 9/11/01. Thanks in advance for any info and tips guys.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[OneFinger]

I flew in/out of LAX last August and it wasn't any different from other major airports such as Denver, Boston, or JFK. However, during the holidays I heard that they have restricted pickup/drop off by private vehicles. Private cars have to park and then the traveler takes a free shuttle to the airport.

 

I used a private shuttle service and found it to be the best way in/out of the airport. Shuttle, cabs, and other professional means can still access the pickup/drop off lanes. The only restriction is on private vehicles.

 

The last trip I took to Boston and NYC they did cut off the cheap lock on my checked bag. I heard from others that this is becoming a common practice. So, don't bother locking your bags.

[+ deej]

If someone is picking you up, they won't be able to do it curbside. It'll probably be easier for you to take a cab out of the airport to meet them somewhere nearby.

 

For departure, allow LOTS of time for the security screening. And pack according to guidelines. Don't lock the bag, do put the wet stuff (shampoo, toothpaste, lube) in transparent ziplock bags so the screeners don't have to dig everything out to see what's in the bag. Don't pack wrapped gifts. They'll just have to unwrap it to see what's inside. (Don't worry -- they've seen dildos before.)

 

Wear loafers so they'll slip off (and back on) easy to go through the xray machine. Leave the Rockports at home. They ALWAYS set off the machine (a screener actually told me that).

 

Before you get in line, empty EVERYTHING from your pockets into your carry-on and run it through the machine. Saves a ton of time. You will ALWAYS have to remove the laptop from its bag -- don't think "just this once maybe it'll go through". It won't.

 

It's odd -- a lot of this is stuff that a seasoned business traveler has been doing for many years. It has always made it easier to get through quicker. Nowadays, it has become a requirement.

[Funseeker 22]

Hi Greg,

I was there yesterday doing drop- off detail. Things much the same except no curbside drop off (except for limos,taxis,shuttles etc). You had to go the the parking garage and walk across from there -unlike after 9/11, when all of the parking garages in the terminal were off limits and you were shuttled in.

You`ll be fine.

P.S. Hope we`ll be seeing you at the "Hooville Get Together at Numbers" in January. Date TBD.

[buckguy]

I flew out of there Saturday morning in the midst of the hysteria regarding the Air France flights that had been cancelled due to reported terror threats. I arrived early and to my surprise, it was really status quo. They were keeping private vehicles out of the curbside areas, which meant that the entry into the terminal area was slow, but once inside, the actual trip to the terminal (I was going to United, which has the last terminal) in the rental car van was pretty quick. The time through security was no more or less than usual (i.e., about the same as pre-9/11). There was not a huge security presence, just a few more uniforms than usual. I think there may have been scrutiny of luggage, etc. at the International terminal, but I was impressed at how "normal" it was.

[Guest msclonly]

Over two weeks ago, I fling out of LAX, and was in the Air France lounge being rented out to another airline on a per person basis. AF transferred 50 Passengers to DL, and the lounge attendant said they did not know what was going to happen to AF! My guess was, that AF's loads had decreased so much due to their political position, that their flights were not paying off. The Asian airline I was flying was going to take over the AF lounge, when the lease was up or renegotiated. CX is expanding their lounge to accomodate all the passengers for their FULL flights!