The only way to get to this specific gate is via a shuttle. From standing in line, waiting for a bus to us getting to the actual boarding gate took 40 minutes (there’s supposed to be a bus every 5-10 but somehow it took over 35). Inevitably I missed the flight. The guy in front me yelled at the supervisor for a good half hour. They put us on the waitlist for a flight 4.5 hours after our original, even told us about another sister airline’s flight that’s just over an hour earlier, and may have seats but refused to put us on it (“It’s not AA’s fault that the shuttle was late,” etc etc). I’m now stuck at LAX for almost another 4 hours, watching this machine make me two pancakes while I decide if I should have a cup of coffee or take a nap.
Just bought tickets to go back to the States for a visit. Specifically made sure my ticket search didn’t include AA, United, or any US-based airline for that matter!
I fly AA only because Dallas is the hub and more choices for me. United might be worse if that’s possible. LAX is the gates of hell. Even with global entry, they make all the lines criss-cross each other to get out, and security people are similar to Bubba Gump. Inn HKIA, I bought some food at the food court, and there was a guy with white gloves to carry my tray and help me find a seat. Then, the contrast of arriving in LAX is stark. We might as well slap people as they get off the plane and say “Welcome to America!”.
Transferring at LAX is indeed a nightmare, no matter what airline you’re on. I usually walk instead of taking the shuttle, unless one just happens to show up as I step outside the terminal. Walking usually ends up being faster I’ve found. Inside, things are in a constant state of chaos, and the only available food is massively overpriced hipster fare.
The only airport I’ve been to that’s worse is Manila. Ninoy Aquino really puts the hellhole in 3rd world hellhole.
One time I flew into Caracas many years ago. The signage for flights had numbers missing and hadn’t been updated. Bags are going everywhere. We had to walk outside to the domestic airport to fly to Margarita Island and there were people shouting at us to go with them. As if I’ve got a sign on my back that says kill me…
If you guys fly in and out of LA, try the smaller airports like John Wayne, Ontarior, LBC, or Burbank. Sure they have limited flights, but it’s so worth it. I remember I got through JW airport from drop off to gate in about 15 minutes.
You really believe that was an aberration, grasshopper?\
What most travelers don’t understand is that, thanks to a little-known provision in the Patriot Act, flight attendants have unprecedented legal power. They are effectively sheriff, judge and jury. That power is actually vested in the captain, who must remain locked in the flight deck. By extension, the flight attendant becomes the captain’s eyes and ears. If a flight attendant decides that you are being “difficult”–for any reason whatsoever–you can be slammed to the floor, handcuffed and dragged off the airplane.
