is 2hr 25mins enough time for change over

[ukman]

Currently looking at flights to orlando at xmas and klm has come up with some interest quotes of under £500 per person. The issue is, I have never done an indirect to orlando before and don't know if this adequate time for the change.

The details are that you fly into hadfield, atl and the stopover is 2hr 25mins, has anyone done that before and is that enough time as we have two small babies under 5.

thanks

[Albert the Frog]

We've done a few indirects and i would think that would be plenty of time-Enjoy!

[SteveandJan]

That is plenty of time and if you did miss the connection due to delays in the UK, there are so many direct flights they put you onto the next one. It's very easy.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SteveandJan
That is plenty of time and if you did miss the connection due to delays in the UK, there are so many direct flights they put you onto the next one. It's very easy.
[/quote]
To be accurate, they'll waitlist you for the next one. There's no guarantee you'll get on, and no requirement for the airline to get you to Orlando, unless it was their fault you missed the connection.

Only if you were delayed arriving in Atlanta due to problems caused by the carrier (and assuming that's the same carrier that was going to take you to Orlando), would they feel obliged to do anything. Other causes of delays (including customs/immigration, other carriers being late, etc) are none of their concern.

Having said that, I always fly indirect, and I'd say 2.5 hours is more than enough, so chances are you'll be absolutely fine.

[pieman790]

I thinks its fine. We usually allow 2 hours between flights.
Direct flights are much better but not worth paying extra unless its only a small amount, especially if there are a few of you travelling. Think of all the extra money you will have to spend whilst you are there.

[lewisp]

Atlanta airport is HUGE and the only thing I would say is to make your way to your next terminal as soon as you can after passing thro visa control, to make sure you find it in plenty of time. Dont stop for coffee, get some in your departure lounge for your connecting flight to Orlando. Only done a connecting flight in Atlanta once and our flight landed an hour late and we had 40 mins to get on the connecting flight. It was an experience I can tell you and we didnt have children with us. We got off our flight at one side of Atlanta airport and our departing flight was at the other end of the airport about a mile away. It was like a scene from the programme "Airport" where we were running towards the departure gate for our connecting flight to Las Vegas and the staff at the departure gate were all shouting at us to run faster as they were closing the gate. Quite funny looking back on it but next time we will take the attitude of "whatever" and take our time because we were told we would have just been put on the next flight out in 2 hours time. I personally think the best airport to connect in is Newark. They seem to have it all laid out really well and Continental Airlines have a whole terminal to themselves. You get off one plane and onto another only a few short steps away. Really easy. One stop connecting flights to Orlando are generally easy and not that big a deal even with children. Its also nice to get off the plane 2 hours earlier than a direct flight and stretch your legs and give the kids a walk around before jumping on the short hop down to Orlando. Also, another plus is the fact that you go thro visa control in an airport thats usually more for business travellers and therefore there are less queues and you pass thro quicker. When you get out at Orlando you miss all the madness of visa control and just walk straight out to your car hire pick up. Gill

[pieman790]

We have missed connecting flight previously and always managed to get onto another flight sometimes with another airline.
Dont worry about the connection i am sure everything will go fine.

[lafifille]

2h25mns is plenty of time in normal circumstances. Of course anything can happen, but it's true with direct flights too, and it's also true with longer connections. Nobody can guarantee you anything.

We've missed connections a couple of times, and have always been put on the next flight. Off topic: we got to the airport (ORD) early once and were put on an earlier flight (to LGW), go figure!. KLM works with Delta if I'm not mistaken, you can check their flights out of Atlanta to MCO to give you an idea of what to expect.

Atlanta is a huge airport, and certainly not my favorite to connect in the US, but if you do some homework before (airport layout and where you need to go), and if you go straight to your departure gate (you can always get a cup of coffee when you're settled there), you should be fine.

You'll find the occasional horror story here and there, specially on the web, but keep in mind thousands of people make successful connections in Atlanta every day! Chances are you will be fine, you will get to your departure gate with enough time to spare and your kids will find it's too long a wait (OK, maybe I'm pushing it [msnembarrased]).

Try not to worry, and enjoy planning your vacation!

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lewisp
Also, another plus is the fact that you go thro visa control in an airport thats usually more for business travellers and therefore there are less queues and you pass thro quicker. [/quote]

Can you do this at Newark? If so, what do you look out for?

Last year we just queued at security with the regular passengers.
[/quote]
There's no seperate queue for business travellers at any USA airport as far as I'm aware, everyone goes through the same immigration process.

You can often find a seperate queue at security for travellers in business/first class, but of course that's for leaving the USA, not arriving.

What lewisp means is that at airports serving areas that are not primarily tourist areas, you'll often find shorter queues at immigration then in areas like Orlando. I often find too that tourists who go to USA once a year or less are often less prepared (forms filled in correctly etc) than businessmen who travel regularly to the USA...this also can speed things up.

I love travelling via Charlotte for that very reason.

[lewisp]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]What lewisp means is that at airports serving areas that are not primarily tourist areas, you'll often find shorter queues at immigration then in areas like Orlando. I often find too that tourists who go to USA once a year or less are often less prepared (forms filled in correctly etc) than businessmen who travel regularly to the USA...this also can speed things up.

I love travelling via Charlotte for that very reason.
[/quote]

Yep, thats what I meant, sorry should have explained a bit more. Orlando MCO is a main tourist airport hence the long queues at visa control.

I also like Charlotte for stop overs, its a lovely airport and easy to negotiate. Gill