xxx

Hello, everyone. <BR>I'm flying into O'Hare in a couple of days to catch an international connecting flight to the UK and had a couple of questions. <BR> <BR>It looks like my flight to the UK leaves 90 minutes after my arrival at Chicago. I take it this should be adequate time to catch my connecting flight? <BR> <BR>The flight is just past the dinner hour. <BR> <BR>Any observations would be most welcome. <BR> <BR>Thanks!

Jim

Since your bags should be checked all the way to the UK, I see no problem. Simply walk to your connecting UK gate. <BR>90minutes seems more than adequate.

s.fowler

The key issues here are whether the flights are on the same airline and whether they are on US carriers. American and United international flights leave from the domestic terminal. If you are tranferring to a foreign carrier that's a short train ride away and you will have to go through security again. The next question is whether they will check your bags through -- will they do all the checking required for the international flight at your starting airport?

xxx

Follow-up to original question: <BR> <BR>I am flying on the same Domestic carrier to O'Hare and from O'Hare to my UK destination. <BR> <BR>I called the airline to see if I'd have to collect my bags and re-check them; they did a couple of minutes of research while I was on hold and came back on, saying that the bags would be checked through to the UK. <BR> <BR>

s.fowler

Well then you should be fine. You won't have to leave the secure area then. The worst it could be is 15 minute walk. I would go very quickly to your second gate, though, as you will be expected to check in there before boarding.

Jean

Check the on-time record for your first flight. We were booked LA-Chicago-Rome with a fairly long walk from one terminal to the adjacent terminal to make the connection in Chicago. I thought 90 minutes was sufficient, but when I checked the on-time record for the first flight I decided to re-book the first flight to something earlier. Our original first flight had an on-time record of only 60%, and on the day I re-booked it was 50 minutes late into Chicago. I'd rather spend time in Chicago than miss the connection.

s.fowler

Jean -- that's good advice!

JOdy

I have done the same as Jean for my flight next week thru O'Hare. I had a 50 minutes connection but changed it to a 2 1/2hr connection instead. I was pretty sure I could make the plane but I want my checked baggage to make it too.

Rex

I connected through O'Hare on Sep 30 (FRA-ORD, then ORD-CMH) and my connection DID require me to go through security a second time. But it is always different coming home, as you have to clear your bags upon arrival in the first US airport where you land. (Why is this?) <BR> <BR>The lines looked horrendously long, but actually moved pretty fast - - 30 minutes, maybe? <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

s.fowler

All inbound international flights use terminal 5 at O'Hare where you go through immigration and customs -- after customs there used to be a place where you could give your luggage back to the airline to recheck. Not sure if 9/11 changed that. <BR> <BR>There are only so many airports that have customs and immigration facilities -- those that receive non-stop flights from abroad. I'm sure it's financial as well as security related.

Art

I returned on 9/29. We had to pick up our bags, walk them by the customs stand and put them on a conveyer in the next room. Kind of a joke as they just waved us through the customs without looking at anything. <BR>Art <BR>

Rex

Art, <BR> <BR>i am just as cynical as you about security measures - - and skeptical about the government or the current security contractors' ability to do anything right. <BR> <BR>But I don't think you interpreted correctly what you observed when you cleared customs. Didn't look at anything? Wrong. They studied you; they studied your face and how you walked. <BR> <BR>And looking in 10 bags out of a thousand and spending more time on the faces of the smugglers they really need to be looking for - - is a far better use of resources than looking into more bags. <BR> <BR>Let's give them a little credit for knowing what to look at, when and where. <BR>