Even in the summer

[Sue L]

Everyone always worries about flying in the winter with snowstorms but things happen year roung.

 

If you haven't heard it enough times, if possible fly in the day before. A friend almost missed a ship today not because of weather but because of a small mechanical problem that delayed the flight a couple hours, arrived and boarded with 8 minutes to spare.

[yogimax]

A friend almost missed a ship today not because of weather but because of a small mechanical problem that delayed the flight a couple hours, arrived and boarded with 8 minutes to spare.

 

That happened to us on a direct flight from LGA. We scheduled a 4 hour leeway. First, the plane was late... then they discovered it had blown a tire on landing... then they discovered a second blown tire.

 

Thankfully, we got to the pier with five minutes to spare.

 

Yes, getting in a day early is the ideal. Unfortunately, sometimes you just can't do it.

[cruiseguy1016]

Winter storms are always everyone's big worries but other things also cause planes to be delayed. Mechanical problems are one. Fog is another. We were delayed in a fog in Atlanta for four hours last year. The airport in Rochester, NY was closed for several hours earlier this week because of a fire at a refueling station. There are so many things that can lead to a delayed flight. You just never know. If at all possible, plan on flying in the day before and you can avoid a bunch of possible stress/headaches.

[jjb415]

I sometimes fly in the same day as sailing, but, that is when there is no other option. When you understand the risk and have no alternative, you just deal with the possibility of something happening. The first flight of the day is, to me, the only option when traveling the same day. ;)

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

ITA...going day prior.

 

We break that rule when we cruise out of either SD or San Pedro... from AZ its just an hours flight and we take an early flight but I am still a nervous wreck until I get to the port....anything can happen.

 

and please don't forget to get insurance. :)

 

***

[luvscruising2007]

Although this was on our way home from a cruise it demonstrates that things can go wrong at any time.

We were flying back from Alaska in early June and had a change in Minneapolis. After sitting on our plane for a couple of hours they told us our flight was cancelled.

It turned out the east coast was experiencing severe thunderstorms and flights were being cancelled in and out of the airports.

We spent the night at the airport and took the same flight we were supposed to take the previous day.

[Coralc]

I sometimes fly in the same day as sailing, but, that is when there is no other option. When you understand the risk and have no alternative, you just deal with the possibility of something happening. The first flight of the day is, to me, the only option when traveling the same day. ;)

 

ITA...going day prior.

 

We break that rule when we cruise out of either SD or San Pedro... from AZ its just an hours flight and we take an early flight but I am still a nervous wreck until I get to the port....anything can happen.

 

and please don't forget to get insurance. :)

 

***

 

Well, yeah. We fly to LAX or SAN on the same day because it is a little over an hour or 2 flight, with multiple flights per day. Too bad those options are going away.

 

But any other port, I think you would both agree, that we go at least a day early. Most other ports seem to be at least an all day flight away, anyway. Plus the time change. :D:):D

[dougp26364]

As the old saying goes, "If you have time to spare, go by air." We recently missed a connection that had a 5 hour layover (not what I originally booked but how it ended up after Delta finished making all their changes). I would never in a million years thought I'd miss a connection with that long of a layover. Fortunately, it was a land based vacation and arriving the next late morning wasn't such a big deal.

 

I've been delayed so many times due to storms affecting other flights somewhere in the country that I just pack a lunch and a book when I head out for the airport. Anymore, I try to book layovers that are at least 1 hour and preferably 90 minutes long, then find a restaurant or bar and relax a little between flights. It sucks being in the airports so long but, it sucks less than running through the airport trying to catch the next flight or spending time on the phone rebooking because you missed a connection.

[jillyfish]

...............and don't forget hurricanes that can make a mess of flight schedules. :o

[lady_cruiser]

That is why I am glad we live within 3 or 4 hours of two cruise ports. Of course there still can be delays because the Interstate can be close because of wrecks and fogs can seriously delay driving time. So I guess whether you are driving or flying the rule is try and get to the city of departure a day early "if you can."

[ORD1166]

The DW and I always go the day before. Even if we are just driving to Galveston. Traffic can be a mess going thru Houston:eek:. But when we have to fly it is the day before. Don't want to worry about delays, weather etc when flying. We are going out of San Juan in Feb and we plan on going down a couple of days early. That way we can do some touring of San Juan as we have never been there.

[mutzy]

we were flying home from grand junction on a sunday- got on the plane- they started it up - they turned the engines off- again they started it up- they turned the engines off- they opened the door and said mechanical issues- we will need to fly someone in from denver to see what is wrong. so everyone had to re-book to get out of grand junction- we were told no flights to denver/st louis until the next day- husband had chemo scheduled for monday- told them- quess what we were out of the airport in 1/2 hr on our way to denver- they switched us to a different airline to st louis- got home before our originally schedule time. the big issue for all the passengers stranded in grand junction was there were not hotels available in grand junction- they had two big events going on.

 

now we make sure we schedule a couple of extra days to get home !