47 minute layover in Atlanta?

[pgsahm2]

AirTran decided to change our August nonstop flights for awful times. So I'm trying to adjust to better times with a layover in Atlanta. One of the flights has a 47 minute layover in Atlanta (from Richmond, VA). Does anyone have experience with short layover times and how has it affected you? This is an early morning flight so I don't think we'll need to worry about thunderstorms but not being familiar with Atlanta airport I don't know what to expect.

Any ideas?

 

[safetymom]

What airline are you flying? You could be delayed getting into ATL. If you are staying in the same terminal you will be fine. If you have to switch it could be tight.

 

[OKW Lover]

If you are flying Air Tran you won't have to change terminals in ATL so a 47 minute connection will be just fine.

 

[Traveliz]

If you are flying Air Tran you won't have to change terminals in ATL so a 47 minute connection will be just fine.

I always used to think that too but in the past year (actually 9 months) I have had a layover in Atlanta with Airtran and had to change terminals.

Liz

 

[maxiesmom]

I have flown thru Atlanta many times, and I would never take a connection that tight. Coming from Grand Rapids, which is a smaller airport, it seems like we spend around 20 minutes just taxing to the terminal once we have landed. That is when we are lucky enough not to have to circle the airport before landing. I won't take a connection at Atlanta of under an hour, no matter how I am tempted. Better 3 hours sitting around than being angry because I missed my flight.

 

[lilyv]

I have flown thru Atlanta many times, and I woudl never take a connection that tight. Coming from Grand Rapids, which is a smaller airport, it seems like we spend around 20 minutes just taxing to the terminal once we have landed. That is when we are lucky enough not to have to circle the airport before landing. I won't take a connection at Atlanta of under an hour, no matter how I am tempted. Better 3 hours sitting around than being angry because I missed my flight.

Count me as another that would rather spend a couple of hours sitting around rather than chancing a close connection. With all the airline troubles, especially cutting back on flights, if you miss a connection you could really have some problems. I'm trying to always plan extra time into our itineraries these days.

 

[CarolA]

I used to fly through ATL weekly (to get anyplace from Nashville you connect LOL!)

47 minutes is a normal connection. You SHOULD be fine. Now that means you go to the plane, you don't stop to shop, get food etc. I can't tell you how often I have seen people screaming at agents about "too short connections" while holding thier Wendy's bags LOL! (Trust me our food stations are manned by the slowest workers in America. It can take them 30 minutes to give you a hamburger!)

 

[pgsahm2]

I'm still not sure what we're going to do but I'm leaning towards taking this flight. I called AirTran yesterday and verified that we do in fact have to switch planes but it will be in Terminal C (sometimes Terminal D). IF we were to miss our flight there is another one about 90 minutes later I think. I wonder what the chances are of us getting onto that second flight if we needed to. Is that flying stand-by? I'm just trying to cover all my bases just in case things don't go smoothly.

 

[Traveliz]

I'm still not sure what we're going to do but I'm leaning towards taking this flight. I called AirTran yesterday and verified that we do in fact have to switch planes but it will be in Terminal C (sometimes Terminal D). IF we were to miss our flight there is another one about 90 minutes later I think. I wonder what the chances are of us getting onto that second flight if we needed to. Is that flying stand-by? I'm just trying to cover all my bases just in case things don't go smoothly.

I have found that Airtran tends to hold the last plane to a destination to get all the connecting people on it (assuming they come straight from their connection).

I have done the 45 minute thing many times including the two I had to change terminals -- one time we made it, one time we didn't (but it wasn't 47 minutes that night - our plane was late coming in and it was more like 15 minutes - we made it to the gate asap along with many others but they had closed that plane and put all of us on the next flight which was about 90 minutes later and half empty).

Liz

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

I had a choice of a 38 minute connection or a 2 hour connection through JFK in August. I took the 2 hour one. I would rather know, and plan than to get there too late and have to spend my 2 hours trying find out if the next flight will fit my family of 6.

We're just going to use the time to eat breakfast and wait for the flight.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm still not sure what we're going to do but I'm leaning towards taking this flight. I called AirTran yesterday and verified that we do in fact have to switch planes but it will be in Terminal C (sometimes Terminal D). IF we were to miss our flight there is another one about 90 minutes later I think. I wonder what the chances are of us getting onto that second flight if we needed to. Is that flying stand-by? I'm just trying to cover all my bases just in case things don't go smoothly.

If you miss your connecting flight then yes, you will be standby on the next flight. Would the AirTran agent guarantee you a seat out that day? Can they even guarantee you that the next flight will still be available? AirTran is condensing flights as we speak. What would you do if your whole family would not fit on the next flight out?

Take the small connection if you want, but think ahead of time what you will do if you miss the connection, and you cannot get on the next flight out. Prepare yourself, just in case.

 

[Goofey Drool]

Our last two disney trips we had to stop at Atlanta. Once for 44 minutes and the other time for 50 something. Both times we had a easy time of it and were not rushing at all. We were nervous too because others were saying really scary stuff.

 

[cbrfan]

I think 47 minutes will be fine with AirTran, as long as your first flight isn't delayed. I would hesitate more if it were another airline. There's never any guarantee with any flight. I'd rather take my chances on the short layover than to spend several hours sitting in the airport when I didn't have to. If you miss your connection and get on the next flight you're not out anything. The only problem would be if the next flight is full. But when that's the case I've noticed AirTran tends to hold the earlier flight for connecting passengers. I've also seen it work the other way. A friend of mine was worried that she didn't have enough time to make the short connection, so she booked the next flight. That next flight was delayed due to weather and she ended up with a 4 hr. delay. The earlier connection left on time. It's not very common to have to change concourses in Atlanta when flying AirTran.

 

[CarolA]

The other thing to consider. I have flown AirTran out of Atlanta... I have NEVER had a flight leave REMOTELY close to on time out of here. My bet's on "they are late leaving again" LOL!