1965

We're flying to Tel Aviv in 24 days. We have a 1 hour layover in Houston, and 1 hour layover in Frankfurt. That's not much time. If all flights are on schedule, we can do it as our arriving and departing terminals are close. Our TA tells me 45 min. is considered time enough. I'm just a little jittery about possibly missing connecting flights. Apparantly everything is set in stone, and no changes can be made without paying a lot. I think what I really need are reassurances that it can be done, that others have done it before. I always do this-get the jitters about 3 weeks prior to departure fearing something will go wrong, I have let something fall between the cracks. I have had 3 dreams recently that we get to the airport and our passports are not with us.

suze

Well this is not the answer you want to hear but I would never have accepted such short connections on a routing. It just makes me too nervous. Traveling internationally I always allow at least 3 hours at any airport.

alanRow

I think your TA is being funny or hates you, one such short connection is acceptable but two increases your chances of missing one connection manyfold as in both cases the connection time is the minimum that each airport allow.

1965

Those weren't the responses I was hoping for, but at least I'll be realistic about the situation, and if we DO make our connections, it will be a nice surprise.

rkkwan

You're likely to make both connections, but the question is how risk you can afford, how does that risk factor affect you before the trip, and how well you deal with it.

Plenty of people travel around the world monthly with nothing but the shortest connection. Others, like a poster above, is only comfortable with 3-hour connection. Most of us are somewhere in between, but each person is different.

You don't have to go through any checkpoints at IAH, and no immigration at FRA either. Say, the chance of making the IAH connection is 95%, while the FRA is 90%. 0.9 x 0.95 = 0.855. Is 14% chance of missing at least one of the connection acceptable to you?

Also, is this on a Continental or Lufthansa ticket? What time is your flight? If you miss your connection at IAH, do you know your options (like if you are on CO, call them and have them try to rebook you on IAH-EWR-TLV)?

1965

We are on Continental to Bush in Houston, then Lufthansa to Frankfurt, change to another Lufthansa to Tel Aviv. Depart Dallas at 3:20, arrive Houston at 4:30, depart Houston 5:30, arrive Frankfurt 9:05 a.m., depart Frankfurt 10:05. I called Continental and he said his computer tells him that the connection times are all considered fine. I think he's the one who said they only have to allow 45 mins. He was very reassuring, but I expected he would be. I think I will take your advice and call Con. and Luf. tomorrow to learn my options should we miss a connection. That's a very good idea.We purchased travel insurance so we should be taken care of by someone in the system if needed. Glad to hear you say "You're likely to make both connections." I'll hang onto that.

J62

You don't need to to call CO or LH beforehand to find your alternatives. Simply do a web search for flights IAH to TLV, or DFW to TLV. Ditto for FRA to TLV.

If you miss your connection then you will be taken care of by CO/LH regardless of whether ou paid for travel insurance. That assumes all your flights were purchased as a single ticket - not DFW/IAH as a separate ticket.

I've made many 50min connections in FRA, and I've missed 3hr connections when my incoming plane was very late. Lufthansa is pretty good about hurrying incoming passengers to awaiting planes. If your plane is late coming into FRA then find an LH agent as soon as you deplane - they can radio to the TLV gate that you are arriving shortly, and escort you if needed.

1965

Many many thanks for the info.

rkkwan

If it looks like your flight is going to leave DFW mostly on-time, then your connection at IAH is not an issue. But if it looks it's going to be at least 30 minutes or more late departing, then you need to act quickly and call CO and get them to re-route you DFW-EWR-TLV.

Who issued your ticket? CO or LH?

1965

The ticket was issued by LH. They tell me that if there is a delay from Dallas and we miss our connection in Houston, it's CO's responsibility, and we should call CO. CO tells me that if that occurs, it's LH's responsibility, since they issued the ticket, and we should call LH. ?? Why on earth do airlines allow short connection times when a large percentage of flights are delayed, meaning connections more than likely will be affected? I'm sure we will be taken care of by one or the other, but I don't like leaving things to chance. I like to have a plan B. At any rate I will follow your advice and begin calling immediately if our first flight is delayed. I guess that's my plan B.

suze

I should have clarified, I only travel for pleasure, never business. So I have plenty of time and don't mind hanging around in airport bars (better than dashing thru airports for a tight time/gate/flight connection).

rkkwan

To the OP - Your connection are not short. Most of the flights are on-time. Airlines allow such connections because most of the time they can be made and lots of people WANT and DESIRE such shorter overall travel times.

Next time, specifically check out the connection times and book yourself something with longer period if you cannot those risks.

[BTW, I am not criticizing anybody for booking flights with lots of connection times. Myself, for outbound international flights from the US, I like 1.5 hours; for inbound into the US, 2.5 hours.]

1965

Suze-a 3 hour layover is looking better and better. I think you have the right idea. We don't hang around the bars, but we don't mind munching on jerky, people watching, and doing crosswords. If we make it thru these tight layovers on this trip, I won't be shy next time about insisting on a better schedule. We've always let the travel company schedule our flights just 'cause it's easier for us to let them do the planning, and they are responsible ultimately if something goes wrong. Maybe I should rethink that way of doing things.

suze

I always plan my own trips. I research carefully on the internet. Then purchase directly from the airlines. No one is 'responsible ultimately if something goes wrong' except YOU! Your TA isn't going to be there to help you dashing thru the airoprt (lol!). My thinking is no one cares more about my travel plans than I do. I've always booked my own, never used an agent or company of any kind. And never had a problem.

1965

YOU GO GIRL!

Kay2

Because you have used a TA to book your tickets, have that TA help you now.
Ask him/her to obtain all the information about later flights IAH-FRA, FRA-TLV, and even what if you are stuck at DFW, is there another routing from there to TLV via CO/LH and list all those flight numbers/times for you.
Does the TA have 24-hour customer service? What is that phone number?
If you are delayed, what are the phone numbers to call for CO and LH?

When we were on the taxiway after landing at IAH the other day waiting for our gate, I looked in the CO magazine and it gave me the 800-number to call to check flight status. I checked what gate we were arriving at, leaving from, and whether next flight was on time. If I were planning this trip, I would try to have all these phone numbers stored in my cell phone and have it ready to dial if delayed in DFW or IAH.

BTW, we made a 45-minute connection in IAH on a Monday morning. Although we arrived early, the gate was occupied, so we got off the plane on time (from row 26), quickly walked from E22 to E5 (next concourse), walked into line and immediately boarded our next flight. Not my preferred amount of time to transfer, but we were faced with 45 minutes or 3+ hours on a leisure trip return home, so we were prepared to be delayed and take a later flight on the last leg. We also only had carryon that we can easily handle.