LAX / A340s

Quick question - am flying into LAX next week, flight looks like a big Airbus at present. We are booked into 5 and 6k, which look great. Question is when we disembark at LAX do they use the front or middle doors, or is there a dual airbridge thing? Knowing LAX immigration, a quick exit off the plane is vital. I assume they hold back the plebs in PE [;)] , but would be better to beat the rest of UC off as well if possible...
Anyone got any recent experiences of the queue when landing on the VS7 recently?

Ta v much

Disembarkation is via the L2 door (same door you board through at LHR). J pax get off first then W & Y.

Professor Yaffle wrote:

I assume they hold back the plebs in PE [;)]

I therefore assume that you hail from the far superior privileged classes of the Patricians.

We are not worthy [:w]

NOC

I assume they hold back the plebs in PE

I find that nearly everyone who posts on this site very friendly and polite. You Prof, do not seem to be one of them. Maybe you should learn some manners and be more respectful towards your fellow Virgins.
[V]

Jeffers555 - I think the winkie after his comment (which you didn't quote) makes it clear that it wasn't a serious comment

Originally posted by McMaddog
Jeffers555 - I think the winkie after his comment (which you didn't quote) makes it clear that it wasn't a serious comment

Agreed, calm down people!

Originally posted by Jeffers555

I assume they hold back the plebs in PE

I find that nearly everyone who posts on this site very friendly and polite. You Prof, do not seem to be one of them. Maybe you should learn some manners and be more respectful towards your fellow Virgins.
[V]

It was clearly a joke.

[Decker]

Yes but Jeffers is clearly a newbie so please cut him some slack folks! Welcome to the site Jeffers!

Anyway, back to the Profs original question! I'm also flying in upper to lax next week on an indicated A346, I've bagged 14A in an attempt to disembark fairly quickly and hopefully get through immigration in record time! (Although I doubt it)

From looking at the cabin seat plan, would I be correct to believe that I am just a few seats forward from the exit door that will be used? (First time on a A346 and very much looking forward to it, infact one could say slightly excited!)[:D]

Marc...

We used the 23 last December. We were in UC and Y/W passengers were held up for us to leave first. However as many flights arrived at the same time most people queued for around an hour. This to my surprise included celebrities (no special treatment).

Due to the efficiency of certain immigration officers, the speed of progress varies. Therefore even getting to the hall quickly doesn't always get you out of the airport first.

Good luck

Jeremy

At Easter my son and I flew on VS23 in Upper Class, unfortunately the flight was about 90 minutes late leaving LHR which meant that when we landed at LAX rather than use T2 we had to park on a stand at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. This entailed a bus ride to the Terminal which resulted in all Upper Class customers ending up in the very long immigration lines well behind the economy passengers.

[Neil]

Originally posted by Autopilot

From looking at the cabin seat plan, would I be correct to believe that I am just a few seats forward from the exit door that will be used? (First time on a A346 and very much looking forward to it, infact one could say slightly excited!)[:D]

Marc...

Yes you are, the door that will be used is the one behind the UC cabin and in front of the PE cabin.

Have a great first A346 flight[y] (and don't forget the TR!!)

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by Jeffers555

I assume they hold back the plebs in PE

I find that nearly everyone who posts on this site very friendly and polite. You Prof, do not seem to be one of them. Maybe you should learn some manners and be more respectful towards your fellow Virgins.
[V]

Hell off a first post [y]

I would like to remind everyone that this is not A'Net or the like, we do try to be a little friendlier here...as such we do not refer to those people (including myself) who do not fly in UC as PLEBS, they are called the unwashed masses, please keep this in mind.

more respectful towards your fellow Virgins.

Other than baby boy Ben are there any left on here [?]

Originally posted by McMaddog
Jeffers555 - I think the winkie after his comment (which you didn't quote) makes it clear that it wasn't a serious comment

Correct, at least on here a smiley indicates a joke or the like, no smiley means your serious.

Originally posted by jpcox1
We used the 23 last December. We were in UC and Y/W passengers were held up for us to leave first.

