Interlining baggage AA-EZY, misconnections, customs & minimum connection times in MAD

SW17

Voyager2002 wrote: »

You ALWAYS have to clear Customs and Immigration when arriving in the USA, so will need to collect your bags; take them through Customs and then check them in for your flight to Madrid.

Not sure this is completely true, some airlines do offer checking through of baggage on international to international connections in US. It is possible at MIA airport (and guess that the connection here will be either MIA or DFW). OP would need to check with AA/IB if they are offering ITI for this flight.

Regarding Madrid, 3.5 hours should of course be enough if the incoming flight is on time, just bear in mind that the IB flight will likely arrive at T4S and EZY will depart from T1. That could be 30 mins of total travel time (T4S to T4 via shuttle train, then 15 mins on bus to T1, plus waiting time), excluding any delays at MAD immigration and baggage collection.

bagand96

This is probably a bit of an elephant in the room.

How long is your connection in the US? Customs and Immigration can be an absolute nightmare and can take hours

To be fair to the US (and I agree it can be a nightmare) they are usually quite good if you're on a tight connection and will have people to assist you.

Not sure this is completely true, some airlines do offer checking through of baggage on international to international connections in US. It is possible at MIA airport (and guess that the connection here will be either MIA or DFW). OP would need to check with AA/IB if they are offering ITI for this flight.

I had to collect my bags and recheck at Miami last year on a BA -> AA connection (all ticketed through AA). Didn't have to drag it back up to check in though, there was a separate connections desk as soon as you'd clear customs which was essentially just a bag drop and was pretty quick.

cinereus

Thanks all for your input. Good to know my thinking was more-or-less correct.

callum9999 wrote: »

So who are you actually flying with? BOG-USA with AA then USA-MAD with Iberia? In which case, EU261 would apply as you're flying with Iberia not AA. They still have zero liability for getting you to MAD in time for the Easyjet flight though. You'll get the standard compensation if you're more then 3 hours late and it's their fault, but that's it.

Easyjet's missed flight insurance would have been perfect but if you've already bought the flight I don't think you can get it any more.

Correct. What's the price for the EZY missed flight insurance for future reference? I'd prefer a separate policy, tbh.

bagand96 wrote: »

American (or Iberia if it's their aircraft) have no responsibility regarding your easyJet flight to LGW. Your contract with AA is for transport to Madrid. Your onward arrangements with easyJet are completely separate.

I would think 3.5 hours will be fine as long as the transatlantic flight is on time or within an hour.

Thanks. It was either 3.5 hours or 5+ and given I will have already been travelling for 20+ hours I took the risk.

jpsartre wrote: »

As other have said, EU regulations are irrelevant as you've booked separate tickets. Note though that easyJet offers what they call a "rescure fee" which means that if you miss your flight by less than 2 hours they will rebook you on the next available flight for a £60 fee.

Thanks, that's good to know.

Voyager2002 wrote: »

You ALWAYS have to clear Customs and Immigration when arriving in the USA, so will need to collect your bags; take them through Customs and then check them in for your flight to Madrid.

Really?! Even though they booked me on a <2 hour connection through the US? That seems cutting it fine with MCTs espesh as the first leg is often late, but since it's their decision I guess it should work... Even for the US, it seems strange I can't interline to MAD.

DTDfanBoy

Voyager2002 wrote: »

You ALWAYS have to clear Customs and Immigration when arriving in the USA, so will need to collect your bags; take them through Customs and then check them in for your flight to Madrid.

You don't always need to collect your baggage when transiting, I recently got stuck with a routing through LAX to NZ, NZ1, I much prefer travelling via Asia

There's been no need to collect and recheck baggage for several years, and thankfully you no longer need to go through security screening :beer:

It generally depends on which airline you are flying and your baggage needs to stay on the same aircraft, if you change planes you'll need to clear your baggage.

That said it's still a ball ache, the USA easily have the most unpleasant border officers in the world :mad:

DTDfanBoy

cinereus wrote: »

Really?! Even though they booked me on a <2 hour connection through the US? That seems cutting it fine with MCTs espesh as the first leg is often late, but since it's their decision I guess it should work... Even for the US, it seems strange I can't interline to MAD.

If I was you I'd be far more concerned by a <2 hour connection in the US, than a 3.5 hours connection at MAD

Voyager2002

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

You don't always need to collect your baggage when transiting, I recently got stuck with a routing through LAX to NZ, NZ1, I much prefer travelling via Asia

There's been no need to collect and recheck baggage for several years, and thankfully you no longer need to go through security screening :beer:

It generally depends on which airline you are flying and your baggage needs to stay on the same aircraft, if you change planes you'll need to clear your baggage.

That said it's still a ball ache, the USA easily have the most unpleasant border officers in the world :mad:

I think it is pretty clear that the OP will need to change 'planes. You seem to be saying that when a change of aircraft is involved, there is a need to clear Customs and pass Immigration, which was my understanding. The Air New Zealand flights that stop at LA on the way are a special case...

callum9999

cinereus wrote: »

Thanks all for your input. Good to know my thinking was more-or-less correct.



Correct. What's the price for the EZY missed flight insurance for future reference? I'd prefer a separate policy, tbh.


Really?! Even though they booked me on a <2 hour connection through the US? That seems cutting it fine with MCTs espesh as the first leg is often late, but since it's their decision I guess it should work... Even for the US, it seems strange I can't interline to MAD.

Something like £10. You're meant to buy it at the time of purchase but if I were you I'd give them a ring to see if there's any way to buy it now. There's no logical reason why you shouldn't be able to (unless they suspect people will do that in order to get a cheap change by deliberately missing the flight).

They can, and will, interline it to MAD. Interlining merely means that it's tagged to go to MAD, it doesn't mean that you don't have to collect it on the way. The US insists everyone (except the unique Air New Zealand connection mentioned above where your bag never leaves the plane) goes through customs at their point of entry to the US. You'll therefore have to take your bag through customs, but as it's been interlined to MAD you will not have to take it through check-in again - just drop it at a transfer desk. You'd have to do that even if you were connecting AA-AA.

cinereus

Okay, that's good to know. Out of interest, presumably if I miss the 2 hour connection in the US I'll be >3 hours late to MAD, definitely missing my connection there but qualifying for a >£300 claim from AA/Iberia/OW which should cover my flight?

jpsartre

Whether you're entitled to delay compensation depends first of all the reason for the delay. If it has nothing to do with Iberia (for instance if it's due to a delayed AA flight or queues at immigration) I expect Iberia would deny your claim. As for the legalities of this you should ask in the dedicated delay compensation forum but either way, you should not assume that just because you miss your US connection, you will automtically receive delay compensation.

cinereus

The AA-Iberia connection is on a single booking and they're both OW airlines - doesn't that make a difference seeing as they booked that connection?