Fly in day of, or day before?

[fendersrule]

Direct or connecting flights. Please specify because it makes a diference.

[navybankerteacher]

28 minutes ago, fendersrule said:

Direct or connecting flights. Please specify because it makes a diference.

Why just these two?   The best option is a non-stop flight.

[fendersrule]

Direct is a non-stop flight....

 

I think you will find that people who are complaining about flying the same day have non-direct flights. I would never fly the same day if I had a connecting (non-direct) flight.

 

Connecting flights are 2x the risk. 

Edited March 6, 2020 by fendersrule

[ducklite]

2 hours ago, fendersrule said:

Direct is a non-stop flight....

 

I think you will find that people who are complaining about flying the same day have non-direct flights. I would never fly the same day if I had a connecting (non-direct) flight.

 

Connecting flights are 2x the risk. 

Actually direct isn't necessarily non-stop.  It means you don't have to change planes.  Many Southwest flights are like this.

[ducklite]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

trans-Atlantics from JFK always seem close to on time

 

In 2014 my Air France flight from LAX to PPT was over two hours delayed.  We arrived two hours late.

 

In 2015 my AA flight to EWR to connect to my BA flight to London was delayed and then cancelled almost three hours later.  They couldn't get me onto another flight to EWR that would arrive in time to make the connection.  They rerouted me through CLT flying AA to LHR from there, and I arrived in London two hours after I should have.

 

In 2017 my Aer Lingus flight MCO to Dublin was delayed by about an hour leaving MCO, and we arrived in Dublin about 25 minutes late.

 

My point is that one can't count on overseas flights being on time--particularly when you have to connect stateside to get to the long haul.

[ducklite]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

trans-Atlantics from JFK always seem close to on time

 

double post

Edited March 7, 2020 by ducklite

[ducklite]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

trans-Atlantics from JFK always seem close to on time

 

double post

Edited March 7, 2020 by ducklite

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, ducklite said:

 

In 2014 my Air France flight from LAX to PPT was over two hours delayed.  We arrived two hours late.

 

In 2015 my AA flight to EWR to connect to my BA flight to London was delayed and then cancelled almost three hours later.  They couldn't get me onto another flight to EWR that would arrive in time to make the connection.  They rerouted me through CLT flying AA to LHR from there, and I arrived in London two hours after I should have.

 

In 2017 my Aer Lingus flight MCO to Dublin was delayed by about an hour leaving MCO, and we arrived in Dublin about 25 minutes late.

 

My point is that one can't count on overseas flights being on time--particularly when you have to connect stateside to get to the long haul.

You’re right. I suppose the JFK-LHR (my usual) are so standardized - and using aircraft which have been on the ground for several hours, as opposed to most domestic flights - and are among the most reliable.  Also the longer flight time allows for increased speed (at higher fuel cost) to make up for lost time.  It is the short domestic flights, with planes taking off within minutes of landing , which build up accruing delays.

[Cee_Jay]

I have flown in the day of departure on a short haul (London - Hamburg) and arranged with cruise line for transfer, no problem.

However departing from Vancouver, flew the day before and had hotel booked just in case of any major delay. In event all went well I have an additional half day on holiday exploring Vancouver a bit (and really enjoyed it, great city) The ship boarded around 2PM

[ldubs]

19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I have taken just six domestic flights in the past two years (trans-Atlantics from JFK always seem close to on time - except, of course for Charlie) and two of them were delayed/cancelled - getting me to my destination airport more than five hours late, and one was four hours late.   There is no way I need the risk.

 

 About as important:  taking a six AM flight means getting to the airport before five, which means leaving home by four, which means that the first evening on the ship would be something of a drag.

 

We have taken many red-eyes out of SFO to Europe.  Nonstops of course.  Once in the air the chances are pretty darn good we will be on time.  I agree with you other post too -- connections and many domestic flights are another story.  

[navybankerteacher]

34 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

We have taken many red-eyes out of SFO to Europe.  Nonstops of course.  Once in the air the chances are pretty darn good we will be on time.  I agree with you other post too -- connections and many domestic flights are another story.  

Eastbound TA’s frequently make up significant time due to variations in the jet stream.

In February a BA flight made it from JFK to London in less than five hours vs. normal scheduled well more than six hours - reportedly making over 800 mph ground speed.

 

(Of course, westbound TA’ s that date did not do so well ).

[ldubs]

24 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Eastbound TA’s frequently make up significant time due to variations in the jet stream.

In February a BA flight made it from JFK to London in less than five hours vs. normal scheduled well more than six hours - reportedly making over 800 mph ground speed.

 

(Of course, westbound TA’ s that date did not do so well ).

 

The jetstream can be terrific when it is behind you.  Not so much when you have to fight it.  In a recent SFO to Singapore, east bound was 3.5 hours shorter than the westbound.  

[ed01106]

Flying in a day early may or may not work.  

