Layover time

[NorthernOntario]

Can someone please give me the coles notes version of what to look for when planning flights, specifically to Europe.

I tried to do some reading, and may people have mentioned that in the larger airports we need to be careful that we have at least a 3 hour connection time for terminal changes and customs.

We will be travelling from Northern Ontario in Canada to Toronto then onto Barcelona.

This will include connections in Toronto, and in either Frankfurt or Munich I believe.

My question is: How long do I have to make sure we are in each airport to allow for customs and travel between terminals? (in terms of customs, when we arrive in Europe from Toronto, how many customs checks will there be per airport? I would assume that this is what takes the most time in an airport..)

I hope this all makes sense and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Edited February 25, 2014 by NorthernOntario
Used the wrong term...

[6rugrats]

Your post is a little confusing. Are you saying you are traveling Ontario-Toronto-Munich (or Frankfurt) -Barcelona?

 

If you are on one ticket, you will check your bag at Ontario and it will be tagged to Barcelona. You will then go through passport control at Munich, and pick up your bag and go through customs at Barcelona.

 

You absolutely do not need three hours at every connection. Your trip is long enough as it is.

Edited February 25, 2014 by 6rugrats

[Zach1213]

As mentioned, just one customs check - Barcelona. Immigration/passport check is very different and will be done only once, at your entry to the Schengen Zone...which would be Germany in your case from the sounds of it. Germany and Spain share the same immigration system (as do France, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Netherlands and many more countries - just look in to the Schengen Zone), but each country shares their own customs system.

 

Munich and Frankfurt are both great airports to connect in. I prefer Munich, though. It's a bit smaller, easier, and user friendly in my experience. But since you will be clearing immigration in either of them, I would allow two hours to be safe (but it can be done in less, no doubt).

[NorthernOntario]

Your post is a little confusing. Are you saying you are traveling Ontario-Toronto-Munich (or Frankfurt) -Barcelona?

 

If you are on one ticket, you will check your bag at Ontario and it will be tagged to Barcelona. You will then go through passport control at Munich, and pick up your bag and go through customs at Barcelona.

 

You absolutely do not need three hours at every connection. Your trip is long enough as it is.

 

 

I am sorry I was so confusing..my husband always says so as well :)

We have a cruise out of Barcelona. Our flight to Barcelona includes connections in Toronto and in either Frankfurt or Munich. I was just want to make sure I book a flight that has long enough connection times so that we can easily make connection flights. Does that make sense?

Thanks for your help!

[6rugrats]

When you arrive in Toronto, you simply have to go to the gate for your next flight. Since that is the international leg, they will probably start boarding early, and you'll have a passport check, so you may be more comfortable allowing two hours there.

 

Personally, I'd book a flight with a two hour connection (or even one) at FRA or MUC (and I'd prefer MUC), but three hours is fine, if that makes you more comfortable.

Edited February 25, 2014 by 6rugrats

[em-sk]

Assuming you are arriving in to Toronto on Air Canada or Jazz. The video monitors in the terminal will have your connecting gate information.

 

You follow the signs to the connecting gate. It should point in the direction of some escalators that take you up one level. The security person at the top of the escalator is going to check that you have a passport with you and an international boarding pass before letting you into the international transfer area where you flight will depart from. The alrline is also going to do a passport check at the gate before you board the flight.

 

In Germany when you arrive they check your passport again when you go from International area to the European area.

 

Bags should be checked to Barcelona and you should not have to touch them until you arrive in Spain.

[alcpa1]

The unasked questions are....are you on the same airline throughout your itinerary?

Or are you flying code share partners?

Are you on one reservation/ticket throughout?

Who is booking your air? You or a cruise air program?

When are your flights?

Are you flying into Barcelona on the day of departure?

The reason I have inquired is to better understand your needs.

I, for one am not a big fan of Frankfurt if you have to either change airlines or have a short layover. It is basically a long crowded international terminal and you might have quite a hike. I haven't been through Frankfurt lately, and I hope someone will correct me if things have changed, but all four of my Frankfurt flights landed in a remote area and we were bussed to the terminal. I hope this is no longer the situation as it will eat up your connection time.

I look forward to your response and I will try to offer my suggestions.

[NorthernOntario]

The unasked questions are....are you on the same airline throughout your itinerary?

Or are you flying code share partners?

Are you on one reservation/ticket throughout?

Who is booking your air? You or a cruise air program?

When are your flights?

Are you flying into Barcelona on the day of departure?

The reason I have inquired is to better understand your needs.

I, for one am not a big fan of Frankfurt if you have to either change airlines or have a short layover. It is basically a long crowded international terminal and you might have quite a hike. I haven't been through Frankfurt lately, and I hope someone will correct me if things have changed, but all four of my Frankfurt flights landed in a remote area and we were bussed to the terminal. I hope this is no longer the situation as it will eat up your connection time.

