40-minute connection in Newark airport?

[Northstar]

Hi. Just had flights changed by Continental - flying Halifax to Newark to Orlando mid-December. Had a nice 1 1/2 hour connection in Newark... now it's 40 minutes. Would appreciate advice from those of you who know Newark airport.

I THINK we might be pre-clearing customs and immigration in Halifax. If we do, we would arrive where most domestic Continental flights do. Do the gates tend to be clustered so our departure would be near our arrival gate? How long do we need?

In case we don't pre-clear customs and immigration... we would be arriving where international flights do, and would have to pick up baggage, then clear, re-load baggage on belt, maybe transfer terminals, go through security... impossible in 40 minutes, right? So do you think it's safe to assume Continental wouldn't have given us this connection?

And... with non-refundable tickets... if I ask them to book us on a later flight out of Newark (assuming that's available... I'm not optimistic for mid-December) would I have to pay a change fee?

Will get on the phone to Continental after consulting my wonderful info sources here. Help!

 

[QT Pooh]

I don't know the answers to all your questions because there could be so many different variables. In general all Continental Airlines flights come into the Continental terminal, and yes, they are all in one terminal. I don't know how that whole immigration thing would work. I'm not sure that you wouldn't just clear immigration until you hit Orlando. Your baggage should be automatically transferred - so you really wouldn't be able to declare anything and be searched until you hit Orlando...but that's just my guess.

Other than that, if Continental was the one that changed your reservations to a different time, then you are justified in asking for a later time. Typically airlines don't schedule connections for less than an hour - between the unloading of the first plane and getting to the gate for the next plane and loading - 40 minutes cuts it close. They 'should' change it without charging you since that wasn't your original itinerary.

Good luck!

 

[Northstar]

Thanks, QT Pooh. That's what I wanted to hear about a later flight... no charge. And it sounds as if the situation won't be desperate anyway as long as we do pre-clear in Halifax.

About not going through customs and immigration till Orlando: nope, it doesn't work like that, because the flight Newark to Orlando will not go anywhere near the international arrivals area, where customs and immigration is, at Orlando. Look at it this way... nothing to stop people illegally entering the US from just strolling off the flight into Orlando with everyone else leaving the flight! Unfortunately, you have to clear wherever your first arrival is, because that's the only flight that will arrive at an international terminal! Big headache... you have to wait for baggage to be unloaded even if it's checked through, pick it up and lug it yourself to the customs folks, heave it back onto a conveyer belt, go through immigration, THEN exit into a non-secure area where you can catch a bus etc. and, if you're continuing your trip within the country you just arrived in, you have to go through security again because you're entering from outside, like anyone else arriving at the airport. I'm so glad Halifax is finally getting a preclearance facility for the US because I've done this routine so many times.

 

[Luv4Disney]

Hi. Just had flights changed by Continental - flying Halifax to Newark to Orlando mid-December. Had a nice 1 1/2 hour connection in Newark... now it's 40 minutes. Would appreciate advice from those of you who know Newark airport.

I THINK we might be pre-clearing customs and immigration in Halifax. If we do, we would arrive where most domestic Continental flights do. Do the gates tend to be clustered so our departure would be near our arrival gate? How long do we need?

In case we don't pre-clear customs and immigration... we would be arriving where international flights do, and would have to pick up baggage, then clear, re-load baggage on belt, maybe transfer terminals, go through security... impossible in 40 minutes, right? So do you think it's safe to assume Continental wouldn't have given us this connection?

And... with non-refundable tickets... if I ask them to book us on a later flight out of Newark (assuming that's available... I'm not optimistic for mid-December) would I have to pay a change fee?

Will get on the phone to Continental after consulting my wonderful info sources here. Help!

Newark airport can be very confusing for those who aren't used to it. Personally, we always use Newark so we are very accustomed to it and know what we're doing. 90 minutes does sound a little short for a connection flight. If you can plan ahead and figure out your gates, how far away it is, and if you can get your luggage quickly, it's quite plausible.

 

[PammyK]

You should be okay even if you have to go from the 100 gates to the 80s or 90s which are in different wings of terminal C. I am not light on my feet by any means and I can get from the end of the 100s gates to the end of the 80s in about 15 minutes which should be fine for you. As someone said, try to find out what arrival and departure gates you're scheduled for ahead of time to help plan logistics. Also, when you check in try to see if you can get seats as close to the exit door as possible. This way you'll be among the first off the aircraft making it easier to make your connection.

Good luck!

 

[DisneyConvert]

Continental Terminal C in EWR is laid out pretty well.
(Continental also uses Terminal A, but only for their "shuttle" flights to Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas & WashDC)

If you clear customs/immigration in Halifax (I think that is how it's done), you will come in/out of C which isn't so bad. See:
http://www.continental.com/travel/airport/maps/ewr.asp

You will NOT have to go through security a 2nd time.

The moving sidewalks are helpful, but if you are "differently abled" you may want to pre-arrange for one of those carts.

And if your inbound flight is delayed landing and getting to the terminal; the outbound flight will probably be delayed as well!

Good luck and have fun!