Airline Question

Hi all....I wasn't sure where to go to ask this question so thought I would check here first....

We will be flying American Airlines in Jan 2015.....new to us since they are just starting to fly out of Bismarck in Oct 2014.

Didn't realize how short of a connection we will have at O'Hare. We land at 2:40 and leave at 3:15....I wasn't paying attention when booking since I assumed they would leave you enough time since they list the flights...

So here are my 2 questions.....Are most American Flights on time? Is this short connection possible at O'Hare or should we try to get it changed?

Thanks for any input on this!!!

call american and ask them

Hi all....I wasn't sure where to go to ask this question so thought I would check here first....

We will be flying American Airlines in Jan 2015.....new to us since they are just starting to fly out of Bismarck in Oct 2014.

Didn't realize how short of a connection we will have at O'Hare. We land at 2:40 and leave at 3:15....I wasn't paying attention when booking since I assumed they would leave you enough time since they list the flights...

So here are my 2 questions.....Are most American Flights on time? Is this short connection possible at O'Hare or should we try to get it changed?

Thanks for any input on this!!!

I would call American and try to change your flights. That is a short amount of time for a connection at O'Hare. If you are arriving on a regional jet, you may have to walk to a different terminal.

If you booked directly with American you should be ok as the will allow e ought time for the connection.

However if you booked through a travel agent or someone like kayak or Priceline then all bets are off.

Personally I feel this is a very tight connection unless the gates are very close to gather!

Hi all....I wasn't sure where to go to ask this question so thought I would check here first....

We will be flying American Airlines in Jan 2015.....new to us since they are just starting to fly out of Bismarck in Oct 2014.

Didn't realize how short of a connection we will have at O'Hare. We land at 2:40 and leave at 3:15....I wasn't paying attention when booking since I assumed they would leave you enough time since they list the flights...

So here are my 2 questions.....Are most American Flights on time? Is this short connection possible at O'Hare or should we try to get it changed?

Thanks for any input on this!!!

I absolutely would not risk a 45-minute connection, especially in the dead of winter! All it takes is one snowstorm or ice-over, not even necessarily in Bismark or Chicago, but in any one airport that this plane will be in earlier in the day (since it doesn't leave until the afternoon, it will be flying into Bismarck from somewhere else).

We just flew American DEN-DFW-SEA-FAI, with 1-2 hour connections in between, and we barely caught our last flight (to Fairbanks) with about 20 minutes to spare, since every other leg of the flight was consistently late. And this is in good weather.

If you are traveling the day of the cruise, I would try to get it changed. January in Chicago, you never know what the weather will be like. Also, O'hare is known for delays.

I absolutely would not risk a 45-minute connection, especially in the dead of winter! ....

The OP has a 35 minute connection!:eek:

Hi all....I wasn't sure where to go to ask this question so thought I would check here first....

We will be flying American Airlines in Jan 2015.....new to us since they are just starting to fly out of Bismarck in Oct 2014.

Didn't realize how short of a connection we will have at O'Hare. We land at 2:40 and leave at 3:15....I wasn't paying attention when booking since I assumed they would leave you enough time since they list the flights...

So here are my 2 questions.....Are most American Flights on time? Is this short connection possible at O'Hare or should we try to get it changed?

Thanks for any input on this!!!

A 35 minute connection time at O'Hare in January!!!:eek: If it were me, I would definitely allow more time.

over the years i have missed my share of connecting flights thru O'Hare....so i personally would allow a longer layover time.....and in winter i like minimum 2 hour window between flights whenever possible.

safe travels....:)

Ha! We had a 3 hour window in Miami and still missed our flight due to rain. There's no telling if a flight will be on time or not since there's so many variables in play. You simply hope for the best & give yourself the best chance possible (of which 35 mins is not unfortunately).

I will always look for a layover time of 1 hr:30 min minimum, when having to go from Terminal to Terminal or even within the same terminal

Even if you managed to make your connection it's a question if your luggage will too.

If you booked directly with American you should be ok as the will allow e ought time for the connection.

However if you booked through a travel agent or someone like kayak or Priceline then all bets are off.

That really makes no sense... whether they booked directly with American or through a 3rd party, the fact is they have 35 min from arrival to departure. Booking directly with American doesn't change that, and the airlines won't routinely hold the plane for a late inbound passenger just because they booked through them, so I'm not sure why you think there's a difference. :confused:

I'm not familiar with American specifically but 35 min is often a "legal" minimum connect time, but it does not guarantee you will make the flight. If the inbound leg is delayed even 10 or 15 min it could cause a misconnect.

The OP has a 35 minute connection!:eek:

Actually, considering that the boarding door to the outbound flight will frequently close 5-10 min before pushback, it could be conceivably be a 25 minute connection. :eek:

OP- How long ago did you book the flight? I know with Delta you can cancel within 24 hours; not sure what American's policy is. Hopefully they will let you change it without charging a change fee.

American has an on time record a bit over 80% in general. I'd be a wreck w/ a 35 minute window. Going home, no big deal since I wouldn't care if my luggage showed up a day late. Going on the cruise…. YIPES :eek:

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airline/airlineScorecard.do?airline=%28AA%29+American+Airlines&airlineQueryDate=2014-09-29&x=26&y=4

Until the OP lists the flight #'s we don't know if it's a good connection or not. If it's booked direct with AA there are minimum connection times that AA would have to adhere to which is 35 minutes. http://flyerguide.com/index.php/Minimum_Connecting_Times_(AA)

So the connection should be OK.

