More indirect flights questions

[Twilight Terror]

There is so much to find out about in-direct flights and ensure that I have the right stuff. Anyway, I need to know a few more things. At the moment, we have the option of going via these hubs:

- Miami
- Boston
- Detroit
- Atlanta

I know a lot of people on here have done in-direct flights before, and I imagine that there is at least someone on here that has been through each of these hubs.

So, the question I have is how long, at each hub, is a wise to allow in order to clear immigration and customs before heading off for our next flight to Orlando? Most of the layovers are about 1hr 40mins, and wondering if this is a good amount of time, or if more is needed??

Also, what is the process in doing the connecting flights? Do you collect your luggage and then check-in again at the hub airport, or is that all taken care of for you?

When booking with someone like Netflights.com or ebookers.com, who is under obligation to sort out if you miss your connection, for example (if the missed connection is the airlines fault)? And who do you go to if there are problems/need rebooking - the airline or the agent? Do you get access to things like seat requests immediately with airline if booked through an agent?

Thanks guys! Im sure I will think of something else in the meantime, but that's it for now! Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Kath2003]

There is so much to find out about in-direct flights and ensure that I have the right stuff. Anyway, I need to know a few more things. At the moment, we have the option of going via these hubs:

- Miami
- Boston
- Detroit
- Atlanta

I know a lot of people on here have done in-direct flights before, and I imagine that there is at least someone on here that has been through each of these hubs.

So, the question I have is how long, at each hub, is a wise to allow in order to clear immigration and customs before heading off for our next flight to Orlando? Most of the layovers are about 1hr 40mins, and wondering if this is a good amount of time, or if more is needed??

Also, what is the process in doing the connecting flights? Do you collect your luggage and then check-in again at the hub airport, or is that all taken care of for you?

When booking with someone like Netflights.com or ebookers.com, who is under obligation to sort out if you miss your connection, for example (if the missed connection is the airlines fault)? And who do you go to if there are problems/need rebooking - the airline or the agent? Do you get access to things like seat requests immediately with airline if booked through an agent?

Thanks guys! Im sure I will think of something else in the meantime, but that's it for now! Thanks in advance everyone.

It doesn't matter how long the connection is really - if your incoming flight is delayed, the airline (regardless of who you book through) will simply transfer you to the next one. Your contract of carriage is between you as the passenger and the airline as the carrier, nothing to do with the booking agent.

90 minutes is a reasonable connection time at any of those locations. Depending on the time of the year, you may want to avoid Detroit and Boston because in the winter they can suffer with bad weather which could delay you if it were severe.

You get off the flight, clear immigration. Baggage policies change depending on the airline and airport - I can't help you there because I've never checked baggage. You don't need to check in again - you get both boarding passes when you check-in the first time, you just go to the gate. It really is simple.

No idea about seat requests as we pick if we book direct with the airline (which we usually do) and I couldn't care where we sit in all honesty

 

[Carrie_Cat]

I flew via Miami to Cancun with American Airlines (I know it's not WDW) but it's the same procedure

We booked through a internet travelsite and had full acces to the booking via the AA site and changed our seats several times. We also checked in on line and printed boarding passes.

At Miami we went through immigration, was very quick as there were loads of lines and even more opened up once all the US citizens had gone through.
Then we went to baggage claim, got our bags, went through customs (even quicker than immigration, and took them over to to connecting flight area where they took them off us and sent them on their way

After that we followed the dots to security , went through that faster than we had at CDG, and went off to our gate for the connecting flight.

All told it took us 45 minutes from when we got off the plane to when we got to the departures lounge on the other side.

I'd do Miami again no pbs and we will be when we go to WDW for the first time next year

Hth

edit- We came back the same way and it again took less than an hour. Both times we were near the front of the plane rows 13 and 16 and we had a 2hr stop over period to do the transfer

 

[Twilight Terror]

Thanks for that info Carrie_Cat!

Suddenly, AA have come online with a spring sale as well, for dates that we want. I'm sure, now we've made the decision to book it, someone will come up with something cheaper, but that's life! So your information has been invaluable, especially since we are now looking to fly LHR via Miami, with an approximate 2hr stopover each way!

So thanks very much for your information!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Glad to have helped

Must look at the AA site and see if they have any flights for us as maybe we could do something again with them this year

Don't know when you are flying but we flew on Halloween last week and it was the weekend so normally busier than mid week

As well it's really easier if you are with AA as it's all in the same terminal (E)

Happy planning

 

[Twilight Terror]

Glad to have helped

Must look at the AA site and see if they have any flights for us as maybe we could do something again with them this year

Don't know when you are flying but we flew on Halloween last week and it was the weekend so normally busier than mid week

As well it's really easier if you are with AA as it's all in the same terminal (E)

Happy planning

We are flying in September, out on a Sunday, back on a Friday. Hopefully that means we miss the bulk of the Saturday to Saturday travelers! We will (hopefully as are booking tomorrow!) be doing AA on both sections, both there and back. I still can't believe it's £174pp cheaper than going Virgin! That's just ridiculous! Ooh, international and domestic AA are the same terminal? That could potentially make life easier!

 

[disneyholic family]

sounds good to me...
i always like the idea of switching in an airport where if worse comes to worse, i could get in a car and drive the rest of the way...

we'll be flying the domestic part of our indirect on american (the JFK-MCO segment)...
they're fine...
american is a typical american airline.....some nice staff, some not so nice staff....
the US airline companies are somewhat interchangeable..

although, over the years, i've found i like american crews better....maybe because the company is based in texas? maybe that's why they're a little bit friendlier?.....don't know....it's been my experience, but they really are all the same...(unless you get an old TWA crew - if there even are any....i hated TWA....with a passion...danced with joy when they went bankrupt and were bought by AA)...

 

[Twilight Terror]

sounds good to me...
i always like the idea of switching in an airport where if worse comes to worse, i could get in a car and drive the rest of the way...

This is what I am thinking. Worst case scenario, either going out or coming home, if something is amiss, we can hop in a car and drive or catch a coach. It wouldn't be ideal, but it's doable and thus provides us with a backup plan!

We have now finally booked the flights! Yippee! Went with AA going via Miami, so will get to see a couple of different airports for a change (LHR and MIA). Added bonus of not needing to stay at the airport overnight either, since Heathrow is round the corner! May even get to fly over our house during landing/take off!

One question though, for those that might have done it already, what is the check-in time with AA? Is is 3-hrs before flight departure if checking-in at airport desk? What is the different in check-in time if you do online check-in and then just need to do bag drop?

Thanks everyone for all the information and help. Hopefully this has been beneficial to others as well.

 

[Kath2003]

One question though, for those that might have done it already, what is the check-in time with AA? Is is 3-hrs before flight departure if checking-in at airport desk? What is the different in check-in time if you do online check-in and then just need to do bag drop?

At least 60 minutes before departure.