Is 2 hrs enough for a connecting flight from T2 to T8 (Dusseldorf) at JFK?
 

Hello everyone, on 5/16 we will fly from Phoenix to JFK via Delta and have 2 hours to connect to a flight to Dusseldorf via Air Berlin. I think we will be able to make it but my husband disagrees. We bought two separate tickets. What do you think and what should we do to expedite the connection process? Thanks.
kym

Two separate bookings - not on your life . . .

Meant to add - if it was one ticket, therefore sold as a legal connection, you'd be protected. Separate tix, you are totally on your own.

I bought two separate tickets: one with Delta, one with Air Berlin. We will have only carry-on luggage.

If you can checkin online before you leave Phoenix then you'll be ok. Otherwise no way. Per AB website, "you must be in possession of your boarding pass at least 90 minutes prior to the scheduled departure"

That leaves you 30min to deplane, walk to T2 airtrain, wait for next airtrain, ride 2 stops to T8, get to AB checkin, and get to the front of the line to get your boarding pass. If all the stars align then perhaps, but on an average day it's not gonna happen.

http://www.airberlin.com/site/checkin.php?LANG=eng

I would plan on missing that flight.

Hi J62. thank you for your reply and insights. We will check in online and print our boarding passes before leaving Phoenix. We will ask flight attendants to let us leave the plan first, "study" JFK terminal to make sure we can get to the airtrain station ASAP.

Wish us luck! I learn this lesson and will not make the same mistake again ever!! Hic!! :-(

J62, per Air Berlin web site and customer rep. web check-in is not available for all flights to and from US. So, we will have 40-45 minutes to run from T2 to Air Berlin check-in counter at T8 next Friday. AB customer rep told me that we should have enough time to check-in 90 minutes before departing time. I did check on flight status of Delta flight from PHX to JFK and 87% are on time.

This whole thing makes me worry sick!! My son is living in NY City. I wonder if we can ask him to go to T8 to check-in for us at AB counter with a copy of our passport about 2 hours before departing time and we can come in later to collect our boarding passes. What do you think?

kym

<i> We will ask flight attendants to let us leave the plan first,</i>

How does that even work? Doesn't business class and the rows nearest the door get off first?


<i> I wonder if we can ask him to go to T8 to check-in for us at AB counter with a copy of our passport about 2 hours before departing time and we can come in later to collect our boarding passes. What do you think?</i>

I think it's a horrible idea. I would not count on the ticketing agent giving your tickets over to a random stranger claiming to be your son with photocopies of your passport. The better thing to do would be to have your son "hold your place in line" and if he gets to the ticket counter before you do, he can let the person behind him go next.

Unless you can pick up your tickets inside the security area, you are going to have to leave the security area, go to the ticket counter, then go back through security.

I don't envy your predicament.

Also, don't forget that the doors close like 20 minutes before departure for international flights and I can't recall if the departure time on the schedule is the door close time or the actual departure time.

You cannot check in with a copy of a passport. It must be the real passport and the real person.

And no one will let you off first - unless you are in First or Business. The schmoes in coach have to wait our turn.

If your flight arrives on time or early - you'll be fine and wonder what the fuss was all about. If it is a few minutes late, you'll have to run (or jump on a golf cart) and will probably be fine. If it is actually late - you can kiss that second ticket goodbye.

Dear everyone, I have a great news to share with you all!! After contacting Delta Airlines customer service, I found out that we can INDEED check in for our "whole" trip from PHX to MUC next Friday at PHX Sky Harbor and have Air Berlin Boarding Pass because Delta does have interline agreement with AB even though we bought two separate tickets: one with Delta to and from JFK, one with AB JFK - MUC - VENICE - JFK. We now have 135 minutes to go from T4 to T8 at JFK next Friday and the Delta Airlines rep. said we should be able to make it.

What an early Mother's Day present for me today. Through this "ordeal" I do learn many valuable lessons about travel arrangement.

Hooray, Munich and Eastern Europe, here we come!! :-)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!! :-) :-)

Kym

Excellent news.