Off to Beijing... eventually

Mrs. SFO777 and I are off today to Beijing, well actually Tokyo and then Seoul and then Beijing.  I'm using the return part of my cheapo Seoul-JFK AA First ticket and I was able to find an award seat on the same flights for Mrs. SFO777.  We're meeting SFO777jr and the future Mrs. SFO777jr in Seoul later tonight when they arrive on the Singapore Airlines LAX-Seoul nonstop.   North on the 405 to LAX.

And the ominous air quality warning...

With the Departures level all congested, the Arrivals level was a lot faster.

Give this guy an A+ for creativity for both sunny relaxation area and eye shade.

Meanwhile, up on the departures level.

And to the far A counters.

Unfortunately, JAL does not participate in PreCheck, so we were relegated to regular security.  After discovering that the south TBIT security entrance was closed, we headed downstairs to the little used "secret" TSA checkpoint where there were only a handful of pax in line.

Upstairs from security, we were in the T4/TBIT connector.

And a few minutes later in the Qantas First Class Lounge.

While Mrs. SFO777 chilled, I headed over to the One World Business Class Lounge to find a colleague and guest her into the Qantas Lounge.  On the way, the line to get into the Korean Lounge.   Wow.  It ain't that great folks.  LOL.

The One World Business Class Lounge, to which I was denied entry by the resident dragon with an attitude who claimed that since "Japan Airlines only pays for one lounge entrance and you've already used your one entrance in the Qantas Lounge."   I asked her to page my colleague which she said she would "after I've process the other passengers who are waiting"  In the meantime, I called my colleague and waited.  Although apparently I drifted too far towards the lounge as the dragon barked at me "You are not allowed in the lounge.  Please step back."  Charming.  

Said dragon.

Meanwhile back at the Qantas Lounge, the more personable Qantas dragon had to call Qantas to get permission since she was on Qatar, which the JAL rep on the other end of the line mistook as "guitar".  "What do you mean they have a guitar.  Is he playing the guitar?"  LOL.