Short layover

our flight times have changed. We now have only a short layover in Portland. Only 30 minutes. Our travel agency called Alaskan Airline and they say we have plenty on time. Sure hope we and are luggage make it. We fly in the day before so we should be ok. Hope we leave our first flight on time.

You could, if there are different flights that work better, call Alaska and state the schedule change doesn't work for you, and seek to change it to one that does. I would. 30 minutes doesn't make me comfortable.

Good advice to call Alaska and see if they will change your flight. You didn't give any details so I can only mention some things that can make those 30 minutes disappear. Your flight could be late arriving. Your plane might have to wait for a gate. It could take you awhile to get off the flight depending on where you are sitting. Will your first flight be on a regional so that you will have to gate check carry on luggage and wait for it to be brought up to the jet way?

On the other hand, you might get lucky and arrive a bit early and the gate for your next flight might be close by.

Of course there is no way to predict how your flights will go so if it's possible to rearrange them, it's worth considering. Your decision and nobody else's experiences really matter.

30 min may be a legal connection but I wouldn't be comfortable with it. Even the tiniest delay will cause you to miss your connection. As someone said, if a better option is available, call the airline and ask to change it. *Usually* airlines will do this, even when the change results in a still legal connection, if it's significantly different than what you booked. Actually, you said you used a TA so get him or her to take care of this; that's what they're being paid for.

We have looked into all the flights leaving Portland and not much choices. Only one other direct flight later in the day. Other ones would be connecting flights. At least we don't have to go through customs until we hit Vancouver. The flight times changed from when we booked. Hoping it all works out. We were hoping to explore Vancouver before our cruise. Just one more stressful thing to add to my stress list.

Cities, routes, flight numbers, dates and times. All make for a much more informed answer than "our flight times have changed".

At least we know that at least one segment is on Alaska.

our flight times have changed. We now have only a short layover in Portland. Only 30 minutes. Our travel agency called Alaskan Airline and they say we have plenty on time. Sure hope we and are luggage make it. We fly in the day before so we should be ok. Hope we leave our first flight on time.

Not a chance would I do this. You might make it but your bags very likely will not. I love Alaska Airlines and fly almost exclusively with them. You need to get this changed!

Details would be helpful in order to give proper advice. PDX and SeaTac are my homes away from home.

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Our flight leaves Omaha at 6:47 am and arrives Portland at 8: 39 am. Leaves Portland at 9:10 am. Husband does not seem to worry . I am the worrier of the two of us. Travel agent called the airline, airlines says we will be fine. I'm hoping we are not the only ones on that flight trying to catch the same plane.

Are you flying to Vancouver? If so there is a 10:30am & 11:00am flight. Your bags will not make your flight..... change to either of these. And yes even in Portland Oregon 30min is too close and your TA should be fired for even considering that this is acceptable. You run the risk of a cruise with no bags.

Are you flying to Vancouver? If so there is a 10:30am & 11:00am flight. Your bags will not make your flight..... change to either of these. And yes even in Portland Oregon 30min is too close and your TA should be fired for even considering that this is acceptable. You run the risk of a cruise with no bags.

I don't think anyone can definitively say OP's bags wouldn't make the connecting flight. Thirty minutes is enough time for them to be loaded on the next flight.

OP is flying in the day before the cruise leaves. I think odds high she'll have her bags.

We have a flight with Alaska Air in July and they did the same thing to us, changed a two hour connection to a 45 minute connection. When I called (from Perth, Australia) they insisted that it was fine as MCT was 30 minutes.

As we are unfamiliar with US airports and were worried about our bags making it, I refused the flight and they were able to change us to the next flight with the same seats. This flight has a two hour connection. Probably more then we need but better then 45 minutes.

As others have said Minimum Connection Time is based on nothing going wrong and you being able to get first of the plane and moving fast. Not something I want to deal with anytime but especially when on vacation.

Julie

I don't think anyone can definitively say OP's bags wouldn't make the connecting flight. Thirty minutes is enough time for them to be loaded on the next flight.

 

OP is flying in the day before the cruise leaves. I think odds high she'll have her bags.

In looking at these flights there is one piece of good news, the Omaha flight arrives at the A Gates and the next flight to Vancouver departs from the A Gates. These Gates are in a very small area so you and your bags will not need to trek across the airport to make your flight.

If it was me I still would not risk it but do have your Plan B all researched and ready to go just in case. I'm one of those people that feel like if I have a Plan B I won't need it.

Good luck, I am passing thru PDX to YVR on Saturday June 10 and sailing on June 11.

