Los Angeles LAX Airport

When traveling from Australia, the only two options to enter and leave the US are LAX and SFO. LAX is closer. This time was first in a long time, since 2009, and what a pleasant surprise! In 2009, it was indeed a dump. Old equipment, everything was dirty, the immigration was a race against time. In July 2015 I couldn't recognise the place. The immigration had automatic kiosks working with Aussie passports, and the border control had more people. The XXI century finally arrived to their security, no more need to remove the shoes. The terminal where Qantas was, had a decent selection of food. The terminals have been renovated, were clean, sparkling, and equipped with automatically flushing toilets. Of course, it's still chaotic and too crowded but it is no longer a chore to visit.

Have flown out of LAX more times than I can count. Have never once boarded my flight on time. Sitting here again as I type and my flight has already been delayed once. Worst overpriced food, no low cost options. Facilities are awful, lines are even worse and there is never any place to sit because they have about two chairs for the thousands of people who pour through each day.

Horrendous, long lines. Overpriced. Not enough kiosks. Overcrowded. Dirty. Bathrooms dirty. Talk about a struggle bus to the dysfunction junction. Wish I could give it 0/10 and 0 stars.

Horrible, chaotic mess. 1.5 hours to get our luggage. Another hour just to get out of the airport.

Los Angeles LAX is the worst airport I have been in on my travels. Big, messy, badly signposted and facilities are almost non-excistant. Nevermind the shopping, but it would be nice to have a decent meal. Terminal 4 restaurants were small, way too full and awfully noisy. There was 25 minute wait at the pizza place. Food was overly expensive compared to the quality and portion size. There wasn't enought seats at the gate. To be precise there wasn't enough room anywhere. There was no place to relax and chill out before being stuck on the plane for hours. Hate the place, thankfully there are options when planning my next holiday in CA.

We were processed within a reasonable time period with diligent and professional staff. The terminal was clean and we easily navigated through customs to the exits. I cannot say the same for Melbourne Airport.

My first visit to the International Terminal. Sad to say LAX struck out badly. Entered Passport Control area around noontime, there were people in red uniforms directing USA travelers to the automated passport kiosks. Another person in a red uniform said many of the kiosks in this row were down. So why didn't the person directing me to use them know this? An utter fiasco. As I left to the real person passport check line, people in red were arguing among themselves as to which machines were working, which were not. Went downstairs to baggage claim and another fiasco. Baggage carousels had signage showing all the arriving international flights, but no information as to which carousel to go for your flight's baggage. Master baggage carousel sign on the wall listed all the flights. Again no information as to which carousel to use. Over the PA system, a hard to hear voice gave out the information on where to go for your baggage. No information saying area was being upgraded, work in progress or under repair. Or is this just the daily standard for LAX? Went to my terminal gate for connecting flight. Saw a snack area offering small, thin sandwiches and drinks. I guessed an overpriced $5-6 for one. I about choked when I was told they sell for over $11 each. Funny how retail stores must have a price shown for every item while LAX hasn't got a clue. I have to give LAX credit for the connecting flight baggage handling drop-off as you leave the International area. Finally an efficient area with someone in charge who knows how to do their job. Person in charge of this area, takes pride in it. Can't say the same for the three areas above.

Having read the reviews of this airport for over a year I was apprehensive of having to use it. Arrived TBIT with Air New Zealand at 12.30pm and used the Automated Passport Control (APC). I also found the staff pleasant and was out of the airport in 15 minutes. Departure was also easy and again staff were helpful

Arrived and transferred to domestic here twice. In both occasions, immigration was a nightmare. The last thing I would want after a 13 hour Trans-Pacific flight is to stand in a queue that was barely moving. Not to mention the stern faced immigration officers. Hoped to connect to wifi during the wait but that never happened until I was in the carousel hall. Through immigrations and into the carousel hall, I waited half an hour for my bags to arrive. I had to go from the international terminal to the domestic Southwest terminal for my flight to Phoenix. The shuttle bus took forever to arrive and the trip was stupid long. Departure back home was slightly more pleasant. Airside had far more eating options and the wifi there was brilliant. Comfortable and ample seating in the gate holding area and the gate staff were surprisngly friendly compared to the robots in arrival.

Over the years, I have had the misfortune to fly into or out of LAX, and (silly me), I keep expecting it to get better. I will tell you the first time I flew out of LAX was in the early 1960's, when I was six years old, and, to my recollection, it was a pretty neat, modern place. But that really was long ago, during the age of Boeing 707's, and fewer travelers going in and out of that place. Last week, the first thing I noticed after entering Terminal 2 were the incredibly rude TSA personnel. One wonders, is their job really so horrible? I guess I just answered my own question, they work at LAX, so it must be! After getting through security, one enters a series of hot, ugly corridors with walls covered in plastic sheeting. Yes, they are busy renovating, but you would think there would be a nicer way to do this. Then by the time we get to the waiting area for our Hawaiian Airlines A330 aircraft, we are so disappointed to see a waiting room with nary enough seats for everyone. Thus, many people, including me, end up sitting on the dirty carpet. I am not opposed to sitting on the floor on a nice, clean tatami mat in Japan, but sitting on the dirty LAX carpet that dirty shoes have traipsed over for years? Disgusting! Evidently, the air conditioning is not working properly during the renovation either. It was hot, and I just kept having the thought that I really wasn't in one of the major cities of America. One would expect this in a third world country. But at a major port of entry into the United States? I think it is a shameful way to greet international, or even American travelers. Perhaps I'm spoiled by major airports in China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan, but it scares me to think that if an airport is the first impression many people get of a country, what are people to think of us after they've been through LAX? What are we to think of ourselves? Needless to say, I will avoid this airport if I can in the future.