Los Angeles LAX Airport

The worst airport I have been through. The floors were filthy. The staff inconsistent and rude. The TSA agent had me fill out my customs card again because it was written in pencil and then let the next 5 people through the gate who had done the same thing in pencil. After flying through some airports such as Incheon International places like LAX are in desperate need of change. Even Siem Reap International in Cambodia makes LAX look like a third world airport.

I prefer not to fly out of LAX but had no choice. I knew I had to connect from the domestic to the international terminal via a shuttle. Signage was very misleading. Security lines were long TSA workers in general rude and yelling orders. There are restaurants/fast food joints at the terminal but nothing exceptional. On another trip I had to go through LAX once again much to my dismay. Immigration was a breeze as there were only two flights at that time. The fun began when I was looking for my connecting flight and I had to run through security once more. LAX airport personnel have attitude problems and are not very helpful.

The reviews below are spot on. LAX is an absolutely horrible airport (easily the worst in the US) and I would encourage everyone to avoid it if possible. Security staff as mentioned below are rude and inefficient. There were 9 employees working one X-ray machine and did nothing to help passengers get through as quickly as possible. The airport is slightly better airside but there aren't many choices for eating in the United terminal and they seem to insist on assigning gates so that two planes are boarding right next to one another.

I arrived from Vancouver with one hour to make my connection. After recovering from the shock that I was going to have to go outside catch a bus and then re-clear security I started running. I didn't get far though. No signs no one around to help. Another 15 mins standing in line for the shuttle. At the next terminal I spent another panicked 5 minutes looking for an elevator only to discover they are outside! I asked the agent if I had any chance of clearing in time for my flight. She looked totally disinterested and yawned "Probably not." Security offered zero assistance with my baby. At a full run I just made my connection. Of course my checked bags did not.

This airport is the worst airport I have ever used. I visit my daughter in LA at 3 times a year and there is no way to avoid it. Signposting is incorrect and confusing. The security staff treat travellers very rudely and one young lady told my 70 year old husband to push his own luggage through the to the checker as she wasn't going to do it. Perhaps their wages are low but I am sure some people with manners could be employed. On one occasion I was told to carry my bag up the stairs to Security and not go on the escalator (I am 65). The Gates are chaotic - not enough room for passengers to sit and wait at their own Gate and a lot of confusion when two flights leave at similar times. The restrooms leave a lot to be desired. Even the poorest of countries employ considerate staff.

Took a domestic flight and found LAX is suited for last minute travellers only. There are no facilities to sit quietly and wait for your flight. We had lounge access and thank goodness for that as it was absolute bedlam in departures. Signage is really poor. Security staff are rude to everyone so don't take it personally. Announcements are impossible to understand. There is much confusion as passengers are not adequately informed of gate changes etc. Will avoid LAX at all costs.

Travelled out on 28 Jan 2012. Have never come across such rude and incompetent security staff in years. Non-intuitive security measures with passengers having to do all the work while staff glared as we took or had to find plastic trays from other X-ray machine areas and were sent like little children on errands to get them. Poor signage poor instructions from inarticulate staff. Queues lack of signs inside and out with the endless anonymous trail of gate areas. The self-service check-in failed and dozens of passengers had different staff waving arms and sending us all on as though we'd ruined their day.

As others have written LAX is for a major American gateway an embarrassment. I typically use the international terminal where facilities have been in a perpetual state of repair reconstruction and salvage for over 10 years. Before you get to the gates however try to get something to eat at one of the concessionaires in the Bradley terminal. The food service counters are themselves dirty to filthy. Then there is the single 'high end' sit-down restaurant which offers badly prepared visual food. My recommendation is: BYO Food because the LA Airport is not able to offer what every other airport on the continent offers: clean places to eat a range of newspaper/bookstores to find something to read and places to sit while you wait for your plane. Why can't you have sufficient seating for people? Your airport is the worst that I habitually use.

Arrived on QF flight into TBIT and had to transfer to T4 for AA flight to Toronto. Cleared immigration very quickly - less time queuing than walking from plane. Customs queues another matter as a couple of planes from South America had just landed. Despite this and clearing security in T4 I was in the T4 AA lounge within 1 hr of touching down. As I'd cleared US Customs and Immigration in Toronto the return "transit" was a breeze - QF flight to BNE left from Gate 41 in T4 and we arrived at Gate 46. Definite improvement since my last visit to LAX in 2008. In fact LAX was better than T3 at Toronto.

Arrived from LHR on direct United Airlines flight which goes into Terminal 7. This means you clear immigration and customs in the same terminal. Cleared both immigration and customers within 25 minutes of landing immigration was fast and the officer was courteous. I would recommend using United as this avoids the international terminal and being able to clear everything within 25 mins of arriving is excellent.