When we first booked this flight we had a hour layover. It is not the TA fault that Alaskan Airlines changed the time. I think we are just going to keep it, and if we miss it hope to catch another flight. I may not get to see Vancouver as I would like. As long as there are no delays in Omaha and the pilot flies fast we hope to be ok. I'm a planner but if all else fails we have a whole day to get to Vancouver. I am not sure I can change the husbands mind. Thanks for advice. I really just needed a place to vent.

When we first booked this flight we had a hour layover. It is not the TA fault that Alaskan Airlines changed the time. I think we are just going to keep it, and if we miss it hope to catch another flight. I may not get to see Vancouver as I would like. As long as there are no delays in Omaha and the pilot flies fast we hope to be ok. I'm a planner but if all else fails we have a whole day to get to Vancouver. I am not sure I can change the husbands mind. Thanks for advice. I really just needed a place to vent.

Good luck! I hope your flight from Omaha is on time and you have tail winds! Look at gate information for the connection BEFORE you get on the Omaha flight so you have an idea of how fast you have to move. Try to get seats as far to the front as possible, taking the dreaded middles if necessary, seating apart. I have a friend who calls an MCT connection a "Clint Eastwood" connection: "Do you feel lucky, punk?" ;)

They will be at the "A" Gates and they are all within 10 feet of each other. :)

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Hoping for the best. I plan on also having a carry on with a few days clothes in it. So if luggage is delayed I have clothes. Does the airport in Vancouver deliver it to you if it got delayed or do we have to go back to the airport to get it? The only way flight out of Omaha would be delayed would be weather or mechanical. Since it is early in the morning I would think it is the first flight that plane has. Husband says we are keeping flight times. Why do women only worry about things like this.

We have looked into all the flights leaving Portland and not much choices. Only one other direct flight later in the day. Other ones would be connecting flights.

Have you considered changing your itinerary entirely, so that you connect somewhere other than Portland? Seattle perhaps, or Salt Lake City? You might find you have more options if you don't look at just getting from Portland to Vancouver, but rather from Omaha to Vancouver. Actually, again, your TA should be doing this for you.

Our flight leaves Omaha at 6:47 am and arrives Portland at 8: 39 am. Leaves Portland at 9:10 am. Husband does not seem to worry . I am the worrier of the two of us. Travel agent called the airline, airlines says we will be fine. I'm hoping we are not the only ones on that flight trying to catch the same plane.

The airline always says you'll be fine, as long as it's a legal connection, which it apparently is. They operate on the assumption that all flights will operate on time. The reality is that that is far from the truth.

Keep in mind that the boarding doors often close 5-10 minutes prior to the schedule departure time, so that paperwork can be finalized prior to departure. That means you could arrive at 9:00 and find the boarding door closed, and even if the aircraft is still sitting there, you won't be allowed to board. Also, you are generally required to be in the gate house even earlier, or the airline has the right to give away your seat. So, your 30 minute connection doesn't actually mean you have a full 30 minutes. If your inbound flight is delayed even a little, and/or has to wait a few minutes for a gate upon arrival, and/or you're sitting in the back of the plane and it takes a while to deplane, you could easily miss this flight.

So here is a post from Alaska Airlines FB wall this morning and it involves PDX and the "A Gates"

"Huge Mess on A gates in PDX....please send some help here.... Roughly 500 people and no flights leaving.... Trying to get on 4:30 flight and now it's 7:30..."

Your 30 min may work, but don't count in it... :(

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I personally would not accept that short a connect (but that's me). Given the risk I would be sure to look up what the backup plans are in case you miss it. You don't mention the date of travel but it looks like Alaska's next flight is at 4:00 that afternoon (assuming of course they have seats). Air Canada has better connects but I'm not sure Alaska would allow that.

Hoping for the best. I plan on also having a carry on with a few days clothes in it. So if luggage is delayed I have clothes. Does the airport in Vancouver deliver it to you if it got delayed or do we have to go back to the airport to get it? The only way flight out of Omaha would be delayed would be weather or mechanical. Since it is early in the morning I would think it is the first flight that plane has. Husband says we are keeping flight times. Why do women only worry about things like this.

Oh how I sympathize with you and the worrying. I do all of it for both of us. Could be, that in my case, that is why DH doesn't worry??

You might want to check and make sure the plane comes in the night before since yours is the first flight of the day. You mentioned taking a carry on- it looks like you will be on a flight operated by a regional and may have to gate check your carry on because many of the planes regionals use have small overheads. I mention this because if you have to gate check, you have to wait for it to be brought up to the jetway. While I don't want to add to your worries, I do want to give you a heads up so you can plan accordingly.

We made our short layover with plenty of time. Our plane came in early so it worked out well. Even had time to hit the bathroom and get a drink.