Ord connection time

[happycruizer]

We have a 40 min. connection window on flt. from ORD to LAX in early Sept. AA says this is enough time as there will be no terminal change. I have never flown through ORD so would appreciate any tips you can offer.:confused:

[ab0si]

Plenty of time if your first plane disembarks on schedule. You don't say where you are flying from, but assuming (guessing/making up) DCA, it the past two months 67% of AA's flights on this route landed on-time (defined as <=15 minutes of schedule).

[happycruizer]

Leaving from small regional airport in Tn. on an American Eagle flt. It will be the 1st flt. of the day; hopefully it will leave as scheduled.

[dusababy]

Leaving from small regional airport in Tn. on an American Eagle flt. It will be the 1st flt. of the day; hopefully it will leave as scheduled.

 

I just did that Monday this week (TRI Cities/ORD/LAX) and YOU WILL DEPLANE AT ONE CONCOURSE AND BOARD ON ANOTHER. O'Hare is a VERY BIG CROWDED AIRPORT (one of my least favorites) and if you leave late, are in holding pattern to land, any delay, you will be very lucky if you make it.

Good luck !!

[Alaskanb]

I fly through ELP to ORD to the UK. I find it a very easy place to get around in. Check out a map of the airport and locate the terminal you are flying into/from then make an informed decision. An AA agent maybe be able to give you a sample of gates that these flights have used in the past so you can judge the distance.

I always feel stressed if I don't have at least an hour between flights.

[elycelynne]

AND, if your first flight deplanes at a gate that isn't near an access point between concourses, that could even add more time to your connection. I'd be wary.

[Alaskanb]

I fly through ELP to ORD to the UK. I find it a very easy place to get around in. Check out a map of the airport and locate the terminal you are flying into/from then make an informed decision. An AA agent maybe be able to give you a sample of gates that these flights have used in the past so you can judge the distance.

I always feel stressed if I don't have at least an hour between flights.

 

This is the link at AA to check gate locations for today and the map

http://www.aa.com/travelInformation/gatesTimesSubmit.do

http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/whereWeFly/terminals/terminal_ORD.jsp

[Keith1010]

Honestly, if it was me I would take a later connection. AA has plenty of flights so take a later one.

 

Keith

[happycruizer]

Thanks everyone. Okay, since AA is telling me that a 40 min. connection is good I'm assuming they will want to charge me to move to the later connection. My original flt was changed by AA and rebooked. I told the agent at that time that I needed to be in LA before noon and did not catch the short connection time until later:o.

Should I ask the Gate Agent at my outbound airport to confirm me on the later flt. just in case I miss the connection. Due to time constraints I'd prefer not to take the "wait and see" approach and chance the next flt. being full. Will they do that?

 

dusababy......I am also using TRI. Did the AE flt. depart as scheduled?

[Keith1010]

Thanks everyone. Okay, since AA is telling me that a 40 min. connection is good I'm assuming they will want to charge me to move to the later connection. My original flt was changed by AA and rebooked. I told the agent at that time that I needed to be in LA before noon and did not catch the short connection time until later:o.

Should I ask the Gate Agent at my outbound airport to confirm me on the later flt. just in case I miss the connection. Due to time constraints I'd prefer not to take the "wait and see" approach and chance the next flt. being full. Will they do that?

 

dusababy......I am also using TRI. Did the AE flt. depart as scheduled?

 

Since it was AA that made the original change I would call them and see if they will accommodate you without a charge. When the change first took place they would have done it without the charge so just explain to them you didn't pick up on the connection time My advice is to call AA and talk this through with them. Don't try to wait and do this at the airport.

 

Keith

[ab0si]

AA 4117 was on-time 83% of the time over the last two months plus one cancellation. Add those together and there was a 20% chance of missing your connecting flight (and that doesn't count planes landing on time but having delayed disembarkation). Well, that's overstated as your on-going flight might be significantly delayed also.

 

It is highly unlikely the gate agent at TRI will change your connecting flight on spec.

[Fattony]

Since it was AA that made the original change I would call them and see if they will accommodate you without a charge. When the change first took place they would have done it without the charge so just explain to them you didn't pick up on the connection time My advice is to call AA and talk this through with them. Don't try to wait and do this at the airport.

 

Keith

 

If you had just booked this and now decided you wanted a longer connection time, you would have to pay for sure, but since AA changed your itinerary (presumably you had a longer connectiontime before), they should be willing to change your time without charge, assuming that there are seats available on the other flight and no overnight is involved. I'd ask to speak to a supervisor if they won't switch you. You can look at their Web site for flights yesterday and today to see if there is or is not a terminal change. I agree with above: call now, don't wait. Just say the change was involuntarily so you'd like to switch (i.e., you would have been willing to keep the original itinerary but they changed). Make clear, if it's true, that when you were first informed of the change you were not informed that you had the option to request a different flight in order to keep at least as long of a connection time as you first had.

