Need layover advise ASAP Please!

[hinodis]

I am about to buy our plane tickets but need advice first! We are taking a 6:00 am flight with a one hour layover in Atlanta. We are going to be flying on Airtan. Is this a bad idea? We are mostly adults but will have a 2 1/2 year old. Has anyone ever brought a 2 year old on a 6am flight? I just want to get there as soon as I can

 

[schoen]

If you are flexible with airports there is a non-stop out of flint that leave at 7:00am might be worth looking into

 

[maxiesmom]

An hour layover in Atlanta is cutting it close, but you should be ok. Still, I would try to get seats on the first airplane as close to the front as you can. That way you are not stuck on the plane while 80 people look for their carry-on, or tie their shoes, or whatever. Also, get to your next gate first, and then take care of things such as potty breaks and munchie stops second.

I would also leave the 2 1/2 year old in jammies for the first flight, and change them inbetween flights if you have time, or even on the airplane. That way you can just scoop them out of bed and get to the airport without fuss. Or if they have comfy clothes they will sleep in dress them in them the night before. Also pack some snacks for your flights.

 

[lizabu]

Too early IMHO. I usually try to be at the airport 2 hours before a flight. That means being at athe airport at 4am...no thank you. If its the only flight you can get what can you do? but if theres a later flight I would look into it.

 

[vicki_c]

Too early IMHO. I usually try to be at the airport 2 hours before a flight. That means being at athe airport at 4am...no thank you. If its the only flight you can get what can you do? but if theres a later flight I would look into it.

That is my feeling as well. We don't fly to Florida very often, and every time I do and schedule a flight before 9 AM, I'm always regretting it due to how early we have to get up to go to the airport (and we don't even live very far from the airport). With a 6 AM flight, you might as well not even go to bed!

 

[hsmamato2]

I've done it before, the kids loved it! it's vacation..right? why worry- make it an adventure- I 2nd the 'stay near the front' of your 1st flight advice though

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

I'll let you know tomorrow because that is what our layover time is going to be. I'm a little concerned that it won't be enough time, but I've done it before years ago with out any problem. Already told my DD9 to pray we have not fog in the morning and our first flight leaves on time, but also be ready to RUN if we have any type of delay.

 

[vacationclub]

Well, we don't have a 2 year old, but we always take the earliest flight possible (on airtran) and routinely are airborne by 5:55am. Yes its early but its vacation and every minute costs money, why not get the most out of it. We get to the airport about 1:15 before the flight leaves and never have a problem, but usually leave on a Sunday. Monday's are a different story.

1 hour layover is fine. The published arrival times are usually padded so you might get more than an hour. The only issue is that in Atlanta Airtran is split between two terminals so you might have to take the train which eats some time, but not too much.

 

[maxiesmom]

Well, we don't have a 2 year old, but we always take the earliest flight possible (on airtran) and routinely are airborne by 5:55am. Yes its early but its vacation and every minute costs money, why not get the most out of it. We get to the airport about 1:15 before the flight leaves and never have a problem, but usually leave on a Sunday. Monday's are a different story.

I think that is an important point. Flying out on Sunday morning like you do, you won't have the typical huge line of business travelers at security that you would have Monday thru Friday. If flying during the week you don't want to cut it too close, those business travelers can make the security check line pretty long!

 

[kkmauch]

Took a barely 4 year old on a 6:15 AM flight a couple years ago. It was fine and she mostly slept. We had a 1.5 hour layover in Chicago. I know it's not the same, but it can be done. We just planned to keep it low key once we arrived. Got to POFQ, checked in and our room was ready. Let the kids burn off some energy at the pool and had late lunch at the food court. Then back to the room for a little nap and on to MK that night for MNSSHP. The party was probably where we went wrong and I wouldn't advise that again. But the majority of the day was great and the kiddos were troopers.

