Layover in Atlanta Im nervous

[Marie51]

WE fly Delta and have never had them leave without us. WE have been sitting on the plane and been told we were waiting for connecting passengers and luggage.

 

You're lucky. I also fly Delta and have had my luggage "lost" several times over the years when I have a short layover.

[yogimax]

WE fly Delta and have never had them leave without us. WE have been sitting on the plane and been told we were waiting for connecting passengers and luggage.

 

This is not general policy. You are very fortunate.

 

Delta worries about their on-time performance and, in general, will close the boarding door and push back if it means a late departure that will result in a late arrival.

[mo&fran]

This is not general policy. You are very fortunate.

 

Delta worries about their on-time performance and, in general, will close the boarding door and push back if it means a late departure that will result in a late arrival.

I am talking about a flight that is alreay late. On time is alreay out the window.

[Mark_K]

FWIW - I believe 50 minutes is the minimum "legal" time allowed between flights. Although ATL is easy to navigate - if e.g.-you happen to arrive terminal A and are flying out of terminal E ... you'll need to hustle...especially if your arriving flight is late. Airlines (usually) do not hold flights based on connection arrival times. Done that too many times in ATL.

According to this article:

 

http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1880196,00.html

 

Airtran's minimum connection time in Atlanta is 30 minutes.

 

"Here's what happened, according to the airline: the Gibsons booked their tickets six months in advance. Their original Orlando-to-Buffalo itinerary included a 31-minute layover in Atlanta. The minimum allowable connection time is 30 minutes.

 

In August, AirTran moved the departure time of its Orlando-to-Atlanta flight back by five minutes. Doesn't sound like much, but a five-minute delay in arrival in Atlanta meant the Gibsons had just 26 minutes to make their connecting flight — too short a window to be permitted. Therefore, Airtran's system automatically moved the family to an earlier flight to allow more than 30 minutes between flights"

[jennmaybe]

We are flying down to orlando for our cruise on sunday on Freedom we have a half hour layover in Atlanta I have heard horro stories about delays and having to change terminals. How bad is ATL can someone help put my mind at ease. Any tips or advice will help. I have been to Chicago O'Hare, JFK, Miami, Tokyo, but ATL is making me nervous

 

I must say, that I am nervous for you!! We have connected in ATL many times, with the most recent just being last month. Our layover was only 45 minutes and we had to run because our plane landed 10 minutes past the scheduled time and we had to get the train and go all the way down to the last terminal. We were sweating it!!! This airport is huge! Your connecting flight will not necessarily be in the same terminal or on the same plane for that matter. I, personally, have never gotten back on the same plane for a connecting flight.

 

I was also worried about our luggage, but we didn't have any problems.

 

Delta begins boarding 40 min prior to the departure time, so they will already be boarding before you even land. :eek:

[SpeedGeek]

I just did a "dummy" booking from Akron to Orlando. Not sure if this is where the OP is flying out of, but there is a flight that leaves Akron around 6:30 a.m. and has a 30 minute layover with an arrival in Orlando at 10:16. Not sure from your above post if this falls into the "illegal" itinerary. I would think that if the airlines posts this, it would be legal. Just asking because I don't quite understand.:o

 

Another poster commented that AirTran allows for 30 minute connections, which probably assumes their flights will always be in the same terminal. The Atlanta airport states 55 minutes for domestic/domestic flights, but AirTran can give itself a more stringent standard. They just have to deal with customers who miss their flights.

 

If the connecting flight is indeed in the same terminal, then yes, I can see it being feasible. But I'd do a lot of research as to the on-time status of the flights as well as what terminals they arrived/departed from at ATL. If it looks like more often than not the connecting flight departs from a different terminal, then it would probably be prudent to find a better connection that won't be so hectic.

[SpeedGeek]

This is not general policy. You are very fortunate.

 

Delta worries about their on-time performance and, in general, will close the boarding door and push back if it means a late departure that will result in a late arrival.

 

I've been on more than a few Delta flights that have waited a little extra for connections. Most flight times are a bit padded anyway, which helps to still arrive on time even if a connecting flight is running late.

[jennmaybe]

 

Delta begins boarding 40 min prior to the departure time, so they will already be boarding before you even land. :eek:

 

I just wanted to clarify my last statement--I wasn't referring to the OP directly.....I was trying to say that anyone flying Delta and only having a 30 min layover would run into the situation of boarding before landing (unless delayed for some reason).

[CVU]

I always pack a bit of everything in our carry on bag, then we can enjoy ourselves even if the luggage goes astray. Won't be happy but will have clothes etc. to cover most things in a day. A tote bag with all the medications too!

I would be sure to do this with a short connection.

Good luck!!!:D have a Great Cruise.

[tikif6]

You're lucky. I also fly Delta and have had my luggage "lost" several times over the years when I have a short layover.

 

Delta worries about their on-time performance and, in general, will close the boarding door and push back if it means a late departure that will result in a late arrival.

 

^^ thus also luggage not making connecting flights!

 

Don't

Expect

Luggage

To

Arive

 

Last vacation, Disney trip, sure enough they lost my luggage.

[smoosh21]

We are flying Airtran with and only have 40 min

 

If you are flying Airtran you should be fine. Almost all of Airtran leaves from Concourse C, so you should be able to get between gates.

 

If your flight is delayed coming into Atlanta, then more than likely your flight out would also be delayed.

