45 Minute Layover in Atlanta?

[Hopefully]

Delta changed our return flights (again). We went from a 90 minute layover in Atlanta to now only a 45 minute layover. Is this enough time in Atlanta?
Thanks for your input

 

[uva185]

It's legal and doable. You won't have time to stop and use the bathroom or get food. Just go straight to your connecting flight. Of course if first flight gets delayed you have a greater chance of missing your connection. That said Delta pads its schedule to accommodate for ground and air delays so unless something unusual occurs you'll be fine.

 

[CarolA]

Should be fine.

My suggestion. Go to your next gate and THEN go shop for food etc. That way you know you have plenty of time.

Just last Sunday I saw the funniest thing in ATL. The guy behind me at the Wall Street Deli line (which was fairly long and since it's made to order kind of slow) was RUNNING through the airport, basically taking folks out. I passed him at a gate and he was pleading with the agent to "reopen the door" trying to convince her that his connection was late. (She did not appear to be an idiot. She could see the bag with the sandwich LOL!) I stopped and she told him "no" and he would have to wait for a later flight. In this case he had NO one to blame but himself. The wait for the "sandwich" caused him to miss his plane!

 

[maxiesmom]

We did 47 minute layovers thru Atlanta last year, and I would not recommend it. We too were on Delta, and we had to go 3 terminals over, plus from one end of a wing to the totally opposite end. Even with our first flight landing a bit early, we had to hussle.

On the way back home the only reason we made our connection was because they were holding the plane. Seems there was a group of people on a different flight that landed after us trying to make the same plane. Even so, one of the Flight Attendants was trying to shut the door!

Forty five minutes may be a "legal connection" but it is not a fun one to try to do.

 

[DebbieB]

I had a tight connection in Atlanta last year, I made it gate to gate on different concourses in about 20 minutes. Problem was my checked luggage did not make it. There was another flight about an hour later, it was put on that one. I wanted to get my luggage, so I just waited at my home airport for it to come in (they offered to deliver it to my home).

 

[Madzac]

We had the same thing happen to us with Delta for our May trip... went from 90 min to 46 min. With 3 kids I was really worried about it. I was going to just risk it, but later flights were filling up, and when I was watching what time our first plan was getting in for the month before it seemed like it landed late 75% of the time. If it had just been me or me and DH we would have risked it and took our chances. With the kids too we worried about missing the flight and not being able to get out together for some time... plus little kids really need to sit by a parent.

SO... while everyone said 46 min should be enough time, I called and they switched us to the next flight out which was a 2 hour layover. As it turned out, we were delayed a half hour getting out and then sat on the ground at ATL waiting to get to our gate... so when we got into the airport, we would have had like 5-10 min to make the flight. I was SO glad i had changed it!!!

With that saying... if we had landed on time, we would have been fine. It only took us like 20 min even with kids to get from C terminal up to A. The train system is quick. But personally I wont do less than an hour again there.

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks for the replies. I generally like an hour or more layover anywhere I fly and Atlanta is so big I am really worried.
The other factor here is that I believe the connection is the last flight out to BOS that night, which is our final destination.
I did look online and there is an earlier flight out of MCO, which connects to the same ATL to BOS flight. It will make for a long layover in ATL, but I much prefer that to worrying.
Now to just convince the rest of our (adult) party.
Thanks again

 

[Hopefully]

Any other opinions?
Thanks