Flight transfers advice

[Vandle]

Did a skin of the teeth transfer recently into Singapore. Was delayed 40 minutes and a storm delayed landing further. We were sitting very back row and we had to get the train to change terminals and we had about half an hour. Had to dash through the airport but made it only to find the flight delayed anyway as it was waiting for luggage from the one we flew in on. Had about 45 minutes on the return leg and made it easily.

 

[EvilRob]

My travel has been increasing up to about 8 long hauls a year, almost all with connections in either USA or Middle East. Touch wood, I've not missed a connection for many years. I usually try for a 1.5 hr connection. I used to do 3-4 hours for the USA but Global Entry is a game changer and now down to 1.5 also.

 

[Raymond Lin]

This is exactly my point above ^^^.

If you are a frequent SINGLE BUSINESS PERSON traveller, then you have benefits like Global Entry, seating further up the plane, know the layout of the airport. 15mins here (Gobal Entry), 20mins there (seating on Row 3 instead of Row 33) and know which direction to get to your gate without even looking at the board can save you a lot of time and not having to sheep dog a family to the same direction at times.

So to say "I have 30mins spare waiting at the gate from a 55min layover"...is disregarding the common, regular and frequent issues other less travelled, less perks passengers have to endure. Yes, it is perfectly doable to make a connection stated on the ticket IF everything runs smoothly, like not stuck behind 200 people in front of you trying to get off would help.

Take that 55min connection....I don't you can make it if your initial departure was delayed by 45mins and then it took 10mins from landing to the door being opened, and then you are at row 37 in the back of the plane which adds 20mins to get off? And then 5mins to the customs and then another 15mins to get through customs?

45+10+20+5+15 (=95) a bigger number than 55.

Not to mention if they start to close the gate 30mins before the scheduled departure (when they know I am supposed to be on that flight)...now you only have 25mins layover before the gate start to close!

Which is why I would want 2hrs to feel comfortable, even at the best of times, even removing the initial 45mins delay on that particular trip, 2hrs doesn't seem that long. It takes very little to eat into the 2hrs, SO many factors and some are always present...like being seated at row 37 in economy.

 

[weringo]

If it's on a single ticket I would not be worried about a 90 minute connection time to be honest. If it originates from the UK/EU, you will often be due some pretty hefty compensation (£520) if the connection is missed, so it's just not in the airlines interest to sell you the ticket if it's likely you'll miss the connection.

 

[On Holiday]

So to say "I have 30mins spare waiting at the gate from a 55min layover"...is disregarding the common, regular and frequent issues other less travelled, less perks passengers have to endure. Yes, it is perfectly doable to make a connection stated on the ticket IF everything runs smoothly, like not stuck behind 200 people in front of you trying to get off would help.

My point is that they aren't common, regular and frequent issues, otherwise the through-fare tickets in question would not be offered.
MCTs exist and historical flight delay data is used to calculate the risk of missed connections, amongst a dozen other variables.

You've as much chance of missing a connecting flight on a through-fare ticket as you do by having a 2+ hour departure delay.

Take a moment to think about how many airlines would be going bust if they had to compensate travellers as frequently as you're suggesting they may occur. Most airlines are one hot summer away from going bust.#

Oh and in my example in question, I'd never transferred at Singapore before, hadn't checked the gate map prior, and was sat in the back row of the plane with exit only through the front doors

 

[Raymond Lin]

If it's on a single ticket I would not be worried about a 90 minute connection time to be honest. If it originates from the UK/EU, you will often be due some pretty hefty compensation (£520) if the connection is missed, so it's just not in the airlines interest to sell you the ticket if it's likely you'll miss the connection.

My point is that they aren't common, regular and frequent issues, otherwise the through-fare tickets in question would not be offered.
MCTs exist and historical flight delay data is used to calculate the risk of missed connections, amongst a dozen other variables.

You've as much chance of missing a connecting flight on a through-fare ticket as you do by having a 2+ hour departure delay.

Take a moment to think about how many airlines would be going bust if they had to compensate travellers as frequently as you're suggesting they may occur. Most airlines are one hot summer away from going bust.

I don't think you get what I am saying.

It is NOT the question of their intentions and fears of fines (I too got that compensation when I missed my connection), I know they don't want to do that. My point is that there are a LOT of factors that can turn a 90min layover down to 60mins or less. I know the missed connection is not a common one, that is not disputed. What I am disputing is that you are saying it is an absolute that it will never happen because it's not in the interest of the airline. We agree on that point. What I disagree with that the probability of someone sitting in economy, to an unknown airport for the first time, perhaps with people who need even more handholding, without priority check in and more luggage etc etc. Factors that will make the 90mins feel VERY short.

