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Connection times in Atlanta



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 27th, 2010, 10:09 AM posted to rec.travel.air
KGB
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Posts: 115
Default Connection times in Atlanta

Hi

My wife and I are flying from the UK to the USA with Delta on 2nd
September, connecting in Atlanta to our final destination, the flights
having been booked a few months ago. Our original booking gave a
transit time of 1hr 35mins in Atlanta - not ideal, bearing in mind we
have to go through US immigration, collect our baggage, go through US
customs, etc, then re-check our baggage and almost certainly change
terminals. We weren't too concerned as, in the past, we have managed
it many times in under an hour, so the timing is certainly "do-able"
in normal circumstances.

However, I recently realized that Sept 2nd is the Thursday before
Labor Day weekend (we Brits aren't too familiar with dates of US
public holidays) plus, Delta has now rescheduled our internal flight,
knocking 10 minutes off the connection time, reducing it to 1hr
25mins; which I think is a bit tight.

The problem is actually now somewhat academic as, after contacting our
travel agent expressing my concerns, they managed to change (free of
charge) the US domestic leg to a later flight, giving us a more
sensible 2hr 35min connection time in Atlanta.

However, from pure curiosity I would be interested to know whether
people think that 1hr 25min would have been enough time to get from
our International arrival gate to the Domestic departure gate, two
days before Labor Day weekend. It is an official Delta connection but
some years ago, we had a bad experience connecting through Dulles
airport on the Friday of Labor Day weekend; and although we caught our
flight (only just) it is an experience I wouldn't want to repeat!!!.

Would experts in this NG have left the booking as it was, or did I do
the right thing to change the booking? - I'm just curious.

Regards

KGB

  #2  
Old May 27th, 2010, 05:13 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Steve Cain
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Posts: 246
Default Connection times in Atlanta



"KGB (KGB)" wrote in message
...
Hi

My wife and I are flying from the UK to the USA with Delta on 2nd
September, connecting in Atlanta to our final destination, the flights
having been booked a few months ago. Our original booking gave a
transit time of 1hr 35mins in Atlanta - not ideal, bearing in mind we
have to go through US immigration, collect our baggage, go through US
customs, etc, then re-check our baggage and almost certainly change
terminals. We weren't too concerned as, in the past, we have managed
it many times in under an hour, so the timing is certainly "do-able"
in normal circumstances.

However, I recently realized that Sept 2nd is the Thursday before
Labor Day weekend (we Brits aren't too familiar with dates of US
public holidays) plus, Delta has now rescheduled our internal flight,
knocking 10 minutes off the connection time, reducing it to 1hr
25mins; which I think is a bit tight.

The problem is actually now somewhat academic as, after contacting our
travel agent expressing my concerns, they managed to change (free of
charge) the US domestic leg to a later flight, giving us a more
sensible 2hr 35min connection time in Atlanta.

However, from pure curiosity I would be interested to know whether
people think that 1hr 25min would have been enough time to get from
our International arrival gate to the Domestic departure gate, two
days before Labor Day weekend. It is an official Delta connection but
some years ago, we had a bad experience connecting through Dulles
airport on the Friday of Labor Day weekend; and although we caught our
flight (only just) it is an experience I wouldn't want to repeat!!!.

Would experts in this NG have left the booking as it was, or did I do
the right thing to change the booking? - I'm just curious.

Regards

KGB


Over a period of years ATL has expedited their re-check/customs/entry
process to the point where it's a slam dunk.

To me, however, this stuff is like the stock market....can you sleep at
night? Particularly on a long haul flying into the wind.

I think I'd like the 2 hr thing myself, particularly if the number of
flights continuing to where ever were not numerous.

With that kind of layover youl may do well to stay in the international
terminal where ATL puts on its best face before going to the next gate in a
timely manner.

regards, s


  #3  
Old May 27th, 2010, 05:16 PM posted to rec.travel.air
John Levine
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Posts: 176
Default Connection times in Atlanta

Would experts in this NG have left the booking as it was, or did I do
the right thing to change the booking? - I'm just curious.


I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight.

R's,
John
  #4  
Old May 30th, 2010, 10:10 AM posted to rec.travel.air
Louis Krupp[_2_]
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Posts: 9
Default Connection times in Atlanta

On 5/27/2010 10:16 AM, John Levine wrote:
Would experts in this NG have left the booking as it was, or did I do
the right thing to change the booking? - I'm just curious.


I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight.


You might not want an earlier flight if your luggage is on the later
flight. What you might be able to do -- I've done this at O'Hare
connecting from London to Denver on United -- is approach a Delta agent
(after you clear customs) with luggage in hand and ask if there's (1)
room on the earlier flight and (2) enough time for you to catch it. The
airline has a vested interest in filling the earlier flight, and unless
they expect to do that with last-minute walk-ups, they should be
accommodating. The worst they can do is say, "No, it's almost Labor Day
weekend, what were you thinking?" and you'll catch the later flight.
It's certainly better than being booked on the earlier flight, missing
it and waiting until a later flight opens up.