 

My parents went on four cruises out of Florida in which they flew in the day of the cruise each time with no problem.  

 

In a bit or irony, for their fifth cruise at the encouragement of a friend who always flew the day before they decided to fly down the day before. Plus tickets for the day before were much much cheaper. Their decision was in large part motivated that the difference in plane tickets would pay for much of the hotel.  

 

Massive snow storm the day they were suppose to fly and their flight was canceled.  The planes were flying the next day and had they had a ticket for one of those flights they would have made their cruise, but atlas those flights were full and nothing was available until the following day.  

[SRF]

On 3/7/2020 at 12:26 PM, ldubs said:

 

We have taken many red-eyes out of SFO to Europe.  Nonstops of course.  Once in the air the chances are pretty darn good we will be on time.  I agree with you other post too -- connections and many domestic flights are another story.  

 

I was on a flight from Antananarivo to Paris.  Just before reaching cruise altitude, we had a medical emergency.  They dealt with and without returning.  Good.

 

A number of hours later (11 hour flight) I woke up with the aircraft in a high rate descent.  It opened the shade, and we were dumping fuel.   We landed in Athens due to a medical emergency.

 

All in all, we ended up almost 4 hours late into Paris.

 

So it DOES happen.

[hawk/hornfan]

First few cruise , flew in day of. Not now after nearly missing our ship in Vancouver because of a flight delay in Seattle. Luckily due to bad weather out east, more then 50 passengers were late arriving. They held ship for the late arriving passengers, plus customs was a nightmare. This was on HAL. Princess also delayed departure for the same reason. 

We can not fly any where to a cruise port without a connection. Unless we want to drive 3 hours to Chicago. UH no Now i only fly 1-2 days ahead, and the day after on the return trip.

[ldubs]

11 hours ago, SRF said:

 

I was on a flight from Antananarivo to Paris.  Just before reaching cruise altitude, we had a medical emergency.  They dealt with and without returning.  Good.

 

A number of hours later (11 hour flight) I woke up with the aircraft in a high rate descent.  It opened the shade, and we were dumping fuel.   We landed in Athens due to a medical emergency.

 

All in all, we ended up almost 4 hours late into Paris.

 

So it DOES happen.

 

Sure, those things happen.  My comment  is once in the air chances are good.  No one would truthfully say it is 100%.  

 

So I never said it DOESN"T happen.  😀

 

 

 

[Kate P.C]

Fly in the day before, without a question. Get a hotel, relax and there will be no worries of rushing through airports and places just not to miss the ship.

[cruizergal70]

2 hours ago, Kate P.C said:

Fly in the day before, without a question. Get a hotel, relax and there will be no worries of rushing through airports and places just not to miss the ship.

No worries with flying in the day of cruising.

[SRF]

On 3/13/2020 at 2:55 AM, ldubs said:

 

Sure, those things happen.  My comment  is once in the air chances are good.  No one would truthfully say it is 100%.  

 

So I never said it DOESN"T happen.  😀

 

 

No, but I would say your chances are BETTER, but not necessarily good. 😄

 

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

No, but I would say your chances are BETTER, but not necessarily good. 😄

 

 

Really?  Actually, I will revise my statement to say the chances are not necessarily good but are EXCELLENT.  😀   

[clo]

On 3/13/2020 at 10:59 AM, cruizergal70 said:

No worries with flying in the day of cruising.

So you're saying YOU don't have any worries? You're not saying others should have no worries, right?

[ldubs]

Just now, clo said:

So you're saying YOU don't have any worries? You're not saying others should have no worries, right?

 

I'm probably more inclined to fly same day than most here on CC (in fact, been ribbing SFA about it in this thread 😀).   But,  even I would not say no worries.  I think it is more how much worry is acceptable to someone.    

[clo]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm probably more inclined to fly same day than most here on CC (in fact, been ribbing SFA about it in this thread 😀).   But,  even I would not say no worries.  I think it is more how much worry is acceptable to someone.    

When we fly it's more often than not international. So if our connecting flight for whatever reason doesn't let us make the intl. one then it's likely that there's only one of those a day.  Even an escorted land tour would leave without us. Just not worth it. And since we're retired it's not like having to use PTO aka vacation days 🙂

[cruizergal70]

8 hours ago, clo said:

So you're saying YOU don't have any worries? You're not saying others should have no worries, right?

I'm not saying that but what if I was? 

 

The key motivations for most people in this thread are worry, stress, and anxiety.  I don't allow those thing to influence my decision making.

 

Clo, from what I understand,  you are flying in from a different country and using connecting flights. In that case, it makes sense to fly in a day early. I did the same thing when I flew to Europe to board a ship.

 

My domestic flights are direct flights with 90 minutes in the air. Flying in the morning of embarkation is fine for me.

[CalgaryMac]

Anything can happen and if you are flying on the day of the sailing then you must trust your luck.