And....why on earth did they close my gate 30mins early when they know i am not on it?! It is not the first time it happened, I have been on several flights that the door shuts anything from 10mins to 20mins earlier than the scheduled time take off time.

Things like that...I just don't trust it when it is "90mins" layover. In my mind, that is only a 60mins layover. So I need to work back in my mind of all the things that can go wrong.

90mins....now we are at 60mins.
Take off 15mins from previous flight late from taking off.
Take off 15mins from being stuck on the back of the plane in economy
Take off 15mins to get from gate to gate

We are now with only 15mins left as buffer....For an cross planet journey hinged on a 15min buffer....I just don't feel comfortable.

 

[EvilRob]

And....why on earth did they close my gate 30mins early when they know i am not on it?! It is not the first time it happened, I have been on several flights that the door shuts anything from 10mins to 20mins earlier than the scheduled time take off time.

They probably knew you weren't going to make it before the doors shut at their normal 15/20 min before take off time. They are not going to miss their take off slot for one person.

 

[Raymond Lin]

They probably knew you weren't going to make it before the doors shut at their normal 15/20 min before take off time. They are not going to miss their take off slot for one person.

It's more than 1 person...I shared a taxi with several people to the hotel, and when i got to the hotel, there were at least around 20 there...and I got there so much later because CDG is such a terrible place for signs and directions (i took a video actually for my fiance at the time moaning about it). I asked the staff where this place was on the Airline's direction for the pick up point. I got pointed to 1 place, only when i got there, someone else pointed me to a different place, then when I got to that place, someone else tell me it is at another place....I kid you not, I spent at least 90mins looking for the pick up point that was in the A4 piece of paper from Airfrance to the airport pick up spot.

See here, I missed my flight at 9:06....I didn't get into the car until 11pm.

But even if you are right...if they do it INTENTIONALLY.....all the more reason to give myself MORE time.

It's also not the first time they close the gate early, seen it many times, when i am sat down inside the plane and the door closes.

 

[EvilRob]

It's more than 1 person...

But even if you are right...if they do it INTENTIONALLY.....all the more reason to give myself MORE time.

It's also not the first time they close the gate early, seen it many times, when i am sat down inside the plane and the door closes.

Each airline has different rules about when they close the gate, it's usually 15-20 mins before departure. That isn't closing the gate early. I agree, you should definitely build time for that into your connection.

 

[Penfold101]

Basically, in 99% of cases there will be enough time except when something unforeseen happens. If it makes you feel more relaxed, definitely allow more time and everyone is happy.

A 6 hour one does seem a little excessive - maybe see if there’s a hotel room at Dubai she can have or something…

 

[Raymond Lin]

Each airline has different rules about when they close the gate, it's usually 15-20 mins before departure. That isn't closing the gate early. I agree, you should definitely build time for that into your connection.

Exactly, so if it says 90mins....to me, that is 60mins. And by the time I allowed for all the what I call REASONABLE delays, 10min here, 15min there.....in real terms, that is only a 15min layover.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Each airline has different rules about when they close the gate, it's usually 15-20 mins before departure. That isn't closing the gate early. I agree, you should definitely build time for that into your connection.

Basically, in 99% of cases there will be enough time except when something unforeseen happens. If it makes you feel more relaxed, definitely allow more time and everyone is happy.

A 6 hour one does seem a little excessive - maybe see if there’s a hotel room at Dubai she can have or something…

Oh, this reminds of my this time coming back from Taiwan, with a connection in Hong Kong.

Original itinerary - note the RETURN leg.

Then suddenly, as you do....the airline will change something, the plane used, or push the departure a little or sometimes a lot....I got this.

The departure from Hong Kong is at 13:20....they changed my 1st leg of the journey to arrive AFTER the departure of my UK flight...they never sent me another update on the change of the 2nd flight......they basically made me miss my 2nd flight if I hadn't looked at it carefully. So when people say "They wouldn't do it if you can't make it...pardon me but I just don't buy it or trust it...this time the system actually made me miss it. If the excuse is "the computer got it wrong"....well, yeah....mistakes DO happen. I want to place as much control in my hand so that it doesn't happen.

So I called up Cathay...I said "I just got an update to my itinerary." She said "yes you did, it now depart at 14:15."

I said "Yeah, keep looking, I'll wait."

Then I can literally hear the ball drop...there was actually another flight within 30mins of the original one....so got put on that one instead.

Edit - We can only speak from personal experiences....can you blame me for wanting 2hrs in layover or trust the airline to keep their schedule to that degree of accuracy? I probably fly very little compare to you guys and these are my experiences.

 

[Penfold101]

2 hours seems reasonable if you ask me.