mt-x

I'm flying to CT for the holidays via US Airways. My plane arrives in Philadelphia at 9:05pm, Terminal B. I have to catch my connecting flight at 9:45pm at Terminal F. I checked a map of Philadelphia Airport and Terminal F is not even remotely close to Terminal B. I think I'll have 20-30 minutes at most to catch my connecting flight....can it be done? What can I do to make the connection (which is the last flight of the evening?)I booked a great fare but I didn't pay attention to the details....grrr.

AA

Obviously it's a legal connection, otherwise USAir would not allow you to book it. You will have enough time to make your connection, if your incoming is on time. <BR>Just so everybody knows in the future. The later in the day the flight is, the better chance of it being late. Usually planes start out early in the morning and make about 3-5 flights a day. So it's just logical that the evening flights have a better chance of being delayed as they could have been held up by weather, airports delay, etc...etc..<BR>Hope you have a great trip!<BR>

MM

First, which holidays? T'giving? Xmas? or Labor Day. Given that it's USAir, there's every reason to think the schedule you now have will vaporize and either there will be a new schedule or no flight at all. <BR><BR>But assuming that the flight schedule will not have changed by the time you want to fly, I'd call USAir (if you can get through) and see if they are willing to rebook with a longer connection -- tell them you have a bad leg and walk slowly or anything else that will convince them that you'd have trouble making the connection. <BR><BR>It seems to me that if you can switch to an earlier flight INTO Phila, you'll be much better off. At present I'd put your chances of making your connection at much less than 50-50, WAY less if you are traveling in Dec.

mt-x

To MM's questions:<BR>I'll be flying on 12/24...Xmas Eve. I leave LA at 12:40pm and I'm scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia at 9:05pm in Terminal B.<BR>I booked this flight on Expedia and it may cost $$$$ to change it. Can I?<BR><BR>BTW, after reviewing my flight info., I have the same short time frame to get from Terminal F to Terminal B (I leave on 12/30).<BR><BR>Next time, I should plan better!

MM

Oh, dear. I think you are just going to have to hassle with Expedia -- does anyone have experience doing that? Can you get a human being on the line? <BR><BR>Of course, it's ENTIRELY possible all the flight times will have changed drastically by then. US Air could be shifting things as we speak.<BR><BR>I booked an October itinerary from RDU to New Orleans a month ago -- not even on USAir, but American -- and since then I've had no fewer than 5 changes, including having all flight #s and times changed and one flight cancelled, so then being put arbitrarily on another flight with a 4-hr. layover when there was a much earlier connection with plenty of seats.<BR><BR>Since USAir is going to be shifting and shuffling, you could always cross your fingers that the flights will be so completely discombobulated that they'd let you start over again and you can insist on booking a MINIMUM of 90 min. connection.<BR><BR>Rule of flying for the East and the North at Xmas: assume catastrophe from weather and crowds. Connections should be at least 90 min. and don't gripe if you have a 2+ hr. layover, it could save your butt. And avoid connecting to any flight that leaves after about 7:30 pm. Bone up on your rights (or lack thereof) if you have to overnight at some connecting city.<BR><BR>THere are much worse places to get stuck than Philly, but if the delay is more than 4 hrs. (i.e., if you miss your connection), consider SERIOUSLY taking the connector train (R1?) from the airport into 30th st. station and taking Amtrak (assuming THEY haven't crumped) to Connecticut.<BR><BR>Ho ho ho, Merry/Happy .....

Rich

I had to laugh at your post, MM. American is the king of the schedule change. I don't think I have ever booked a flight with them that they didn't change at least once before the travel date. It doesn't bother me, really, because usually it's only a change of 10 minutes here or a flight number there, but it can still be kind of crazy when it changes 8 times over the course of a month.<BR><BR>This is, of course, unlike Southwest, which carves their schedules in stone and only changes them a few times a year. I suppose AA's theory is that they are adjusting times based on actual flight performance (e.g., if a flight is ALWAYS 20 minutes late, hey, bump the departure time back by 20 minutes and it will always be on time!), but SWA's model is a lot simpler.