Luggage assistance between terminals LAX

[mcpepe]

Hello, My mother and I will be arriving to LAX on USAir, and departing on an International UA flight that night. We need to get from Terminal 1 to 7. Since we booked the flights separately, USAir no longer interlines bags not on the same record number.

 

So, I need to pick up our baggage and get to the other terminal. My mother had lung surgery a year ago and cannot be dragging her bag far and cannot lift it on and off a shuttle bus. Of course I can and will help her and drag both our suitcases and lift them as necessary. I will let her pull the carryon's. <g>

 

I was wondering however if there are porter services available to get us and our luggage between those terminals? Any suggestions?

 

Thank you!

[Zach1213]

Are you completely sure they won't send the bags through, even on different tickets? Since they are partners, there is a good chance they would if you asked them to at check in.

[Fattony]

Are you completely sure they won't send the bags through, even on different tickets? Since they are partners, there is a good chance they would if you asked them to at check in.

 

US Airways (no longer USAir) did announce a change of policy, and it doesn't seem to mention alliance partners, so I would assume they won't transfer the bags unless one can confirm this by phone.

 

There is this though it sounds like the regular shuttle would work for you (ask for a regular skycap for help getting the bags from baggage carousel to the shuttle, and form the shuttle to the UA check-in desk):

Transportation Between Terminals For the Disabled

If you have to travel from one terminal to another in order to make a flight connection, you can use the lift-equipped free LAX Shuttle "A" that operates continuously around the Central Terminal loop. When airline assistance is not available, contact the wheelchair shuttle service at Parking Lot C at (310) 646-6402 or (310) 646-8021.

[PennyAgain]

I would request that the bags be checked through to your ultimate destination with all your ticketing information in hand when you make the request.

 

There are luggage carts available for a fee at LAX to get you to the shuttle bus ($5). There should be a porter available at your next terminal as well as the luggage carts ($5 again). The shuttle bus driver will load and unload your luggage. (I would tip for that).

 

You will have to go through the TSA at the Terminal 7 with all the usual issues.

[6rugrats]

Are you completely sure they won't send the bags through, even on different tickets? Since they are partners, there is a good chance they would if you asked them to at check in.

Discussed in this article. I would always ask though anyway:

 

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2012/07/22/us-airways-to-stop-interlining-baggage-on-separate-tickets/

[greatam]

Hello, My mother and I will be arriving to LAX on USAir, and departing on an International UA flight that night. We need to get from Terminal 1 to 7. Since we booked the flights separately, USAir no longer interlines bags not on the same record number.

 

So, I need to pick up our baggage and get to the other terminal. My mother had lung surgery a year ago and cannot be dragging her bag far and cannot lift it on and off a shuttle bus. Of course I can and will help her and drag both our suitcases and lift them as necessary. I will let her pull the carryon's. <g>

 

I was wondering however if there are porter services available to get us and our luggage between those terminals? Any suggestions?

 

Thank you!

 

A couple of very easy suggestions. Though not the cheapest route, when you consider health and convenience, a few dollars goes a long way (I would estimate no more than $30 in this case for door to door service).

 

1. Are you getting your Mother a wheel chair? I would make the arrangements with the airline, particularly for terminal 1. That terminal is Southwest as well as US Air and is usually VERY, VERY crowded. It will keep her out of the crush of passengers at baggage claim and getting out the front door. DH now has to have a wheelchair at the airport-$5-10 seems to be the going tip ($5.00 at LAX, $10 at JFK). I have been extremely please with the way wheelchair service has been handled at EWR, JFK, LAX, DFW and PHX. He thinks it's great to be so spoiled.

 

2. Find a porter at baggage claim-again, $5+ depending on how many suitcases you have. Once you get outside, have the porter get you a TAXI for the transfer between terminals. Not only nicer, BUT you have the porter to load ALL the bags and you have the taxi driver and/or porter at terminal 7 to UNLOAD all the bags and get them to check in.

 

3. Have the taxi take you to terminal 7. $10 for the taxi around the airport, $3 tip to the taxi driver IF he handles luggage and HELPS get a porter at terminal 7. Then again $5+ for the porter to get your bags either to curbside check in or inside to the counter.

 

I do a similar version of this at JFK quite frequently. I take a taxi between terminals about 60% of the time because I don't want to handle my luggage and change terminals with the train or a shuttle.

 

And this very scenario, including the wheel chair, has been working well for DH since he has become ill and cannot manage his luggage by himself anymore.

 

Good luck!!!

[mcpepe]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!