Advice needed on flights!

[Maureen 033]

I am considering booking a flight with US Airways in Feb 06 for ten of us, one being a small baby. I am concerned about stop over in Philly being only one hour.... does that leave us enough time to collect our connection?? Always flown direct before so this is all new to me!! Any comments on US Airways would also be appreciated! Thanks

[Jo]

We have flown US air, via Chatlotte or the way out and Philly on the way back.

I thought they were great as an airline - seat back entertainment popular with the children.

However, we have flown indirect 4 times now (different roues and airlines) . I would have at least 2 hours stopover, as you have to collect and recheck your luggage and clear immigration in that time.

If there are no queues an hour would be OK , but with a small baby you move a lot slower. I would recommend a later connecting flight for the sake of your stress levels.

The good news is when you arrive in Florida you arrive on a domestic flight and you just collect your luggage and go.

We enjoy the break in the journey too.

[Ray&Sarah]

We too would recommend a later connection, as Jo says you might make it if the queues at immigration are short, better for your stress levels if you had longer to get from one flight to another though.[msnsmile2]

[Katys Grandad]

This is a regular discussion topic. The usual answer is that if the airline sells the ticket then it is reasonable to assume that the connection is OK. However, I agree with Ray and Sarah that this is very tight considering the need to clear immigration and customs.

If its the Manchester timings you are referring to with the 1600-1700 gap bteween the flights, there is a later connection at 1815 which is a much more comfortable proposition.

[becbecs]

Hi Maureen

We have used US Airways twice now from Manchester via Philidelphia and had no problems. Although it was our return journey which had the 1 hour stop over. Both times our Plane from Orlando - Philidelphia was on time which gave us plenty of time for the connecting flight back to the UK. It did play on our minds a bit at the amount of time given but the Airline re-assured us that there would be no problem. One bonus is that you can check your baggage in at Orlando and not have to bother with it until your final destination in the UK.

If the 1 hour stop over is on your outbound journey them my experience is that you may not have enough time as US customs are not that quick and you may have to rush.

Hope this helps.

[gromit]

We had to connect last year when our flight was cancelled due to the hurricanes - we had a 9 month old and it was difficult but not impossible. The problem we had was that the car seat didn't make the connection as it would have appeared on a separate belt to the luggage, so we had to wait for the next flight to arrive once we got to Orlando. We felt we would rather get to Orlando, have something to eat and then if the seat didn't arrive we could hire one for a day!

with a group of 10 of you, you may find it easier - more helping hands?!..... If you can get a direct flight though I would recommend it. How old is the baby? There are several threads on facilities on the aircraft for travelling with babies that may interest you too.

Hope our experience helps you decide either way it has not put us off of connecting again and indeed we have done that since through JFK.

[stabard]

I would think that 1 hour is just not enough time to collect luggage and get through immigration. I would go for the later connecting flight.

[athurstance]

We did this last year. Philly is a huge airport.

Bear in mind that many of these flights are 30-60 minutes late getting in anyway and with such high security at customs and passport control you are still pushing it if you have 2 hours.

We were 4 hours late into Philly on our outbound (problem at Gatwick not US Airways fault) and they held our plane for Orlando which finally took off 7 hours late. It took 3 hours for everyone on our Trans-Atlantic flight to get off our plane, through customs and onto the connecting flight. Obviously this is not the norm but it does show how long it can take.
On our return flight everything seemed to be pretty much on schedule. We were 15 minutes late taking off, 30 minutes late into Philly. We were ever so lucky in that a lady with a motorised cart stopped and picked us up and took us to the new terminal - it took 15 minutes. When we arrived the passengers were already boarding. We did wait for those that had to walk over and took off 1 hour late.

Looking on the positive side US airways waited for all their passengers making the connection. They know who is on connecting flights and as so many people do the Gatwick/Philly/Orlando route are likely to be on the same planes they are very accommodating. We were told there was no way they were flying the connection to Orlando with 70 passengers missing so it would wait as long as it had to.

The handful of passengers on our outbound flight who were not destined for Orlando were told sorry their flight wasn't being held for them but they had all been given seats on the flight the next morning.

[Sharon G]

Philidelphia is a very big airport and the connecting planes are NOT close to each other!! As someone else said, it took us ages to get from one terminal to the other but that was walking!

You do see alot of those little mechanical carts taking older people or disabled people from place to place.

We did the same flight 2 years ago and I would say 1 hour is definately pushing it, especially with the stress levels, and you don't need that on top with a young child do you??

<span style="color:navy">Sharon</span id="navy">

[Robert5988]

One hour is tight; however:

It is most likely they will delay your connecting flight if you are not on time. The airline does not like to fly with empty seats if it can avoid it. Also once your hold luggage is on the plane it will not leave without you.

If you do miss the connection they will put you on a later flight.

Personally I would not go for the later flight when the chances are you will get on the earlier flight anyway; and if you don't get on the earlier flight - you get the later flight.

You would look a little silly if you book a later flight now and see all your fellow passengers on the earlier flight.