ms_magellan

Have been lurking on several web sites to figure out if I should risk a 1-hour connection for transatlantic flight on US Air -- From DEN to PHL connect to LIS. Sounds like there are a lot of delays for US Air in PHL.

Thoughts?

Other option is via Delta, Atlanta to Paris to Lisbon with 3 hour layovers in between each flight.

Thanks in advance.

HappyTrvlr

We had to travel from the opposite side of the airport to the interntional
concourse. One hour would not have been enough time; find out which concourse your flight land before booking an earlier flight like we did.

PaulRabe

As much as I love my hometown of Philly, I can't recommend a one-hour connection at the airport -- particularly with US-Air. As you note, they've had a lot of problems with luggage (although they've gotten a LOT better lately) -- but even if they hadn't, one hour is cutting it close for an international connection at any airport on any airline.

UNCalum

Please don't risk a one-hour connection in Philadelphia. The international concourse was across the airport from the gate at which we landed last summer, and our two-hour connection time was just about right.

Gretchen

No, no, and no. The concourse is too far.

Sher

NO, NO, NO.
You must go from one terminal to the other and even though there is now a bus, I would never trust one hour.

We have a two and one half hour connect time. PIT-PHL-LIS.

Can you not take an earlier flight to PHL from DEN?


Planes landing in PHL are notoriously late in arriving.

tuscanlifeedit

We had a short connection through PHL, returning home from Europe. We ran for ten minutes, me without shoes on, sweating bullets, dragging crap. I am well into middle age, this was a giant pain. I ran up to the gate, panting, sweating, carrying my shoes, and the gate agent said, "Don't thank me; it's all part of our passenger fitness program." Pretty funny, but not at the time. We made our flight but there were others, not willing to run, who didn't.

It is worse going to Europe, because so many US Airways flights are late landing at PHL. Ask for a better connection.

MaureenB

Making NO totally unanimous. Flying back from Frankfurt to Philadelphia to Denver in May, USAir had messed up my baggage check. They hadn't checked it through to Denver, so I had to collect it, go through all that rigamarole, then lug all of it way over to the farthest concourse to check it back in! (When I arrived to check it in again, I was told by United that it really hadn't been necessary--- arrrrgh!). It took two hours to do all that, minimum. Good thing I had a three hour connection.

lincasanova

if you are landing (on time)at the same terminal or the one next to it, should be enough time since you will not go through security again. but if you land at the furthest terminal.. it can be a hike/shuttle/walk. (p.s...the shuttles between terminals were frequent)

however.. the last flights i have taken out of phl were delayed at departure.. so.. you never know.

the 3 hour connection at delta would be less stressful on paper, unless it cost a lot more...
i wouldn´t pay much more money to have a longer connection since no one can guarantee you that your flight on delta will leave unhampered on time to give you that three hours connection anyway.

.

ms_magellan

Thanks for all of your input - esp. tuscanlifeedit - who reminded me of running and running and running in sandals to try to catch our flight to Venice. Started the trip out with HUGE blisters on the feet. Believe it or not, more money in Italy on special blister band-aids than I did on wine. A travesty!

I will look at other flight options. See other post re: Delta vs USAir (but different route.)

grosen

When you land at PHL from DIA you will be at terminal B or C. If your flight is on time you will have no trouble making the connection to your international flight in terminal A. Flights from DIA to PHL are often early because of the tail winds and the extra time built into the schedule. I have flown that route a lot. Having said all of that, I don't like one hour connections for international flights. If you happen to miss the flight for whatever reason, you generally have no alternative but to kill a whole night/day in an airport hotel waiting for the next day's flight.

suze

1 hour is not enough

ms_magellan: lesson learned(?) wear comfortable shoes when traveling
;-)

ms_magellan

Suze - sandals were Mephisto meant for traveling and walking distances, but unfortunately not sprinting thu airports.

suze

funny, i hate mephistos. once tried a pair of their sandals and immediately returned them. horribly uncomfortable on my feet. were the sandals brand new? all i'm saying (and i mean this in the kindest spirit) is if you can't sprint thru an airport, you're not wearing the right shoe for your trip!

Sher

tuscanlifeedit. Not that it would have done any good, probably, but I would have reported that comment.

tuscanlifeedit

Hey Sher

It was said with a good deal of good humor and irony. I was huffing, puffing, sweating, frowning and I actually thought the gate agent was sort of clever.

The US Airways gate agent I should have reported was also at PHL. This one let a very cute young woman seated (we found out when we boarded) in First skip through a barrier rope set up and go straight into the boarding alley, then put up a rope to make everyone else go around about path to the same place.

I was in line for early boarding, having just had surgery and needing assitance to get on the plane.

I went to follow the cute young woman, but the agent waved me around the round about path he had set up. I said, "Can't I follow her? I'm not feeling well."

He said, "You'll make it," with a nasty sneer in his voice. Oh, how I wish I had stopped right then and asked for his name. Even if I was required to take the round about path that the other person skipped, he certainly was disrespectful.

Hmmph!

RufusTFirefly

One hour has always been plenty for us, IF our flight into PHL was on time.

We did have one trip when our plane to PHL was delayed--we got to the arrival gate at exactly the time our flight to Frankfurt was scheduled to take off. The US Air rep at the gate called our departure gate and found that our flight out had been delayed and they'd be closing the doors in 20 minutes.

I ran, ala OJ, thru the airport. Arrived at the gate sweating and panting and red in the face (maybe a bit purple around the edges, as I weighed about 50 pounds more back then). I was hoping to delay the door closing by fumbling around for tickets and such until Mrs. Fly could amble up.

Turned out the run was not needed as Mrs. Fly made it a good two minutes before they closed the door.

So it can be a trial if you arrive late for a scheduled one hour connection.

Sher

Hi Deb. One time in PHL when we were cutting it very close, it was just before I had knee surgery.

We asked the US Airways rep for a wheelchair. Actually, we really wanted one of those little carts they drive you in. Well, we were told in no uncertain terms that there were neither available. My husband spotted an abandoned wheelchair, went through security first (I always get screened because of my replacement parts) and grabbed the chair. HE wheeled me to the gate.

I try to resist PIT-PHL, but with the direct flight from PHL to LIS, I just didn't want to take the double connect through Frankfurt.

Wish me luck.

How are the itinerary plans for France coming?