us airways flights.

[domster]

Hi all, just had confirmation our flight timings have changed on the return leg from Orlando - Charlotte then London. Flying with us airways. Timings look tight to me at 1hr 10 for the connection. I know we don't need to sort bags as they will be checked through, but as never been to Charlotte hopefully planes will be close together!

Must admit never been this route, but wanted to avoid new York this time round. Any news appreciated.

[Clare R]

We went via Charlotte last November for the first time it is a nice, smallish airport and very modern - we had meal there on the changeover but that was on the inward leg. Coming back I don't remember there being any problems at all - it was 'just an airport' would have thought 70 mins adequate so long as the plane doesn't spend too long getting to the gate. Your connecting flight know you are expected so if you have to leg-it - so be it !!!


I am having the same possible problem with connecting flight in October at Atlanta with 50 minutes gap and Atlanta is a much bigger airport.

[Philomena]

When we once did the return leg via Chicago our flight from Orlando arrived early but we were waiting almost an hour for a free stand. We were meet off the flight by airport staff and taken through to our outgoing flight by them using shortcuts which were not normally available to passengers. They also held the flight. It turned out that we were not the last passengers to board and we had to wait around 30 mins for another incoming flight to arrive with more late passengers. I think they would rather hold the international flight then have to pay for overnight accommodation and expenses to stranded passengers.

[Snapper]

I think they would rather hold the international flight then have to pay for overnight accommodation and expenses to stranded passengers.

Errrrrr, hmmmmmm, ahhhhhh, US Airways don't actually pay for overnight accomodation and expenses if you miss your connecting flight. At least they refused to with us from a flight a couple of years ago. Their customer service was, IMHO, terrible. Properly bad!

My experience with them up until that point was fine, so I drew the conclusion that they are great when everything goes right but they fall apart when something goes wrong. We've made a point of not flying with them ever since for that very reason.

[sunseeker]

Errrrrr, hmmmmmm, ahhhhhh, US Airways don't actually pay for overnight accomodation and expenses if you miss your connecting flight. At least they refused to with us from a flight a couple of years ago. Their customer service was, IMHO, terrible. Properly bad!

My experience with them up until that point was fine, so I drew the conclusion that they are great when everything goes right but they fall apart when something goes wrong. We've made a point of not flying with them ever since for that very reason.

Just to balance things up, my daughter was stuck in Miami during the ash cloud incident and was supposed to be flying to charlotte then heathrow, US Airways advised she didn't take the charlotte flight and said it would be better for her to stay in Miami as she would have more options to get home. They put her up in a hotel and flew her home a week later. They kept her informed at all times and the UK staff did the same for us when we called to make sure everything was infact as she had been told. So in our opinion US did everything they could have and for that we were grateful. My daughter and myself rate them highly.

Dave

[Katys Grandad]

The simple truth is that no airline can guarantee that their passengers will always make a connection and I've never found that any individual airline is better or worse than the rest. All sorts of things can happen to adversely impact upon even long layovers between flights but I think it's fair to say that in the vast majority of cases there aren't any problems and it's rare to be completely stranded.

I always take the view that if the airline has scheduled a time between flights then it's reasonable to assume that it's proved to work in the past so I don't lose any sleep over it.

[ellie]

I think it is certainly possible to make your connection with just over an hour at Charlotte. It is quite a small airport and all of the gates lead off a central hall which is beyond security, so, unlike many airports, you don't have to go through security again, merely get off your domestic flight, walk into the central area and then find your gate. It really is quite quick. There are lots of food outlets in this central area, and also at each of the gates.

Of course, nobody can predict when or if a flight will be delayed, but if all goes to plan and the flight is on time then I think you stand a very good chance of making the connection, Dom. Good luck!