5:10am flight- what the ? (PHL)

[thiabelle]

We are going to Alaska this summer and I booked flights on Alaska Airlines. The PHL to ORD flight is on American. It was originally 6:30ish- not too bad. Then we got notification it was changed to 5:10am.

Now- we are morning people but that's really early.

My question is will the bag check people be open before 4am? We had a 6am flight to MCO last year and the SW counter opened exactly at 4am (well not really- the cranky morning shift people came out at 4am and then had to count their drawers and turn the computers on).

I'm just worried that it's going to be really tight to get our bags checked and get through security. When it's that early our experience was that not all of the security lines were open and it was starting to back up. We do have Global Entry (automatically gives us Pre-Check) but that wasn't open either.

Does anyone have experience leaving on such an early flight? Any tips? TIA

 

[rwdavis2]

Your best bet is to cal the airline.

 

[Jimsig]

An airline is not going to have a flight that passengers can't make because the bag check/ticket counters/security are not open/open early enough. It would cause delays in boarding and make a plane late cause ripple effects the rest of the day for what ever flights that aircraft is lined up for and make them have to accommodate those passengers on later flights. So you could be rushed but you should make your flight

As the PP said call the airline to see what time the Sky Caps open and what time the ticket counter opens.

Also did your connection time change in ORD? If it didn't, or didn't change by much, see if AA has a later flight you can make. Usually when an airline changes your flight by a certain time, a lot of time more then 30 min, they will give you a free change.

 

[thiabelle]

Thank you! I will give them a call and see what's what. Our connection didn't change at ORD so we have three hours to kill.

 

[bumbershoot]

If there is another flight later on in the day on your airline, call your airline and have it changed to that flight. When they change a flight like that, they'll almost always move it for you with no change fee and no change in cost to you. You don't have to accept it.

 

[JessM]

I would assume everything will open around 4am and since there likely won't be that many people around at that hour you should get through bag check and security on time. You won't have much time to dilly dally but I think you should make it. The airline wouldn't schedule a flight at that time if they didn't think everyone could get their bags checked, through security and boarded for an on time departure.