are these flight change over times doable with children?

[CAROLINE4]

Outbound Flight

Flown by: American Airlines
Flight: 4195 From: Manchester (MAN)
Terminal: 3 Departs: 19 Aug 2013 10:40
Class: Economy Via: Chicago O`Hare (ORD) Arrives: 19 Aug 2013 12:55
Includes 1 bag

Flown by: American Airlines
Flight: 7063 Via: Chicago O`Hare (ORD)
Terminal: 3 Departs: 19 Aug 2013 15:25
Class: Economy To: Orlando International (MCO) Arrives: 19 Aug 2013 19:00
Includes 1 bag
Return Flight

Flown by: American Airlines
Flight: 5184 From: Orlando International (MCO) Departs: 1 Sep 2013 15:40
Class: Economy Via: Chicago O`Hare (ORD) Arrives: 1 Sep 2013 17:45
Includes 1 bag

Flown by: American Airlines
Flight: 1500 Via: Chicago O`Hare (ORD)
Terminal: 3 Departs: 1 Sep 2013 18:20
Class: Economy To: Manchester (MAN) Arrives: 2 Sep 2013 07:50

 

[torsie24]

Definitely. You've got plenty of time both ways.

 

[disneyholic family]

i'm not so sure.

The outbound seems ok - you have 2.5 hours, so you should be able to make it.
I wouldn't go so far as to say you have 'plenty' of time, but you should be able to make it.
Keep in mind that you will have to cross immigration and customs in Chicago, so that's going to take some time. And then get yourself to the departing gate. Ohare is a difficult airport, though not the worst.
You do have 2.5 hours, so you should be able to do it.
Personally, i'd feel more comfortable with 3 hours. But that's me. I get easily stressed when traveling with the family.

As for the inbound - that one seems really tight to me.
While you don't have to do anything other then go from one gate to the other, you have a really short window to do it.
You have only 35 minutes to get from one to the other.
However, if they permitted you to book it with only 35 minutes, that means that they think you can do it. So it should be ok.
again, if it were me, i'd never leave only 35 minutes between flights - but i'm a major worrier.

 

[Kath2003]

Yeah I wouldn't book that return connection. Domestic flights are notoriously late. I'd want at least an hour.

 

[MrRomance]

My honest opinion is no.

My wife is from Detroit and we live in the UK. We often fly between the two and usually we connect at O'Hare. We have NEVER had a problem free journey through O'Hare!

I won't bore you with our horror stories, but we've experience problems every time and several times it's been horrendous.

Firstly, it is a MASSIVE airport with gates often being a huge distance from each other. Second, immigration there is a nightmare. Third, and probably more relevant to you, it is the most disorganized airport in the country. Take a look at their track record for yourself but delays and problems are par for the course and we've found staff unhelpful and clueless.

Such is the level of the problems we've had, we will no longer connect there. We would rather add 2 hours to our flight times by flying into another airport than face another 15 hour delay (yes, our last flight through O'Hare was delayed 14 hours on the way to Detroit and 15 hours on the way back).

Your connection times are tight and if you were flying through anywhere but O'Hare I would say it wouldn't be a problem because if you miss your connection you'd just be put on the next one. However, in O'Hare (as we have found) miss your connection may involve an overnight stay in Chicago!

 

[disneyholic family]

My honest opinion is no.

My wife is from Detroit and we live in the UK. We often fly between the two and usually we connect at O'Hare. We have NEVER had a problem free journey through O'Hare!

I won't bore you with our horror stories, but we've experience problems every time and several times it's been horrendous.

Firstly, it is a MASSIVE airport with gates often being a huge distance from each other. Second, immigration there is a nightmare. Third, and probably more relevant to you, it is the most disorganized airport in the country. Take a look at their track record for yourself but delays and problems are par for the course and we've found staff unhelpful and clueless.

Such is the level of the problems we've had, we will no longer connect there. We would rather add 2 hours to our flight times by flying into another airport than face another 15 hour delay (yes, our last flight through O'Hare was delayed 14 hours on the way to Detroit and 15 hours on the way back).

Your connection times are tight and if you were flying through anywhere but O'Hare I would say it wouldn't be a problem because if you miss your connection you'd just be put on the next one. However, in O'Hare (as we have found) miss your connection may involve an overnight stay in Chicago!

hi to your wife - i'm originally from detroit too!!

 

[chmurf]

2.5 hours should have been ok ... before ...
but with the budget cuts there will be more delays at immigration
2.5 hours at ORD is already tight. Should the transatlantic be slightly late and land behind a few other european flights, then you'll miss your connection

the connection on the return flight is way to short
you might make that connection, but your luggage might not

I'd go for longer connections both ways.

 

[CAROLINE4]

2.5 hours should have been ok ... before ...
but with the budget cuts there will be more delays at immigration
2.5 hours at ORD is already tight. Should the transatlantic be slightly late and land behind a few other european flights, then you'll miss your connection

the connection on the return flight is way to short
you might make that connection, but your luggage might not

I'd go for longer connections both ways.

Thanks! i will hold off then!

 

[WiganTony]

On the outbound journey, there is a later flight from Chicago to Orlando at 6:25pm so in theory, if you miss the 3:25pm and if seats are available, you should be able to get the later flight.

On your return though, 35 mins is way to short, even though you don't have to collect and recheck your baggage, and bear in mind that there are no other flights back to the UK until the following day!!!

There is an earlier flight available from Orlando at 11:30am, arriving into Chicago at 1:25pmwith a shorter (5 hour!!) layover

Sep 1 AA 1697 MCO 11:30AM ORD 1:25PM 2h 55m MD-80 Economy (L)
Layover in ORD 4h 55m
AA 54 ORD 6:20PM MAN 7:50AM 7h 30m Boeing 767 Economy (L)

On the same dates, flights also to/from Tampa available which are looking to be around £50pp cheaper than MCO, as follows:

Aug 19 AA 55 MAN 10:40AM ORD 12:55PM 8h 15m Boeing 767 Economy (N)
Layover in ORD 4h 15m
AA 782 ORD 5:10PM TPA 8:45PM 2h 35m MD-80 Economy (N)
Sep 1 AA 1809 TPA 12:45PM ORD 2:35PM 2h 50m MD-80 Economy (S)
Layover in ORD 3h 45m
BA 1500 ORD 6:20PM MAN 7:50AM 7h 30m Boeing 767 Economy (S)

 

[torsie24]

Oh - I didn't see the bottom one - for me 90 minutes is what I'd like to have.

When we changed in Detroit, however, we got to the next gate in 20 minutes both times, so maybe I've just had really good connection experience.