View Full Version : US 734/US 735 - Can you miss the connection?
Dads_Taxi
10-05-2013, 14:27
Does anyone know if flights US734 and US735, which fly MAN-MCO via Philadelphia, will always guarantee that the second leg won't depart until the first leg passengers have made it across Philadelphia airport? I really can't believe that two aircraft can be in the sky simultaneously with the same flight number, but I'd like a second opinion!
We flew us 734 last year (and will do this year) . Last year they did not have the connecting flight on the same number and our connecting flight was a 4 hr layover. Due to flight delays and chaos at immigration we missed our connection and had to stay over at the airport hotel. When we were looking this year I saw the one flight number on offer but because of last year I declined and went for a later connection. I would also be interested in knowing the answer to your question. I suspect it would still leave
Katys Grandad
10-05-2013, 16:42
There's no link between the 2 flights other than the number. They're different aircraft and they won't guarantee that those on the international flight will make the domestic connection. The cynic in me says that US Airways give the same number to give the impression that they have a direct service to MCO (AA used to do the same thing up to a few years ago).
I don't know when you're going but you might not be aware that US are merging with American and it's highly likely that they'll consolidate their schedules to some extent. That might mean changes to booked itineraries in coming months.
The cynic in me says that US Airways give the same number to give the impression that they have a direct service to MCO
Or maybe it's so that you only get frequent flyer miles for a direct MAN-MCO flight instead of for two flights.
Katys Grandad
10-05-2013, 17:14
Or maybe it's so that you only get frequent flyer miles for a direct MAN-MCO flight instead of for two flights.
Possibly, but i doubt there's 100 miles difference.
We go at the end of July and I am keeping my fingers crossed they don't put me on an AA flight. I was less than impressed with the quality of the plane when we used AA to new York. They have already made 3 changes to the internal flights but that has been to do with changing the plane to one with WiFi. However they have changed the seats each time and split 6 of us to single seats. Mainly because we booked on discount codes the gave us last year when the delay meant we missed the connection. Great discount but the system treated us as 6 individual bookings
That's our route of choice these days, and you definitely can miss the connection. For that reason we book the earlier US Airways flight out of MCO than the one they label 735 (I think we usually get the one numbered 1590). There are quite a few departures through the day to choose from. It gives us time to have a meal and a martini or two in one of the bars we like in PHL airport and removes some of the worry about missing the flight.
We've had quite a few nights at the hotel courtesy of US Airways and missed connections...still, always handled very well - no dramas and we are flying again in August with US Airways.
Philomena
10-05-2013, 18:30
We have flown the Manchester route with US on 2 or 3 occasions and have never had any problems with connections. In fact we often recommend them to guests who are travelling during peak periods as they tend to be a good deal cheaper then flying direct.
Philly is a really nice airport with a number of bars and eateries so you should have no problem filling your time if you have a couple of hours to kill.
We have missed similar flights on occassion and I am sorry to say that they have never held the next flight for those travelling on to Orlando. After all, many of those on the first leg will be either staying in Philadelphia, or catching another connection to various airports across the USA. So there may, in fact, be very few people on that flight actually travelling all the way to Orlando. Delaying a flight costs money, so it is unlikely they would be eager to incur extra fees just for the sake of a few passengers who miss the 'plane.
Having said that, we have always found the airlines to be helpful in making sure we reached our destination, and if there has been a long gap between flights we have been given food and drink vouchers.
We would always try to have a reasonable gap between planes for just this scenario. It gives time for a relaxing meal or drink before you catch the next flight.
Katys Grandad
10-05-2013, 23:30
I've never flown US Airways but I have elite status with AA so I expect that to be matched by US when the merger happens. I do find the transatlantic carriers to be much of a muchness but it will at least open up new routing opportunities which I'm looking forward to trying.
With the odd exception, I've noticed that US seem to receive positive reviews from OV members.
We have just returned from Florida using the flights you asked about. We found the connection times on both the outward and also inward journey really tight. With delays in immigration meant that they were just about to close the gate,but we did make the flight. We honestly thought on the return flights home there wouldn't be a problem as all we had to do was get off the one aircraft and go the gate for the next flight. The problem was the gates couldn't have been further apart and we had a very brisk walk the full length of the airport and as we arrived at the gate they were boarding. There was no time at all to stop, look or even consider buying anything at all, time was so tight. I think if we did this route again I would consider an earlier flight out of Orlando to Philadelphia, but we didn't miss the flights.
Linda
We have just returned from Florida using the flights you asked about. We found the connection times on both the outward and also inward journey really tight. With delays in immigration meant that they were just about to close the gate,but we did make the flight. We honestly thought on the return flights home there wouldn't be a problem as all we had to do was get off the one aircraft and go the gate for the next flight. The problem was the gates couldn't have been further apart and we had a very brisk walk the full length of the airport and as we arrived at the gate they were boarding. There was no time at all to stop, look or even consider buying anything at all, time was so tight. I think if we did this route again I would consider an earlier flight out of Orlando to Philadelphia, but we didn't miss the flights.
Linda
You are right, Linda, there is a VERY long walk from where the domestic flight arrives to where the Transatlantic flight departs in Philadelphia. At Christmas, flying with US, we had a reasonable amount of time but even so we had to run the last bit as they were starting to board. It is much easier at Charlotte, as there is not so far to walk.