I look forward to your response and I will try to offer my suggestions.

 

I have not booked flights yet because I wanted to make sure of all these details beforehand. I believe we will book through Choice Air as they seem to have the best prices. In most cases, the flights I have looked at are Code Share partners. There is only one flight with Air Canada which takes place in Canada, our first leg of the flight to Toronto.

We are hoping to fly inot Barcelona a few days early to see some sights so times are flexible on that portion.

 

em-sk mentioned that our bags would travel through with us. But, this does not happen when we travel to Florida. We have to go pick up our luggage, and haul it through the airport at Pearson. And that is when we are using the same Carrier! I am worried when we have to start switching terminals. And Frankfurt sounds like a nightmare!

[NorthernOntario]

Assuming you are arriving in to Toronto on Air Canada or Jazz. The video monitors in the terminal will have your connecting gate information.

 

You follow the signs to the connecting gate. It should point in the direction of some escalators that take you up one level. The security person at the top of the escalator is going to check that you have a passport with you and an international boarding pass before letting you into the international transfer area where you flight will depart from. The alrline is also going to do a passport check at the gate before you board the flight.

 

In Germany when you arrive they check your passport again when you go from International area to the European area.

 

Bags should be checked to Barcelona and you should not have to touch them until you arrive in Spain.

 

Yes, we will be arriving on Jazz. That I know for sure as its the only flight listed when I search. But when we have travelled before to Florida, we have had to pick up our luggage and deliver it to a different terminal. I think that would take the longest amount of time.

 

Its good to know that we wouldnt have to touch the bags yet again till Barcelona though. That would allow for a bit more travel time if we have to switch terminals.

[6rugrats]

 

em-sk mentioned that our bags would travel through with us. But, this does not happen when we travel to Florida. We have to go pick up our luggage, and haul it through the airport at Pearson. And that is when we are using the same Carrier! I am worried when we have to start switching terminals. And Frankfurt sounds like a nightmare!

 

That's because when you are traveling from Canada to Florida, you are pre-clearing US immigration and Customs in Canada. This does not happen when you travel to Europe. There will be no contact with your bags on this trip after you drop them off, until you arrive at BCN.

[FawnRiver]

We did a cruise out of Barcelona and flew British Airways to Barcelona with a connection at Heathrow. Of course, we live in Toronto, so we didn't have the added complication of flying into Pearson (just driving there :rolleyes:)

 

One thing you'll want to check is to see if the flights you are connecting to are in the same terminal. At Pearson, all Air Canada flights are in Terminal 1, all others are in Terminal 3, I believe, so you'll have to be prepared to switch terminals there and you could face that again where you connect in Europe. Its one of the reasons why we chose to go with British Airlines, since we couldn't get a direct flight (Air Transat only goes direct to Barcelona during select days of the week in the Spring/Summer and we were doing a TA in November). We knew that we didn't have to switch terminals at Heathrow so it simplified things a bit.

[em-sk]

I have not booked flights yet because I wanted to make sure of all these details beforehand. I believe we will book through Choice Air as they seem to have the best prices. In most cases, the flights I have looked at are Code Share partners. There is only one flight with Air Canada which takes place in Canada, our first leg of the flight to Toronto.

We are hoping to fly inot Barcelona a few days early to see some sights so times are flexible on that portion.

 

em-sk mentioned that our bags would travel through with us. But, this does not happen when we travel to Florida. We have to go pick up our luggage, and haul it through the airport at Pearson. And that is when we are using the same Carrier! I am worried when we have to start switching terminals. And Frankfurt sounds like a nightmare!

 

Assuming everything is on one ticket.....

 

If you connected to the US in Toronto more than a year ago then you would have had to walk your bags through US Customs. They have changed that. Last few times I have do the transfer to the US you go to the same location and wait for your name to show up on a TV monitor. Once it pops up that means you bags have been transferred. If the US customs people want to see the bags they will pull them otherwise its automatically transferred and you are allowed to go through. It is a massive improvement. It is actually easier that most US airports now.

 

Air Canada and Lufthansa operate a joint venture profit sharing structure between Canada and Europe. They both leave from Terminal 1 in Toronto. They issue boarding passes for each other. It is seamless.

 

Frankfurt sounds worse than it is. Going through the passport check is smooth most of the time. There is the odd time I have arrived at the same moment as a series of large aircraft from the middle east and Asia and the line ups can be a bit long. Yours bags will automatically be transferred. There is this very long tunnel that connects the two parts of the airports that Lufthansa and their partners operate out, if you are unlikely to be at the other end it can be a bit of a walk.