[bigque]

Atlanta is a huge and busy airport! The trains for terminals come often, but you still have to hustle because from where you depart the plane to the trains can be quite a little distance, and same with you get off the train. Make sure you have on some shoes you can run in. As far as luggage is concern, I flew through there once on my way to L.A. and when I got to L.A. my luggage wasn't there. After they traced it down, seems they flew my luggage to Denver! :mad: I arrived in L.A. at about 12 noon and they delivered my luggage to the house I was staying at, at about 3 in the morning!

[EmElleSmith]

in atlanta give yourself an hour and you will be fine.

[skyking]

So I'm looking at the last few days for that flight and sure enough it's been the different terminal. Arrival has been gate C6 and the MCO flight has been departing from gate D2. I was in the airline business for 10 years and normally gates stay the same due to schedules, I would call for sure, there is a non stop that arrives in MCO at 10:15am.

 

 

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[waterbug123]

WE fly Delta and have never had them leave without us. WE have been sitting on the plane and been told we were waiting for connecting passengers and luggage.

 

You were very lucky. Airlines generally do not wait for late arriving pax, unless, for example, it's an international departure with a lot of late arriving pax coming in on the same connection and it's the last flight out that day.

 

Another poster commented that AirTran allows for 30 minute connections, which probably assumes their flights will always be in the same terminal. The Atlanta airport states 55 minutes for domestic/domestic flights, but AirTran can give itself a more stringent standard. They just have to deal with customers who miss their flights.

 

The airport may suggest 55 minutes, but a "legal" connection at ATL is much less. I think for Delta it's 30 or 35 minutes.

 

If your flight is delayed coming into Atlanta, then more than likely your flight out would also be delayed.

 

Huh? :confused: If the inbound delay is because of weather at ATL, then yes, maybe. But if the inbound delay is because your flight was delayed at its departure, there's no reason to assume your connecting flight would be likewise delayed.

[mskaufman]

If the plane is on time, you should be OK. If you are not flying Delta, it is likely you will leave from the same concourse as you arrive. Delta may require more of a hike (and train ride). If you can get a seat towards the front, do it so you will be off quickly.

[waterbug123]

[quote name='FSOWife']
All terminals are connected underground and personally I generally just hoof it as [B]I never seem to get there when the train arrives.[/B] If you can can on the train it is pretty fast to the next terminal.

Don't worry you will be fine. ATL is not as terrible as people make out to be, just a very busy airport.[/QUOTE]

The trains run about every 90 seconds or so.

ATL is large, and the busiest airport in the world. BUT, the layout is extremely simple. All the terminals are parallel to each other, and are all connected underground at their centerpoint. Go down the escalator and you can choose to either walk from terminal to terminal if you have time, or take the train.

[sandy66]

I have a flight booked directly through Delta with only a 40 minute layover. I am hoping both flights are in the same terminal so as to make my flight. One good thing, I have checked and there are 6 other flights that day from ATL to FLL if I miss my first.

[ausofte]

[quote name='sandy66']I have a flight booked directly through Delta with only a 40 minute layover. I am hoping both flights are in the same terminal so as to make my flight. One good thing, I have checked and there are 6 other flights that day from ATL to FLL if I miss my first.[/quote]

many flights every day is another reason I book Delta. Unfortunately, I don't think OP should listen to advice based on Delta experiences. Airtran is a whole 'nother story. ;)

Given that someone tracked it down and it looks like OP will have to make a mad dash from C to D, I'd say reschedule the flight. Delta has had some great deals from ATL to FLL. MIA is usually more.

[PH8]

[quote name='skyking']So I'm looking at the last few days for that flight and sure enough it's been the different terminal. Arrival has been gate C6 and the MCO flight has been departing from gate D2. I was in the airline business for 10 years and normally gates stay the same due to schedules, I would call for sure, there is a non stop that arrives in MCO at 10:15am.


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If they leave from CMH(Columbus) there isnt a non stop but if they are leaving from CAK(Akron) ,there is

[skyking]

Ya but I noticed the connection out of CAK was 35 min scheduled, so just assumed that was the flight he was referring to.


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[PH8]

[quote name='skyking']Ya but I noticed the connection out of CAK was 35 min scheduled, so just assumed that was the flight he was referring to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/quote]
Same with the Columbus one..:)

[skyking]

[quote name='PH8']Same with the Columbus one..:)[/QUOTE]

Good catch:) I forgot to even check that one!


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[sailawayjack]

[quote name='OhioCruiserDude']We are flying down to orlando for our cruise on sunday on Freedom we have a half hour layover in Atlanta I have heard horro stories about delays and having to change terminals. How bad is ATL can someone help put my mind at ease. Any tips or advice will help. I have been to Chicago O'Hare, JFK, Miami, Tokyo, but ATL is making me nervous[/quote]

:cool:I'm in your corner, Ohio, BUT I see that this is your 6th cruise. After my first, I learned that If I'm not going early AM, direct flight in warm weather, I go down day before, get on board by 11:00, and don't have to be asking these questions. Good Luck:cool:

[PH8]

[quote name='skyking']Good catch:) I forgot to even check that one!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/quote]Not even sure where they are flying from,but just checked the Ohio airports.............just love when a thread is started and there are all sorts of suggestions and the OP hasnt returned............probably at work..

[quote name='sailawayjack']:cool:I'm in your corner, Ohio, BUT I see that this is your 6th cruise. After my first, I learned that If I'm not going early AM, direct flight in warm weather, I go down day before, get on board by 11:00, and don't have to be asking these questions. Good Luck:cool:[/quote]
Like I pointed out before,the day before is the OP's wedding.....in this case,they may not be able to leave till Sunday..