 

[5Dreamers]

We had a 6:15am flight last year and the kids thought it was so cool to go to the airport in their pyjamas! We also have a 6am flight booked for next year. We didn't do any parks the day we arrived, just explored the resort and took it easy in case the kids (and the grown-ups!) were tired. We were all fine, even my then 3 year old DD.

 

[thunderbird1]

We LOVE early morning flights--kids (and sometimes parents) sleep for much of the flight. And, as you pointed out, you get there earlier! (Which is a big deal for us, since we fly from "as far away from WDW as you can possibly get and still be in the continental US." Between the time change and the distance, it takes half a day to get to WDW from here.)

Good luck-let us know what you end up booking!

 

[Glencora]

I have a related question that I hope you guys can help me with! I just booked my father and I for our Thanksgiving trip to Seattle (my brother and his family live there). The problem is that on the return flight (Mon. 28th) we have a 35 minute connection in Chicago. I know that a legal connection has to be 45 minutes, but this flight had the best times and price. My question is: can I call the airline and request a cart be waiting for us at the gate to take us to our next flight? And if I can, what are the chances it will actually show up? My Dad is 82, and although he's in great shape, he just can't move all that quickly (post-polio syndrome). Thoughts?

 

[Alesia]

I have a related question that I hope you guys can help me with! I just booked my father and I for our Thanksgiving trip to Seattle (my brother and his family live there). The problem is that on the return flight (Mon. 28th) we have a 35 minute connection in Chicago. I know that a legal connection has to be 45 minutes, but this flight had the best times and price. My question is: can I call the airline and request a cart be waiting for us at the gate to take us to our next flight? And if I can, what are the chances it will actually show up? My Dad is 82, and although he's in great shape, he just can't move all that quickly (post-polio syndrome). Thoughts?

Even if I had the ability to teleport I wouldn't book that flight - it's just too close.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have a related question that I hope you guys can help me with! I just booked my father and I for our Thanksgiving trip to Seattle (my brother and his family live there). The problem is that on the return flight (Mon. 28th) we have a 35 minute connection in Chicago. I know that a legal connection has to be 45 minutes, but this flight had the best times and price. My question is: can I call the airline and request a cart be waiting for us at the gate to take us to our next flight? And if I can, what are the chances it will actually show up? My Dad is 82, and although he's in great shape, he just can't move all that quickly (post-polio syndrome). Thoughts?

I hate to say it, but I'm very scared for you. I would never have booked that flight to begin with.

Think about it: Most planes begin boarding at 30 minutes out, the larger planes start 45 minutes out. Even if everything happens just as it should, you will be getting to your connecting flight after boarding has already been going on for a while. If your first flight is late arriving, there is no way you will make your flight.

One thing you can do, and I'm hoping you can still do it, is to make sure you are as far forward as possible on your first flight. It can take quite a while to even get off of the plane if you are towards the back. You simply don't have the time for that. You need to get off and get moving asap.

 

[thunderbird1]

I have a related question that I hope you guys can help me with! I just booked my father and I for our Thanksgiving trip to Seattle (my brother and his family live there). The problem is that on the return flight (Mon. 28th) we have a 35 minute connection in Chicago. I know that a legal connection has to be 45 minutes, but this flight had the best times and price. My question is: can I call the airline and request a cart be waiting for us at the gate to take us to our next flight? And if I can, what are the chances it will actually show up? My Dad is 82, and although he's in great shape, he just can't move all that quickly (post-polio syndrome). Thoughts?

That's tight, but you should make it, especially if you stick to the front of the plane. My best advice (and this is from someone who has travelled quite a bit with relatives in their 80's): WHEELCHAIR! Get one for him when you check your bags, and the two of you will be able to pre-board so you get seats up at the front. Then double (or triple) check that they will have a wheelchair waiting for him in Chicago, and ask the flight attendants about getting the two of you off the plane first, since you have a tight connection. Hopefully the person with the wheelchair will already know (or will be able to quickly figure out) exactly which gate you need to go to and get you there fast. With the wheelchair, you will be able to preboard or at least board immediately, if boarding has already begun.

Good luck!