New York, LaGuardia question

The New England cruise (Princess) we're looking at returns to the port of New York on a Saturday morning, 7:15 am. We'd like to use a flight that leaves LGA at 10:00 am (Delta to Atlanta). In your opinion, is this ample time to disembark, claim luggage, etc., and make the flight?

I wouldn't book a flight that early. Sometimes ships arrive late. It usually takes a half hour to 45 minutes after the ship docks to even begin disembarkation...and you can never tell how long it will take you to get through customs/immigration. You then have to get a taxi, or summon your car service if you prebooked one...then worry about traffic. Delta recommends arriving at the airport 75 minutes prior to your flight, and at LGA requires you to check in with your baggage no later than 45 minutes before flight time.

I'm not saying you can't make it...but that the slightest glitch will likely mean you'll miss the flight.

If you insist on trying to make that flight, you should do the walk off self disembarkation (I assume it will be offered on your ship), which should allow you to be among the first off the ship.

We did self disembarkment in NYC on our last cruise, on a Sunday. We were cleared through customs by 10:45 (NYC is known to have customs issues).

The New England cruise (Princess) we're looking at returns to the port of New York on a Saturday morning, 7:15 am. We'd like to use a flight that leaves LGA at 10:00 am (Delta to Atlanta). In your opinion, is this ample time to disembark, claim luggage, etc., and make the flight?

Your chances of making a 10AM flight are very, very slim.

1. Your cruise most likely returns to BROOKLYN, not Manhattan. Have you checked??

2. LGA check in and particularly security lines can be very long.

3. You will have to pre arrange a car service. The taxi line can be VERY long at both cruise terminals in NYC.

4. IF you miss the flight, your tickets MAY be canceled. It is up to the airline to decide whether they will honor your tickets or make you buy new ones. Walk up tickets could cost an absolute fortune.

Schedule a later flight. I truly believe you have less than a 10% chance of making a 10AM flight out of LGA.

We did self disembarkment in NYC on our last cruise, on a Sunday. We were cleared through customs by 10:45 (NYC is known to have customs issues).

which means they never would make a 10 am plane. There are delta flights leaving every hour or so, it obviously a price issue as the early flights tend to be less expensive.

I personally never understand cutting it this close. You have to worry the whole cruise that you will make your flight and as the end of the cruise approaches your level of tension increases. Not my idea of a vacation even if it does save some money...

schedule the flight later(no earlier than 1)...

which means they never would make a 10 am plane. There are delta flights leaving every hour or so, it obviously a price issue as the early flights tend to be less expensive.

 

Morning Sid (hello from sunny Kuwait)

As I posted previously, the initial price issue could be VERY, VERY small if they miss the flight. Delta has every right in the world to cancel their original tickets and force them to buy same day one way walk up tickets just to get home (which could be VERY, VERY costly unless the original tickets are high dollar, refundable tickets).

And do they have a connecting flight to catch out of ATL or is their car at Hartsfield (appears they live in SC)? Could get even more expensive-maybe even hotels, etc.

OP

Please don't think you can make this work. As njhorseman posted, one little teeny, teeny tiny glitch and your plans are out the window.

Morning Sid (hello from sunny Kuwait)

 

As I posted previously, the initial price issue could be VERY, VERY small if they miss the flight. Delta has every right in the world to cancel their original tickets and force them to buy same day one way walk up tickets just to get home (which could be VERY, VERY costly unless the original tickets are high dollar, refundable tickets).

 

And do they have a connecting flight to catch out of ATL or is their car at Hartsfield (appears they live in SC)? Could get even more expensive-maybe even hotels, etc.

 

OP

 

Please don't think you can make this work. As njhorseman posted, one little teeny, teeny tiny glitch and your plans are out the window.

LOL we are heading to sunny but cold the Netherlands...

I don't disagree at all.

Delta has every right in the world to cancel their original tickets and force them to buy same day one way walk up tickets just to get home (which could be VERY, VERY costly unless the original tickets are high dollar, refundable tickets).

They may have a right to do this, but that is very unlikely. People miss flights for one reason or another, all the time, every day. What usually happens is they put you on standby for a later flight, they may or may not charge a change fee. At least that is my experience.

It's just not in the airlines best interests to take advantage of passengers in their hour of need.

That said, I don't think it is smart to book a 10am flight, I would try for 12pm or later.

Thanks to everyone for your replies and insight. There is a flight leaving after noon and it appears to be more suitable. Money is not an issue, especially for a trip like this out of a port like New York. The desire to catch this earlier flight was just as one of you thought - to make an earlier connection in Atlanta. To be truthful, the reason for making the earliest possible connection was to get home ASAP to watch college football and our team. Yes, my wife and I are that much fans. :)

They may have a right to do this, but that is very unlikely. People miss flights for one reason or another, all the time, every day. What usually happens is they put you on standby for a later flight, they may or may not charge a change fee. At least that is my experience.

The airlines do it all the time. No shows are no shows. And particularly if you have a connecting flight. Don't fly the first segment (which in this case would be LGA to ATL) and your ticket is CANCELED.

Planes are flying full. Passengers who miss their planes through their OWN fault are not afforded much in the way of help anymore. I fly well over 100,000 miles per year and have seen people BEGGING/CRYING to get on the next plane because they showed up late at the airport through their own fault. Change fee of $150 for a $150 ticket is becoming a general standard anymore if you missed the plane through your own fault. Better have an accident report, a fire dept report that your house or car was involved in a fire or another VERY good backup if you show up late at the airport because of YOU and don't want to get tagged with extra fees or waiting until the next day.

It's just not in the airlines best interests to take advantage of passengers in their hour of need.

IF it was truly "their hour of need", the airlines would most likely accommodate. BUT booking a flight too early to make it off the ship, through Immigration and Customs, to the airport, through check in and security and checking luggage early enough to get it on the plane certainly doesn't meet the "hour of need" criteria.

OP-so you don't miss the game, if you are that much of a fan (I had to purchase and figure out how to do Slingbox in Southampton, UK or DH wasn't going on the cruise because of the Iowa Hawkeye Bowl game so I know the feeling), either find a hotel or sports bar (more likely a sports bar with multiple games showing) and take a later flight after the game. Or buy an airline lounge pass and possibly watch the game in there.

I would suggest not booking that flight. There are so many factors that could go wrong and do go wrong many times.

The airlines do it all the time. No shows are no shows. And particularly if you have a connecting flight. Don't fly the first segment (which in this case would be LGA to ATL) and your ticket is CANCELED.

 

I fly well over 100,000 miles per year and have seen people BEGGING/CRYING to get on the next plane because they showed up late at the airport through their own fault.

Greatam,

First of all, we both agree that a 10am flight is not a good choice. However, my experience about missed flights has been different (have you ever missed a flight?). The airlines will do what's in their best interests. And it's not in their best interests to stick it to passengers who miss their flight, for whatever reason. There are probably no shows/late shows on most flights. The airlines know this. The will overbook flights and allow standby to try to get the flight full. But on the other side, since there are other passengers to take the place of late shows, they try to put late shows on standby on a later flight.

Again, people miss flights all the time. If you see people begging/crying, they won't get on the next flight if it is already full, no matter how much they would pay. But how do you know that they showed up late through their own fault? Maybe the taxi showed up very late (this happened to me), maybe the freeway was closed because of an accident? Maybe the power was out and their alarm clock didn't go off? The airline doesn't have time to do an investigation every time somebody misses a flight. My experience is that if I want a confirmed seat on a later flight, there is a change fee, but if I want to take a chance and fly standby, then there is no fee.