We have just returned from Florida using the flights you asked about. We found the connection times on both the outward and also inward journey really tight. With delays in immigration meant that they were just about to close the gate,but we did make the flight. We honestly thought on the return flights home there wouldn't be a problem as all we had to do was get off the one aircraft and go the gate for the next flight. The problem was the gates couldn't have been further apart and we had a very brisk walk the full length of the airport and as we arrived at the gate they were boarding. There was no time at all to stop, look or even consider buying anything at all, time was so tight. I think if we did this route again I would consider an earlier flight out of Orlando to Philadelphia, but we didn't miss the flights.
Linda
Couldn't agree more Linda, we missed our outbound connection (although out luggage made it) and coming back they were putting last calls out for us. As you say the walk from one gate to the next is some distance apart. This year I have allowed 4hrs+ each way. Last year we only had 56 mins on the return leg and US insisted that would be no problem but a 20 min delay leaving Tampa meant we almost missed. Philly is a good airport and a drink and meal in one of the bars will make the time fly.
Philly is a good airport and a drink and meal in one of the bars will make the time fly.
Absolutely. We eat in Chickie's and Pete's. It's only a few yards from the gate, the food is good and they make a great martini. We look forward to it as our last US fix of the holiday.
Absolutely. We eat in Chickie's and Pete's. It's only a few yards from the gate, the food is good and they make a great martini. We look forward to it as our last US fix of the holiday.
Will look out for it this time. Don't remember what the place was called we used last year only that it had a bar and did a great pulled pork barbie sandwich
SteveandJan
11-05-2013, 13:14
We did have the flight held on one occasion because a high percentage of the passengers on the Orlando flight were passengers on the UK flight also so they held it on that occasion.
Dads_Taxi
12-05-2013, 20:31
Thank you all for all the replies.
I am very familiar with Philadelphia airport having used US Airways for three of our trips, each one with ridiculously long waits between flights. We have spent many hours exploring the place, and all agree that it's a great food court there.
I'm disappointed to read that these flights aren't linked in the way I was hoping. Also disturbed by your reports of AA managing to separate a group of 6 into 6 individuals. If US and AA are going to start sharing flights from Manchester then I can imagine next Easter being chaos if both airlines take bookings now.
On one occasion coming home from Orlando with US Airways, when we got to the gate at PHL we were told that a computer failure had lost all pre-booked seats and the seven of us were all split up. I had a lovely peaceful trip home!!
I'll keep debating how we get there next April, expect more questions!
Just to point out, it's US who are treating us as 6 individuals and that's because the discount codes they gave last year are used as the booking ref this time. We are all sat together at the moment but when they make a change to the flights then the system sees 6 booking ref numbers and nothing links them together.
3 times now I have had to log on 6 separate times to move us back together. US tell me there is no way to link the ref numbers together, all is fine at the moment though a bit of a pain. Problem will come if they make a change late on when there is not the number of free seats to move us back together. They say we can all check in as a group at the airport which I find strange if the system has us a single bookings.
At the end of the day £150 discount off each ticket was worth while taking and in general I found US ok last year
Dads_Taxi
12-05-2013, 21:34
Thank you for clarifying. Having re-read your posting that does make sense now.
We once received $150 vouchers each following a delay (I THINK it was AA but can't remember exactly) but they were only valid on telephone bookings. When I phoned to book my flights they were £150 more than the on-line flights, so using the discount vouchers made the flights more expensive! I did explain this to the guy on the phone, but he wouldn't budge on price so I threw the vouchers in the recycling bin.
Dads_Taxi
12-05-2013, 21:36
Actually, on reflection I think I posted them back to them telling them how worthless they were and got a snotty letter back saying I wasn't getting any more compensation. I will try to remember which airline it was and report back.
Have to say that was my concern when we got the vouchers but the price on the phone matched the internet price and I had been tracking the price on kayak daily and waited until the prices dipped. The discount was for $150 but when the booking came through they took £150 off so apart from the separate booking it all went well
Dads_Taxi
13-05-2013, 09:37
Ha, you did really well there. I was very tired last night when I was posting those messages. I remembered this morning that our $150 vouchers were as compensation following the flight I mentioned where despite having reserved our seats 11 months earlier we were all split up around the plane, so it was US Airways too.
Katys Grandad
13-05-2013, 10:26
I've had vouchers of that kind on a few airlines and used one a few days ago with BA and I've never found that I had to pay a different price with the voucher than without it. In fact, I've even had an instance where the voucher value was higher than the fare and the airline (I think it was AA) issued a new voucher for the difference.
I've never had a US Airways voucher though so maybe they operate differently.
You do have to book on the phone and it does say on the website that the prices "may" not match those online but in my case they did, down to the penny.
Our compensation was down to a delay and missing our connection plus the added aspect that there were no free or subsidised rooms left in Philly (been a bad day all round they said)
We chose to stay at the on airport Marriot because we were shattered and couldn't be bothered going off airport. They paid me $75 dollars per room which was their max they said so the vouchers were an addition. Only problem is they sent me a cheque to the UK made out in Dollars and my bank screwed me on charges and conversion.