[Alaskanb]

If you had just booked this and now decided you wanted a longer connection time, you would have to pay for sure, but since AA changed your itinerary (presumably you had a longer connectiontime before), they should be willing to change your time without charge, assuming that there are seats available on the other flight and no overnight is involved. I'd ask to speak to a supervisor if they won't switch you. You can look at their Web site for flights yesterday and today to see if there is or is not a terminal change. I agree with above: call now, don't wait. Just say the change was involuntarily so you'd like to switch (i.e., you would have been willing to keep the original itinerary but they changed). Make clear, if it's true, that when you were first informed of the change you were not informed that you had the option to request a different flight in order to keep at least as long of a connection time as you first had.

Great advice--I have had this happen with AA and after fuming about their change for several weeks I eventually called with the flight time and seats I preferred and had no problems at all.

[D4]

We fly from a smaller airport on AA to Chicago and then catch another flight several times a year. We have ALWAYS had to go a long way to get to the next flight. Both AA flights are in the same terminal, but the terminal has multiple concourses which are huge and far apart.

 

I always go for a longer connection. I recommend you try to switch yours since it is important you make the next flight.

 

A couple other things to consider: It helps to have a seat near the front of the first flight so you can get out quicker. Also, the small planes have very small overhead bins and under the seats space. You have to gate check larger carryons. But after you get off the plane, you have to wait on the jetway for your carryon to appear before you can go to your next flight. A 5-10 minute wait is not unusual.

[Alaskanb]

We fly from a smaller airport on AA to Chicago and then catch another flight several times a year. We have ALWAYS had to go a long way to get to the next flight. Both AA flights are in the same terminal, but the terminal has multiple concourses which are huge and far apart.

 

I always go for a longer connection. I recommend you try to switch yours since it is important you make the next flight.

 

A couple other things to consider: It helps to have a seat near the front of the first flight so you can get out quicker. Also, the small planes have very small overhead bins and under the seats space. You have to gate check larger carryons. But after you get off the plane, you have to wait on the jetway for your carryon to appear before you can go to your next flight. A 5-10 minute wait is not unusual.

I have just purchased the smaller carry-ons for that specific reason. Seat guru can give you the size limit of the overhead bins.

BTW--for my ELP-ORD-UK flights according to today's flight schedule I would only have to walk 7 gates on the same concourse. My first flight is an American Eagle.

[happycruizer]

Thank you, thank you, thank you:D:D:D:D! I love these boards.

 

I took your advice and called AA. I was very fortunate to reach a nice young man who was more than happy to help me change to a later connection. Under the "need for the change" circumstances it was no problem at all and only took a couple of minutes. I'm soooo happy to have one less thing to stress about.

 

D4 made some very good points about having to wait for carry-on luggage to be off loaded. Even if I had no carry-on, I'm not sure 40 min. would be enough time to transfer checked baggage to new flt.

 

Thanks again to all of you who took the time to give me your advice and thoughts.

[Keith1010]

happycruizer, I'm glad all of this worked out for you. Have a wonderful time.

 

Keith

[Alaskanb]

Thank you, thank you, thank you:D:D:D:D! I love these boards.

 

I took your advice and called AA. I was very fortunate to reach a nice young man who was more than happy to help me change to a later connection. Under the "need for the change" circumstances it was no problem at all and only took a couple of minutes. I'm soooo happy to have one less thing to stress about.

 

D4 made some very good points about having to wait for carry-on luggage to be off loaded. Even if I had no carry-on, I'm not sure 40 min. would be enough time to transfer checked baggage to new flt.

 

Thanks again to all of you who took the time to give me your advice and thoughts.

Yeah!

[dusababy]

Thanks everyone. Okay, since AA is telling me that a 40 min. connection is good I'm assuming they will want to charge me to move to the later connection. My original flt was changed by AA and rebooked. I told the agent at that time that I needed to be in LA before noon and did not catch the short connection time until later:o.

Should I ask the Gate Agent at my outbound airport to confirm me on the later flt. just in case I miss the connection. Due to time constraints I'd prefer not to take the "wait and see" approach and chance the next flt. being full. Will they do that?

 

dusababy......I am also using TRI. Did the AE flt. depart as scheduled?

 

Sorry for the delay in responding, but evidently all is well. Just to answer your specific question yes -- TRI departed right on time even with crew change. It's a nice little airport.

[dusababy]

Thanks everyone. Okay, since AA is telling me that a 40 min. connection is good I'm assuming they will want to charge me to move to the later connection. My original flt was changed by AA and rebooked. I told the agent at that time that I needed to be in LA before noon and did not catch the short connection time until later:o.

Should I ask the Gate Agent at my outbound airport to confirm me on the later flt. just in case I miss the connection. Due to time constraints I'd prefer not to take the "wait and see" approach and chance the next flt. being full. Will they do that?

 

dusababy......I am also using TRI. Did the AE flt. depart as scheduled?

 

 

Sorry for the delay in responding, but evidently all is well.

To answer your specific question YES -- departed right on time even with crew change. A very nice little airport.