Delta Changed Layover Time in BOS

[MustBCruzn]

I'm flying post-cruise from FCO - RDU via BOS and in May and the layover time in BOS has just been shortened to 3 hours. I've never flown through Boston before, and given the chaos in the airports right now (although I hope it's better by May), is this an adequate amount of time? I still have the lingering nightmare of my 4-hour Atlanta layover on my flight from FCO to DEN last month (which I thought would be adequate but was just awful and I barely got to my seat in time). Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. 

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours is plenty.

[Globaliser]

16 hours ago, MustBCruzn said:

I'm flying post-cruise from FCO - RDU via BOS and in May and the layover time in BOS has just been shortened to 3 hours. I've never flown through Boston before, and given the chaos in the airports right now (although I hope it's better by May), is this an adequate amount of time?

 

Is it 3 hours exactly, or is it 3:35? I can see a routine connection (about 6 days a week) that arrives at 1355 and departs at 1730. If that is your connection, then you've got even more time to play with. And there's a later BOS-RDU flight most days of the week (again, about 6) if you miss the 1730.

 

Plus there may well be more schedule changes before May.

 

And you should be protected by 261/2004 if you miss the connection.

[Zach1213]

Plenty of time, as long as everything is on time (which can be said for 90 minute connections and nine-hour connections alike). I really haven't had that much of an issue with airports in the US for quite some time now, including at immigration. 

[waterbug123]

6 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Is it 3 hours exactly, or is it 3:35? I can see a routine connection (about 6 days a week) that arrives at 1355 and departs at 1730. If that is your connection, then you've got even more time to play with. And there's a later BOS-RDU flight most days of the week (again, about 6) if you miss the 1730.

 

Plus there may well be more schedule changes before May.

 

And you should be protected by 261/2004 if you miss the connection.

Would EU261 kick in if his flight lands on time and the missed connection is solely due to US customs/immigration and/or security delays?

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

Would EU261 kick in if his flight lands on time and the missed connection is solely due to US customs/immigration and/or security delays?

Possibly yes, according to this Points Guy article - https://thepointsguy.com/news/eu-flight-compensation-law-applies-to-domestic-flights/ .

 

I have no experience with this situation personally, and would be curious to see how it would work in practice, especially if the delay is related to security and/or immigration, and no fault of the airline(s) itself. 

[Globaliser]

 

14 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

16 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

Would EU261 kick in if his flight lands on time and the missed connection is solely due to US customs/immigration and/or security delays?

 

Possibly yes, according to this Points Guy article - https://thepointsguy.com/news/eu-flight-compensation-law-applies-to-domestic-flights/ .

 

I have no experience with this situation personally, and would be curious to see how it would work in practice, especially if the delay is related to security and/or immigration, and no fault of the airline(s) itself. 

 

If the misconnect really has nothing to do with the airline, then I agree this would be dubious. But a misconnect is much more likely to be the result of a delay. I was thinking primarily of the duty of care rather than the lottery win of cash compensation, because that should put some pressure on the airline to reroute (including via interline if necessary) to get the passenger moving, and if that really can't be done and a nightstop is needed, then the airline should be picking up the bill.

 

It does irritate me a bit when so much that is written about 261/2004 is about cash compensation, when in practical terms the duty of care is much more important. But then I suppose it goes hand in hand with a buying culture that prioritises dollar signs over every other consideration.

[Zach1213]

5 hours ago, Globaliser said:

It does irritate me a bit when so much that is written about 261/2004 is about cash compensation, when in practical terms the duty of care is much more important. But then I suppose it goes hand in hand with a buying culture that prioritises dollar signs over every other consideration.

 

That's fair. I am definitely guilty of a mindset that goes straight to compensation, but I think it's because I have been lucky (to date) that all of my EU261/2004 claims have been related to being delayed several hours and not overnight, so I haven't had to deal with the duty-of-care side of things beyond meals at the airport.