Connecting in Charlotte - 1 hour layover

[peacefrogdog]

Booking a trip from Toronto to Savannah/Hilton this upcoming March. I am eyeing a nicely priced flight leaving Toronto at 730 pm, connecting through Charlotte then to Savannah. However the connection time in Charlotte is only one hour

We would be passing through customs in Toronto, and everything I can see about the Charlotte airport is that there is only one terminal. Also that time of evening (9 pm arrival) is one for which I would assume would not be as busy. Also both legs are through US airways, but looks like Us air flies out of four of the five difference concourses in the terminal.

I know a one hour layover is short, but how much of a problem will there be making our connection? Are there any security checkpoints we would have to go through within the terminal, after we would have cleared customs in Toronto? Are there any other possible delays (short of weather) we should consider ?

 

[plutolovr]

Charlotte is my home airport. You shouldn't have any issues. If you need to change concourses, you will not need to through security again. There are moving walkways between the concourses as well.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Are there any other possible delays (short of weather) we should consider ?

I assume you traveling on a single ticket, probably involving only US Airways and/or US Airways Express. Because you're clearing U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Toronto, your connection in Charlotte is a simple domestic connection.

One hour is enough time for a domestic connection involving a single airline at any airport in the United States, even at mega-airports such as Atlanta and Chicago O'Hare -- if the first flight segment operates on time.

Later in the day, flight delays tend to be worse. If an airplane gets substantially behind schedule at any point in the day, it can can remain behind schedule. Your departure, connecting, and arrival airports can all have perfect weather, but if your plane arrives late at your airport, you can be late getting off the ground -- and miss your connection.

Flights can be delayed for many reasons. Weather is only one of them. Other reasons include mechanical issues, late-arriving flight crews, and air traffic delays.

Most passengers make it to their connecting flight without any problem. But there's always a risk that you'll miss your connection. With an evening connection, you may not get to your destination until the next day.

 

[peacefrogdog]

I've never actually missed a connection. What happens if a connection is missed due to weather, late arriving crews, mechanical delays (i.e. something not the fault of our own) - will they book you on the next available flight out? Or do you have to pay for a rebook?

 

[DebbieB]

I've never actually missed a connection. What happens if a connection is missed due to weather, late arriving crews, mechanical delays (i.e. something not the fault of our own) - will they book you on the next available flight out? Or do you have to pay for a rebook?

They will automatically rebook you. If you have a smartphone, you can check their app to see what they booked.

I used to travel a lot for business and connected in CLT frequently. One issue you will have is if one flight is mainline and one is regional jet, the E concourse for RJ's is farther away. Looking at today's flights, it looks like it is RJ to RJ, which would be a quick connection.

 

[vatali]

I've never actually missed a connection. What happens if a connection is missed due to weather, late arriving crews, mechanical delays (i.e. something not the fault of our own) - will they book you on the next available flight out? Or do you have to pay for a rebook?

1 hours is a ton in CLT, even if you land in E and depart out of C, which is unlikely on a mainline plane.

BUT, if you miss a connection a few things happen

1) you will need to speak to a gate agent, customer service or call the airline to be rebooked. there won't be a fee unless you had the time (the minimum connection time at airports, in CLT I think its 30 minutes) and missed it.

2) if it is WEATHER, that's all you will get.

3) if it is MECHANICAL or CREW, they are required to give you a place to stay, transportation to get there and a meal credit if it is the last flight of the night.

Now, some things they are NOT required to do:

1) fly you to your destination the same way you were getting there originally. it is possible, though unlikely, they will ask you to go to another airport to get to your final (IE: go to Philly to get to savanah)

2) put you on the next flight

3) put you in a cabin that you booked (IE you paid for first class, but the only open seat is coach, they wont give you 1c, but they will put you on that plane)

You will be considered stranded standby and have the first available seat ahead of deadhead crew (people who work for the airline who have to be in another city to work). you will be ahead of anyone with status, but not ahead of anyone with status who is also stranded (meaning if I was on your flight (chairman club for US air), you would be behind me on standby if we both missed our connecting).

Long story short, if you miss your connecting flight, go to the gate agent, remain calm (remember, there are a lot of people needing things) and simply ask to be put on the next flight. they should help you out. 99% of the time it is a 5 minute transaction and they will tell you what gate to go to. You can help them out by telling them what flight you WANT to be on, if you look it up on an app like flightstats, but they are pretty used to knowing what to so, especially in an airport like CLT. there is also a huge customer service booth in the E terminal to help you out.

Don't worry about it, an hour is a huge amount of time in that airport, even if things are late. plus, they usually pad the time flying in there, so you probably have closer to an hour and a half.

 

[peacefrogdog]

They will automatically rebook you. If you have a smartphone, you can check their app to see what they booked. I used to travel a lot for business and connected in CLT frequently. One issue you will have is if one flight is mainline and one is regional jet, the E concourse for RJ's is farther away. Looking at today's flights, it looks like it is RJ to RJ, which would be a quick connection.

The fare shows that the arriving and the departing flights are operated by US airways express, but one says Republic airlines, and the other Mesa airlines. Are both of those regional jets?

 

[vatali]

The fare shows that the arriving and the departing flights are operated by US airways express, but one says Republic airlines, and the other Mesa airlines. Are both of those regional jets?

Yes, both are regional jets. most likely you will be landing and leaving out of terminal E