Enough time for connection? (USA)

Mr_Wang

Jack, connections staff at US airports are amongst the rudest, most obnoxious individuals to ever walk the earth, I am certain it is a job requirement.
I have missed my connections (international) at Miami, Atlanta and Los Angeles and every time I've been met by some woman that hates her job and the world. I should add that I have been put on the next flight each time.

Connection times, I'd go for minimum 3 hours. As you know, most US airports are 1970 throwbacks and desperately understaffed and over capacity. Some are better than others obviously, but last month a flight from Seattle and security was about an hours wait. A few days later and security through Portland was completely empty.

Worst US airport in my opinion is Fort Lauderdale so completely avoid that place and the best is probably Denver. (edit, I actually think it's probably Phoenix).

So yeah, I'd go for 3 hours

Marmaduke123

Dallas Fort Worth was a nightmare, that's where we missed our connection to New Orleans.

Huge queue for immigration, then another huge queue for customs. We'd never go through there again.. Very unhelpful too, didn't open the US section to others when all the Americans had gone through.

The trouble with the hub and spoke system is that all the big airports which can process international travellers are hugely overloaded. All the flights from Europe tend to arrive very close to each other, and it's pot luck whether your jumbo gets there just before or just after others.

You can try to check how many flights arrive near to your arrival time, but there's no accounting for delays. It is better the earlier you arrive, usually.

cinereus

Airports publish minimum connection times. And airlines won't let you book a too-short connection.

jackieblack

cinereus wrote: »

Airports publish minimum connection times. And airlines won't let you book a too-short connection.

Having looked at a good number of option, I'm not at all convinced that's true

torbrex

Of all the entry ports that I have been to over the years, I think flying Delta into Atlanta was the fastest through I & C but that could well have been that the flight was about 20 minutes early in landing so we got there before all the other flights.

Murphy_The_Cat

jackieblack wrote: »

Having looked at a good number of option, I'm not at all convinced that's true

OR it's a connection that is feasible with all minimum connection times.

They aren't going to build in an element of slack, just in case.

As long as additional later connections are in place, don't be overly concerned.

EssexExile

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Jack, connections staff at US airports are amongst the rudest, most obnoxious individuals to ever walk the earth, I am certain it is a job requirement.

Been going there since the 70s, never had a problem.

cinereus

jackieblack wrote: »

Having looked at a good number of option, I'm not at all convinced that's true

Show me one option less than published MCT. Also, they pay if you miss it in that instance.

jackieblack

Ok, thanks to you all for the various hints/tips/suggestions/advice


Lots of options looked at, all with different advantages/disadvantages. My dates (primarily my return date) are more or less inflexible and I have a pretty strict budget, so finding something suitable hasn't been easy but how does this sound?


Tues 16th Aug - fly to Dublin form Stansted, Ryanair, £20 + whatever a suitcase costs (have never flown Ryanair before) stay overnight at Premier Inn


Wed 17th Aug, 11.20 American Airlines flight 723 to Philadelphia, assuming that I would do immigration etc at Dublin, 1hr 50 min layover at PHL (is this long enough? I think it requires a change of terminal), then AA flight 3888 to Bangor, ME, arriving at 17.19


Return Sun 28th Aug, 15.28 AA 3891, BGR to PHL, 4 hr 52 min layover then BA68 to LHR, arriving 10.05 Mon 29th


Booked with AA (I've never booked or flown with them before), marketed as AA 723, AA 3888, AA 3891, AA 6131, all in economy, £773

I would hire a car at BGR (approx. £235 for 11 days, a compact with Alamo via CarHire3000) and spend 10 days exploring Maine, mainly the coast, possibly with a few days driving across NH to VT (if I'm feeling brave )


What does anyone think?

Murphy_The_Cat

jackieblack wrote: »

Ok, thanks to you all for the various hints/tips/suggestions/advice


Lots of options looked at, all with different advantages/disadvantages. My dates (primarily my return date) are more or less inflexible and I have a pretty strict budget, so finding something suitable hasn't been easy but how does this sound?


Tues 16th Aug - fly to Dublin form Stansted, Ryanair, £20 + whatever a suitcase costs (have never flown Ryanair before) stay overnight at Premier Inn


Wed 17th Aug, 11.20 American Airlines flight 723 to Philadelphia, assuming that I would do immigration etc at Dublin, 1hr 50 min layover at PHL (is this long enough? I think it requires a change of terminal), then AA flight 3888 to Bangor, ME, arriving at 17.19


Return Sun 28th Aug, 15.28 AA 3891, BGR to PHL, 4 hr 52 min layover then BA68 to LHR, arriving 10.05 Mon 29th


Booked with AA (I've never booked or flown with them before), marketed as AA 723, AA 3888, AA 3891, AA 6131, all in economy, £773

I would hire a car at BGR (approx. £235 for 11 days, a compact with Alamo via CarHire3000) and spend 10 days exploring Maine, mainly the coast, possibly with a few days driving across NH to VT (if I'm feeling brave )


What does anyone think?

all looks good to me - I really fancy Maine.

The Philly connection is fine (you'll arrive as an internal flight and won't need to recheck your bags).

Register with AAAdvantage so that you start accrueing your AAmiles (it was/is) a generous FF scheme.
Don't forget Guinness for breakfast in Dublin :- its the law :beer:

p..s this cropped up in my previous research of the area