 

My favorite airports in Europe to make Star Alliance transferees are Zurich, Munich, and Copenhagen. Unfortunately you usually end up in Frankfurt, still better than London or Paris in my books. Frankfurt is not bad as it sounds.

 

If you miss you flight just go over to a Lufthansa transfer desk and they will in most cases have rebooked you on the next flight.

Edited February 27, 2014 by em-sk

[em-sk]

I have done the Frankfort connection many times over the years. Air Canada usually ends up at a gate as do the Lufthansa flights from Toronto. The only time I ever remember being on remote stand (where you are bussed out) was either after the airport had a lot of Fog or the flight from Toronto was very late for some reason.

 

Flights within Europe on remote standards are quite common at most airports especially when flying smaller aircraft.

Edited February 27, 2014 by em-sk

[TruckerDave]

i have a friend who travels to Europe on a regular basis for business. I asked him which of the major connection cities is the best. (London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt etc etc)...his answer without hesitation was Frankfurt. He told me everything is marked really well and the "German efficiency" is apparent.

[alcpa1]

I'd like to respond to your answers to my questions.

I'm glad you are flying into Barcelona a few days early. It's a great city and you will enjoy arriving on board refreshed and ready to experience the Med.

There is a STICKY at the top of the Cruise Air Forum about using any cruise line's air program. I have used cruise air twice but only on direct flights or flights on the same airline with one long connection and with each arrival three days before the cruise.

When flight schedules get complicated in unfamiliar airports the cruise air programs are not necessarily your best option. Flight schedules change, flights can be delayed etc and on many carriers the restrictive cruise air bookings could provide a different level of service - and that may not be a good thing. I know we are all aware of the high cost of flights but if the difference is marginal you should look at direct booking with code share partners.

I do encourage you to stay with your plan for three hour connection times. I know it will make the trip less than comfortable but it will have a higher probability of helping you arrive in Barcelona in a timely manner. And, I'd still think Munich as opposed to Frankfurt.

[NorthernOntario]

That's because when you are traveling from Canada to Florida, you are pre-clearing US immigration and Customs in Canada. This does not happen when you travel to Europe. There will be no contact with your bags on this trip after you drop them off, until you arrive at BCN.

 

 

Thanks 6rugrats! Learn something new every day...

[NorthernOntario]

I'd like to respond to your answers to my questions.

I'm glad you are flying into Barcelona a few days early. It's a great city and you will enjoy arriving on board refreshed and ready to experience the Med.

There is a STICKY at the top of the Cruise Air Forum about using any cruise line's air program. I have used cruise air twice but only on direct flights or flights on the same airline with one long connection and with each arrival three days before the cruise.

When flight schedules get complicated in unfamiliar airports the cruise air programs are not necessarily your best option. Flight schedules change, flights can be delayed etc and on many carriers the restrictive cruise air bookings could provide a different level of service - and that may not be a good thing. I know we are all aware of the high cost of flights but if the difference is marginal you should look at direct booking with code share partners.

I do encourage you to stay with your plan for three hour connection times. I know it will make the trip less than comfortable but it will have a higher probability of helping you arrive in Barcelona in a timely manner. And, I'd still think Munich as opposed to Frankfurt.

 

Thank you so much. It does make sense. The cofusion part with the carriers. When we booked last time and were going to San Juan, we got questioned a couple of times who we had booked with and a couple of times they didnt even have our booking registered! It was quite a hassle. I like being organized and I like being early for everything. So i think I would be much better off arriving ahead of time as well.

Thank you so much for your help!

[NorthernOntario]

We did a cruise out of Barcelona and flew British Airways to Barcelona with a connection at Heathrow. Of course, we live in Toronto, so we didn't have the added complication of flying into Pearson (just driving there :rolleyes:)

 

One thing you'll want to check is to see if the flights you are connecting to are in the same terminal. At Pearson, all Air Canada flights are in Terminal 1, all others are in Terminal 3, I believe, so you'll have to be prepared to switch terminals there and you could face that again where you connect in Europe. Its one of the reasons why we chose to go with British Airlines, since we couldn't get a direct flight (Air Transat only goes direct to Barcelona during select days of the week in the Spring/Summer and we were doing a TA in November). We knew that we didn't have to switch terminals at Heathrow so it simplified things a bit.

 

I have done the Frankfort connection many times over the years. Air Canada usually ends up at a gate as do the Lufthansa flights from Toronto. The only time I ever remember being on remote stand (where you are bussed out) was either after the airport had a lot of Fog or the flight from Toronto was very late for some reason.

 

Flights within Europe on remote standards are quite common at most airports especially when flying smaller aircraft.

 

 

Thank you all for the help. Pearson I can usually manage but I am not that experienced when it comes to travelling internationally. I am nervous but it helps to have others opinions.