Indirect Flight Question

[Ross J 82]

Hi,

Due to flight prices being so expensive in October we have booked indirect flights for the first time from Heathrow to Orlando via Chicago. We only have 1 hour 30 minutes in Chicago.

What happens when we get off the plane? Are there special queues for immigration to get through quicker as we need to get to the next flight.

Has anybody done this with America Airlines via Chicago and can walk me through the process?

Thanks

Ross

 

[ABZDisneyFan]

Without wanting to worry you too much, that is a very tight connection.
If you have any delay on the inbound journey, you can forget about making your next flight.
Assuming that everything goes as it should & you land on time & that your bags are tagged through to MCO, you'll still have to get off the plane, get through immigration, pick up your bags & clear customs, I'm fairly sure that you will still have to physically walk them through customs then transfer them onto the next flight.
I think there used to be a transfer belt that you placed them onto at Chicago but I could be mistaken.
You'll then have to get to the gate & hope that your bags have made it as well.
I assume that AA will put you on the next available flight if anything goes wrong but that itinerary is not for the faint hearted.
Good luck.

 

[chmurf]

That's a very tight one.
Pack a couple of days of clothes in your carry on in case you miss your connection and get your luggage delayed

At ORD you'll need to
- deplane
- go through immigration
- pick up luggage
- go through customs (don't pack any food to minimize risk of secondary inspection)
- drop luggage off at the desk/belt right outside of customs
- follow connecting flight signs
- go through security
- proceed to your next terminal and boarding gate
- keep fingers crossed through the whole process

Don't hesitate to mention you have a tight connection when you enter lines. Ask the AA personel if they have procedures for tighg connections

If you don't make your connection, go to a gate desk and ask to be rebooked on the next available flight

A US connection should not be booked with less than 2hrs30mins especially if it's a first time indirect (not telling that to worry you, but as an advice for those reading and ready to book indirect)
1h30 means is the time between when the wheels touch the ground and when they leave the ground again
A plane might need 10 minutes to reach its gate, the it can take up to 15 minutes to get off if you're sat at the back (try seating at the front of the plane to deplane faster)
Then the doors close 20 minutes before take off. If you add this up, this leaves you 45 minutes to clear immigration, custons and TSA. That's how tight it is

Don't worry though, it's doable, but be prepared to miss your flight and pack accordingly

If there are several flights after your mco flight, the it should be ok
If you flight to mco is the last of the day, you'll need to spend the night in chicago, so pack accordingly

 

[dixonsontour]

1.30 is minimum connection for American Airlines. We had booked through Philadelphia with a 2 hour change for May and they have changed us to 1.40. I have always booked at least 2 hours indirect but phoned and was told they could change us as 1.30 is their minimum. It will be tight.

 

[dixonsontour]

I assume airports like Chicago and Philly now have the automatic machines like mco to save time with immigration?

 

[buzz242]

We flew with American Airlines via Chicago last year, we were delayed at Manchester for an hour which left us with an hour to make our connection. As we left the plane we were given passes that meant we bypassed a lot of the queues, it was very stressful though and I would probably allow a minimum of two hours. The worst bit was doing the walk of shame onto the plane where everyone else had been sitting for ages

 

[buzz242]

Should have added the automatic machines were terrible and when we asked for assistance the staff were extremely rude.

 

[Woodview]

Ring your Travel Agent or airline OR If you have booked yourself

Cancel the flight to MCO & change to next flight

( A tight change of flights and Maybe a pit stop will be a problem )

 

[Ross J 82]

We flew with American Airlines via Chicago last year, we were delayed at Manchester for an hour which left us with an hour to make our connection. As we left the plane we were given passes that meant we bypassed a lot of the queues, it was very stressful though and I would probably allow a minimum of two hours. The worst bit was doing the walk of shame onto the plane where everyone else had been sitting for ages

Hi, many thanks for all your comments. How did you get special passes? Thanks Ross

 

[buzz242]

The airline knew who was on a connecting American Airlines flight and gave them out just before we disembarked.

 

[disneyholic family]

they give out the connecting flight 'fastpasses' (what we call them, not the airline) in JFK too.
But even with the fastpasses, arriving into the US is time-consuming, since you have to clear immigration, claim your luggage, go through customs, give back your luggage, get to your next boarding gate.

we've succeeded in accomplishing that in 1.5 hours in JFK and Detroit - but both times it was by the skin of our teeth and on a dead run the entire way (what i refer to as the JFK mini-marathon).

also, both times it was due to a delay in our arriving flight.
I had originally scheduled us with 3 hours.
I NEVER EVER EVER schedule less than 3 hours when arriving in the US.
But due to delays we've ended up with only 1.5 hours on many occasions.
We sometimes make it to our next plane. Sometimes we don't and have to be moved onto a later flight. (not fun)

YMMV

 

[susan stock]

we're are on holiday now and gone through same experience of indirect flights our flight was on time into Philadelphia with 2 1/2 hours to spare NOT! although we were quick off the plane there was queues from other planes at immigration. They're not quick at processing g you and was in there about an hour. Then we had to collect our suitcases then hand them back in again then wait again in a massive queue to go through security again another hour! we had a short delay as DD's doll had to go through security again. we were last on the plane with possibility of missing it. 1 1/2 is cutting it fine. there were still.people in the queue waiting to fly so I guessed they missed it. oh plus there are people waiting to buy your ticket for a seat on the plane if you don't turn up for the flight. we had out seat double booked and someone was sat in it! Try and get a flight with a longer wait between connections l. wish we had done it but through less time waiting around with 2 DD's. Immigration takes at least an hour.