Continental Worry

[pieman790]

For the past years we have had a 3 hour connection in Chicago and never made the connection. You have to factor things in like bad weather and plane break downs. The first year Orlando closed down to bad weather and the second year the plane developed a fault. This year we allowed a 6 hour connection in Houston and after been diverted to New Orleans due to bad weather we made our connection with 10 mins to spare (Never fly at the same time as us as we are very unlucky, we once had to make an emergency landing due to an engine fire).
I would say personally allow 1-2 hours as a min but you can never tell what is going to happen with connections.
If you are late due to a technical fault the airline are responsible to get you onto another flight however if its down to the weather you are on your own and this is why you should have good travel insurance.

[vickk17]

I too am flying Continental but from Manchester via Newark and have 3+hours each way. One thing I noticed from reading this thread is that on the return leg you don't have to collect your luggage at Newark as it is transfered for you. Is this correct and more importantly what happens on the outward journey into Newark

[Katys Grandad]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by CERICROWLEY
I have spoken to a fair number of passengers travelling to bristol on the newark flight over the past five years, and there have been quite a number of them that have missed the connection by just minutes, and they were told the flight has a schedule they cannot miss, especially international routes, as they get penalised to high by both the US and UK airports.

After our one near miss a couple of years ago now. I always make sure there is adequate time now. We were delayed on our last time out in March as I said. they closed the door on time, although we had a three hour queue on the ground to take off, Did we lose passengers on that flight yes.

If you are saying the assumption is that the flight will be held for a significant number of people. How do you know that the OP will not be the only one.

It is better to err on the side of caution.

We were very blasay about the connection for the first two years, only keeping it to a minimum. Knowing how Newark work now. we feel a bit more time in between is far better. So you sit in the airport for a bit longer. is that not a better solution than missing the plane completely and having to spend the night and wait again for hours for the next plane. There is also no guarantee that you will be on the next flight. You go on standby.

We met a couple that were teachers a couple of years ago when we were travelling back in August. They missed the bristol connection and were desperate to get back for the start of school. they had been waiting 48 hours. and it looked like they would be waiting another day. Finally they did get one seat back home that day.

I really dont want to paint a bad picture of flights etc. but after having such a great time in Florida. it would not be a very good note to end on if you missed the flight and had a very long wait to get home, as I said a few hours wait is far better than 24 hours.

[/quote]

I completely understand your point Ceri and agree that if Mrs B feels happier with a longer connection time, that's what she should do. However, it seems clear that Continental aren't letting her do that on her class of fare because they believe (presumably through experience) that it isn't necessary. I also think that she get back to them and try again.

Nevertheless, I think we can fairly assume that the connection is made pretty regularly or, as I say, they'd stop selling the ticket with those flights. They might well incur additional charges but there are also significant costs re-ticketing (and possibly accommodating) stranded passengers. I'm just concerned that we aren't helping here by painting these worst possible scenarios.

I've flown 350,000 Transatlantic miles in the last 3 years and of course I've had delays and re-routings but I make the vast majority of my connections without any problem. I can honestly say that I have never once failed to reach my destination (in either direction) the same day.

Admittedly not with Continental, but I connected in New York just 2 weeks ago with 1 hour 20 minutes between flights and I had time for a snack and a couple of drinks. Around the same time, my son turned up at Manchester to find his flight to Chicago that day had been cancelled due to weather. He was re-routed and got to Chicago just 4 hours later than he would have done on his original flight.

[Clare R]

Ken,

As with all outward journeys once you reach the States you go through Immigration (can take anything from 5 minutes to an hour plus), collect luggage, go through Customs, deposit luggage for second flight, go through security again (coats off, shoes off, same rules on liquids) and then find your gate. Newark is a large airport and some of the gates are quite a distance if time is short or you have children. There are plenty of eating and drinking places.

At Newark as you go through Customs (in effective handing in a form) you go down a slope, keep to the left-handside and there will be staff there to take your luggage off you. Generally there is one crew for flights within an hour or so and then another crew for later flights - just give your destination. Leave that area, turn left, up a half escalator to second security.

On the return trip the luggage goes straight through at Newark to your connecting flight and it is at Newark (as you leave the States) that the green portion of your Visa Waiver form will be removed from your passport - it does not get taken at Orlando or wherever you start your trip from.

[Fourdents]

I have taken the Bristol - Newark - Orlando flights.

Being the first time travelling this route alone I appreciated having that "extra time" to negotiate the unfamiliar. I had 1 Hr 20mins between flights both out and return.



This was in February - it was quite busy. In the summer I assume even busier.

If you are travelling with children I think more time is adviseable between flights.

Continental changed my flight times too - for me it was okay as the return was a 3 hour stop over in Newark - for me 3 hours sitting around would have been too long.

I don't think 42 mins is a "comfortable time" between flights

[Robert5988]

Likewise I would be happier with a little longer than 40 mins if I had the choice.

However my 'regular' flight back from MCO via Chicago leaves 50 mins between flights. I could take an earlier flight from MCO but am quite happy to 'take my chance' with a short stopover.

In my experience they simply do not 'shut the doors' of transatlantic flights if there is going to be a short delay awaiting passengers.

Delays for summer storms in MCO and snow in winter in airports further North are quite common.

In 40 or so flights I have only missed one flight back to UK - and that was with several hours between flights at Boston.

[lafifille]

I would not feel comfortable with a 42 mns connection, in Newark or elsewhere, although the truth is I've done it in less time on many trips in other big US airports, and then had a nice snack and drink in the boarding area.

As said above, if CO sells it, it's legal and doable.

BUT: if you don't feel comfortable with it, and specially if your EWR-BHX flight is the last of the day, I would:
- keep calling CO asking to be placed on an earlier domestic flight, you very well might end up talking to a more "flexible" agent.
- check what the legal time for a domestic to international connection is in your specific case, and keep an eye on the changes that invariably happen on any reservation. If the legal connection time is 40 mins, and your 42 mins connection becomes say a 39 mins one, you're then much better armed to demand a change in reservation [msnwink]...I hope I'm clear enough [msnembarrased]

Last but not least: I would certainly not count on being able to disembark first, or on the plane waiting for me. But if there's a good number of you guys making that particular connection, you might have CO agents waiting at the door to get you to your next plane faster... maybe [msnscared]...

All that said, there's a very good chance you'll make the connection, just think positive !!!!

[Mrs B]

Thankyou for everyones feedback -its really appreciated. I phoned Continental today & they still will not change flight but have moved us to Row 12 (near exit according to map of plane)for a speedy ? exit.
The lady I spoke to explained that if the flight is missed then they would accomodate us overnight - not too sure if that is the case if weather is to blame though. I will try again though & will keep checking for changes to flight times.
Thanks again for all your comments

[debbie]

You cannot always factor everything in.
We missed a connection once in Atlanta. It was the pilots last flight before retirement, and after we landed, we had to wait while they got together some fire engines with their hoses on so we could taxi through the arches of water.
Four adults and five kids got to the gate just as the doors were being closed, our sad faces pressed up against the glass must have been a sight.
Got put up in a hotel as it was the airline's fault.

[lafifille]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by debbie
You cannot always factor everything in.
We missed a connection once in Atlanta. It was the pilots last flight before retirement, and after we landed, we had to wait while they got together some fire engines with their hoses on so we could taxi through the arches of water.
Four adults and five kids got to the gate just as the doors were being closed, our sad faces pressed up against the glass must have been a sight.
Got put up in a hotel as it was the airline's fault.[/quote]Boy, I hope it was at least a 4 star hotel, I would have been soooooo mad!!!! Can't they just have a Champagne party like everybody else?[msneek]