Good luck

Jeremy

Correct,the crew will try to ensure that the pax in UC will be the first off the plane.

As stated you'll be off first as you are in Upper. Seat 17A is closest to L2 but is right next to the bar which is usually pretty lively on the early LAX.

It'll almost certainly be stand 23 (aircraft will probably shut down in the alley and be towed onto stand) the queues in the immigration hall depend the other aircraft that arrive at the same time. (KLM 744 Combi, AF 777 and ANZ 744) Thus if the boys have managed to get off on time ex LHR you should have the hall to youself but if you're a touch late the hall will be full, resulting in a bit of a wait. From experience it shouldn't be too bad as VS are usually before most of them, KLM usually file in behind us.

Have the forms filled correctly, as they'll send you to the back of the line. Incidentally if a large proportion of the passengers have not filled the forms properly you'll see the crew being delayed as punishment.

Baggage is fairly quick and it's only a short walk to kerbside.

Enjoy LA, I can recommend the seared Ahi Tuna at Duke's of Malibu Barefoot Bar.

Thanks for the responses, particularly Crewrest for the very informative response.

And Jeffers - lighten up... Surely life is too short to be offended by a bit of humour.....

That would of course depend on weather or not it was actually funny?

Some people do have a medical condition that prevents them from turning right onboard an aircraft.[:$]

Just read the responses, enjoyed the humour and am now looking forward to our trip on Friday to LA on 007 in UC.

Miopyk

Originally posted by crewrest
Have the forms filled correctly, as they'll send you to the back of the line.

I always try to nab two for each family member, (for those inevitable mistakes that we plebs make, never having learned the readin' and writin' proper like wot you 'ave you, guvnor[}:)]) and get them complete before the first alchohol enters the bloodstream.

Originally posted by crewrest

Incidentally if a large proportion of the passengers have not filled the forms properly you'll see the crew being delayed as punishment.

Ouch. I once came off an Air France flight at LAX where almost all the passengers presented the immigration officers with completely blank forms. No announcements had been made on the flight regarding the need to complete the forms, and no pens were available to facilitate the exercise.

ISTRC that back in 2000 I travelled to the US on a US airline out of Gatwick and we were given part completed forms at check in, as they had all the information about dob, passport number etc...

Paul

Originally posted by crewrest

Incidentally if a large proportion of the passengers have not filled the forms properly you'll see the crew being delayed as punishment.

Never seems to happen at MCO! I am always amazed by the sheer number of incorrect forms filled in by VS passengers at MCO. Although the crew are often through before the PE passengers in my experience.

US Immigration has over the years toned down a bit. Sure you have to have a mug shot and fingerprints these days. I remember way back in 1989 my toddler of a sister almost being shot, I kid you not, for crossing the red line before the immigration booths. These days, especially at MCO they seem a lot friendly and more relaxed.

Originally posted by willd

Never seems to happen at MCO! I am always amazed by the sheer number of incorrect forms filled in by VS passengers at MCO. Although the crew are often through before the PE passengers in my experience.

I haven't seen it happen for a while now, although whenever I have seen it happen, it has been in MCO!

Also think it depends on the mood of the immigration officer on the day![:p]

Barnstable; on the A343 you can turn right as you enter the aircraft and go to a nice quiet bit of Upper Class on Virgin

Originally posted by Tinkerbelle

Originally posted by willd

Never seems to happen at MCO! I am always amazed by the sheer number of incorrect forms filled in by VS passengers at MCO. Although the crew are often through before the PE passengers in my experience.

I haven't seen it happen for a while now, although whenever I have seen it happen, it has been in MCO!

Also think it depends on the mood of the immigration officer on the day![:p]

The only place I've ever seen/had trouble is at JFK, they are the most miserable sods I've been greeted by. I've had serious questioning at ORD before but it was still done in a friendly and correct manner, the JFK lot just generally don't cut you any slack in my experience.

All other points of arrival have always been fine and usually very friendly, off hand that is MCO (numerous times)/LAS (again, numerous times)/LAX/SFO/DEN/ORD/EWR/MIA.

Swings and roundabouts I guess though, depends on when you travel and what else has been going on..