I avoid Ohare as much as possible. There could be nothing but congestion at Ohare that could delay take offs and landings. Add weather to the mix, and add Chicago winters to it, then you have a disaster waiting to happen.

Even if everything went smoothly, you may still end up running to your gate. They usually start boarding about 30 minutes before departure.

Call AA. It could be you are on the same plane that goes to your final destination but just stops at Ohare to pick up/drop off. I put my wife on flights like this all the time with Southwest so she doesn't have to worry about finding a connecting gate.

If you aren't getting off the plane it is plenty of time :)

I just checked & OP is flying in a least 1 day ahead of time so everything should be ok as AA will get Him/Her to FLL. I would worry about the weather in January more then the 35 minutes.

Fri, Jan 9

12:45 pm – 2:40 pm

Bismarck – Chicago · BIS–ORD

American 3076 · Economy · Embraer ERJ-145

Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle

1h 55m

Layover in Chicago ORD35m

3:15 pm – 7:15 pm

Chicago – Fort Lauderdale · ORD–FLL

American 1071 · Economy · Boeing 737

Average legroom (31")

3h 00m

Some seats with power

No personal video

Would definitely try to make a change.

A lot of the American Eagle commuter-type flights come in a good distance from the main terminal - think long walk. Perhaps someone who knows O'Hare better than I can explain - I just know we tend to land "in the basement" and then have a hike, which inclludes under a runway with a moving walkway, to the "main American gates."

You can lose a lot of time if you are not first off the plane, plus many of the smaller jets require that you gate check your carry-on and you have to wait for that being unloaded. The commuter jets flying out of here often allow only a purse or small computer bag - rolling carryons have to be gate checked.

In my experiences, 35 min is not even close to enough time for this connecting flight.

Some things not mentioned. Flights from Bismark N.D. in January will probably require de-icing. That process alone can easily take a half hour.

The flight is not originating in Bismark, therefore the risk of a delay into Bismark and subsequent late departure for Chicago is real. This is January in the North people, stuff usually happens.

The flight is on a smaller regional jet, which terminal is a different one than the departing Florida flight. Getting off the flight and over to the other terminal in under 1/2 hour just won't happen.

If the O.P. does not change their flight, please come back after your cruise and let us know how the flights worked out.

That really makes no sense... whether they booked directly with American or through a 3rd party, the fact is they have 35 min from arrival to departure. Booking directly with American doesn't change that, and the airlines won't routinely hold the plane for a late inbound passenger just because they booked through them, so I'm not sure why you think there's a difference. :confused:

 

I'm not familiar with American specifically but 35 min is often a "legal" minimum connect time, but it does not guarantee you will make the flight. If the inbound leg is delayed even 10 or 15 min it could cause a misconnect.

 

 

 

Actually, considering that the boarding door to the outbound flight will frequently close 5-10 min before pushback, it could be conceivably be a 25 minute connection. :eek:

 

OP- How long ago did you book the flight? I know with Delta you can cancel within 24 hours; not sure what American's policy is. Hopefully they will let you change it without charging a change fee.

If the flight is a legitimate connection booked thru AA directly it is a connection that AA finds acceptable and has listed as a connecting flight in their inventory. If the flights are booked thru a 3rd party the flights could be two one way tickets sold as a connection but not necessarily a legal connection.

Either way 35 minutes is cutting it way too short. Obviously the flights must connect "most" of them time for it be offered as an option but not a chance i would take given the time of year.

I just checked & OP is flying in a least 1 day ahead of time so everything should be ok as AA will get Him/Her to FLL. I would worry about the weather in January more then the 35 minutes.

 

Fri, Jan 9

 

12:45 pm – 2:40 pm

Bismarck – Chicago · BIS–ORD

American 3076 · Economy · Embraer ERJ-145

Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle

1h 55m

Layover in Chicago ORD35m

 

3:15 pm – 7:15 pm

Chicago – Fort Lauderdale · ORD–FLL

American 1071 · Economy · Boeing 737

Average legroom (31")

3h 00m

Some seats with power

No personal video

Sure, this is a valid legal connection....but IMO I never do a connection unless I have a minimum of 2 hours connection. Jan in Chicago...think snow, de-icing, delays, etc. You can keep this flight as long as you are flying the day prior (which you are) and have a travel insurance. (Don't know). However...this is the stickler. AA1071 to FLL is the last flight out at 3:15P. No other NS departures. You could take later flight via DFW, PHL or CLT. But there again you are connecting. There are later NS flights into Miami and then 45 shuttle/taxi to FLL, but you are arriving late or you might have to overnight in ORD and take the first NS to FLL in the morning. Not really the way you want to start your vacations.

So...I see there is a 7:20A NS to DFW from BIS with 2 hours layover then on to FLL. I'd see if that is possible. I'd much rather connect in DFW in Jan vs going thru ORD. I just don't know the additional cost, etc.

You just have to plan for the unexpected and know your options. Winter is dicey for air travel and routing and allowance for delays are required.

Sometimes the airlines will allow you a free rebook if the connection is too short. The only way to know if they will in your situation is to call the airline. I know on delta if the flight times have changed (and they often do between booking and actual travel date) which could account for the short connection, they will allow a free change.

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12:45 pm – 2:40 pm

Bismarck – Chicago · BIS–ORD

American 3076 · Economy · Embraer ERJ-145

Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle

1h 55m

Layover in Chicago ORD35m

 

3:15 pm – 7:15 pm

Chicago – Fort Lauderdale · ORD–FLL

American 1071 · Economy · Boeing 737

Average legroom (31")

3h 00m

Some seats with power

No personal video

 

That's what I would worry about, going from an RJ to a 737, so it could very well be a different terminal.