Louis
  #5  
Old May 30th, 2010, 06:42 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Jeff Hacker
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Posts: 241
Default Connection times in Atlanta


"Louis Krupp" wrote in message
...
On 5/27/2010 10:16 AM, John Levine wrote:
Would experts in this NG have left the booking as it was, or did I do
the right thing to change the booking? - I'm just curious.


I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight.


You might not want an earlier flight if your luggage is on the later
flight. What you might be able to do -- I've done this at O'Hare
connecting from London to Denver on United -- is approach a Delta agent
(after you clear customs) with luggage in hand and ask if there's (1) room
on the earlier flight and (2) enough time for you to catch it. The
airline has a vested interest in filling the earlier flight, and unless
they expect to do that with last-minute walk-ups, they should be
accommodating. The worst they can do is say, "No, it's almost Labor Day
weekend, what were you thinking?" and you'll catch the later flight. It's
certainly better than being booked on the earlier flight, missing it and
waiting until a later flight opens up.

Louis


Maybe some time ago, but no more. All the major airlines are now charging
for standby changes on the same day.

jeff

  #6  
Old May 31st, 2010, 12:21 AM posted to rec.travel.air
John Levine
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 176
Default Connection times in Atlanta

I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight. ...


accommodating. The worst they can do is say, "No, it's almost Labor Day
weekend, what were you thinking?" and you'll catch the later flight. It's
certainly better than being booked on the earlier flight, missing it and
waiting until a later flight opens up.


Maybe some time ago, but no more. All the major airlines are now charging
for standby changes on the same day.


Looking at Delta's web site, it appears that they charge $50 for a
confirmed same-day flight change, but if you just want to stand by and
see if you get on, that's free.

The last time I flew on United, within the past year, it was the same
rule, pay for a confirmed change, or take your chances for free.

R's,
John



  #7  
Old June 1st, 2010, 10:22 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Jeff Hacker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 241
Default Connection times in Atlanta


"John Levine" wrote in message
...
I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight. ...


accommodating. The worst they can do is say, "No, it's almost Labor Day
weekend, what were you thinking?" and you'll catch the later flight.
It's
certainly better than being booked on the earlier flight, missing it and
waiting until a later flight opens up.


Maybe some time ago, but no more. All the major airlines are now charging
for standby changes on the same day.


Looking at Delta's web site, it appears that they charge $50 for a
confirmed same-day flight change, but if you just want to stand by and
see if you get on, that's free.

The last time I flew on United, within the past year, it was the same
rule, pay for a confirmed change, or take your chances for free.

R's,
John


Delta is charging for same day changes, including standby. Anything to gain
revenue. . . .


  #8  
Old June 3rd, 2010, 06:21 AM posted to rec.travel.air
SMS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 899
Default Connection times in Atlanta

On 30/05/10 4:21 PM, John Levine wrote:
I'd have done what you did. If you fly through customs, you can always
stand by for the earlier flight. ...


accommodating. The worst they can do is say, "No, it's almost Labor Day
weekend, what were you thinking?" and you'll catch the later flight. It's
certainly better than being booked on the earlier flight, missing it and
waiting until a later flight opens up.


Maybe some time ago, but no more. All the major airlines are now charging
for standby changes on the same day.


Looking at Delta's web site, it appears that they charge $50 for a
confirmed same-day flight change, but if you just want to stand by and
see if you get on, that's free.

The last time I flew on United, within the past year, it was the same
rule, pay for a confirmed change, or take your chances for free.


If they suggest the flight change to the earlier flight (which they have
a vested interest in doing if there's space), then they won't charge
you. If you request it, they will likely try to charge you. You probably
wouldn't be able to sit together.

You probably did the right thing by moving the 2nd flight. Flights are
running very full even not on holidays these days. Non-revenue
passengers really have a tough time these days getting on, and need to
be very flexible, but as a revenue passenger you'd at least have
priority over them.
  #9  
Old June 28th, 2010, 05:30 AM
BlackEyes BlackEyes is offline
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First recorded activity by TravelBanter: Nov 2009
Posts: 15
Default

In most cases your luggage will already be checked all the way through, so you won't even need to go through security again.
  #10  
Old June 28th, 2010, 01:53 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Binyamin Dissen
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Posts: 409
Default Connection times in Atlanta

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:30:38 +0000 BlackEyes
wrote:

:In most cases your luggage will already be checked all the way through,
:so you won't even need to go through security again.

Can one pass US customs in the UK, like they can in Canada?

--
Binyamin Dissen
http://www.dissensoftware.com

Should you use the mailblocks package and expect a response from me,
you should preauthorize the dissensoftware.com domain.

I very rarely bother responding to challenge/response systems,
especially those from irresponsible companies.
 




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