1 hr 45 min layover at Atlanta - crazy?
Jul 25th, 2011, 08:04 AM
#1
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1 hr 45 min layover at Atlanta - crazy?
Hi everyone,
This is my first post here, so please be gentle!
I have booked a flight from London Heathrow to Monterrey, Mexico travelling with Delta all the way. I arrive in Atlanta at 17:35 and have a layover of 1 hour 45 minutes to catch my next Delta flight to Monterrey. I will have on checked bag.
Do people who use Atlanta airport regularly think this is a reasonable amount of time for a layover there or is it ridiculous? I've never had to change planes at Atlanta, so I have no idea.
All information gratefully received!
This is my first post here, so please be gentle!
I have booked a flight from London Heathrow to Monterrey, Mexico travelling with Delta all the way. I arrive in Atlanta at 17:35 and have a layover of 1 hour 45 minutes to catch my next Delta flight to Monterrey. I will have on checked bag.
Do people who use Atlanta airport regularly think this is a reasonable amount of time for a layover there or is it ridiculous? I've never had to change planes at Atlanta, so I have no idea.
All information gratefully received!
Jul 25th, 2011, 08:11 AM
#2
In the middle of last month (with my daughter and 4-year old granddaughter on the way to Yosemite NP) I had a 2-hour layover in Atlanta that turned into the flight from hell.
3:40 - scheduled departure time
6:00 - rolled out to the runway after repairs
9:00 rolled out to the runway after the pilot was not satisfied with the repairs.
11:30PM rolled back to the gate after waiting for the thunderstorms to subside and the pilot exceeeded his allowable number of hours for the day
12 midnight the flight was cancelled due to lack of a pilot.
11:15AM the next day flight left from ATL after sleeping in a dump as there was no availability near the airport.
Take your 1:45 and be happy if it goes on time.
3:40 - scheduled departure time
6:00 - rolled out to the runway after repairs
9:00 rolled out to the runway after the pilot was not satisfied with the repairs.
11:30PM rolled back to the gate after waiting for the thunderstorms to subside and the pilot exceeeded his allowable number of hours for the day
12 midnight the flight was cancelled due to lack of a pilot.
11:15AM the next day flight left from ATL after sleeping in a dump as there was no availability near the airport.
Take your 1:45 and be happy if it goes on time.
Jul 25th, 2011, 09:25 AM
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as the only response really wasn't to the point....
you will need to pick up your checked bag and go through customs and recheck it. Now I'm VERY VERY conservative about times - I tend to fly in the night before if I am traveling on internationally - but if you can't I would allow for a 3 hour break.
you will need to pick up your checked bag and go through customs and recheck it. Now I'm VERY VERY conservative about times - I tend to fly in the night before if I am traveling on internationally - but if you can't I would allow for a 3 hour break.
Jul 25th, 2011, 01:08 PM
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If you plane is on time, you will be fine. We were recently through Atlanta returning from Europe and things went smoothly and quick. Have no idea why Myer posted what he/she did as it has nothing to do with your situation other than to complain and perhaps to scary you which is bad manners to say the least. Or maybe someone just needed to post something even if not on point.
Jul 25th, 2011, 01:58 PM
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Hartsfield (Atlanta) is a huge hub with an extensive internal shuttle system. I have never taken an international flight but have flown in and out countless times. Be sure to ask which is the best way to get to your connecting flight.
You are more fortunate than those who must drive to the airport and get involved in traffic jams.
Here is the site, they call the shuttle the APM.
http://www.atlanta-airport.com/
You are more fortunate than those who must drive to the airport and get involved in traffic jams.
Here is the site, they call the shuttle the APM.
http://www.atlanta-airport.com/
Jul 25th, 2011, 01:58 PM
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You probably will be fine. Atlanta often goes get back up for planes landing but that often means your second plane will be delayed in taking off.
Chances are your arrival gate/security/departure gate will be in the same area. Since both flights are international.
Still it pays to be prepared. I think since your flight is originating from the EU might be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed. Check out EU Regulation 261/2004. I would look it up ahead of time in case your are delayed. (It isn't advertised over here.)
Chances are your arrival gate/security/departure gate will be in the same area. Since both flights are international.
Still it pays to be prepared. I think since your flight is originating from the EU might be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed. Check out EU Regulation 261/2004. I would look it up ahead of time in case your are delayed. (It isn't advertised over here.)
Jul 26th, 2011, 04:39 AM
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I often use ATL as international arrival airport, not transit, and I'm an American citizen, so different immigration line, so here are my thoughts.
I think the time is OK, but if I were considering purchasing a connecting ticket through ATL or any other large gateway airport, I would schedule a minimum 2-hr connection. That is what I do connecting in Europe or Asia and it is sufficient 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time I miss my connection.
Tips to make it through ATL in <2 hours:
If you are Sky Miles Elite, make sure the ticket agent tags your bag as priority. It does help get the bag off first.
Sit toward the front of the plane if you can--get off earlier and get toward the front of the immigration line.
Have your carryon liquids in the plastic bag, laptop convenient, etc. for security check.
Have your immigration forms filled out before you leave the plane.
Walk briskly to immigration and follow the line for either citizen/resident or non-citizen as appropriate.
After immigration, walk to the escalator down to customs. (Here I have no experience with international transit, but if you were entering the US, you would retrieve your bag from the carousel (number is posted as you come down the escalator), walk through customs, and go to the counter on your right where you drop off your bag again for your next flight.
Go through US security (shoes off, liquids in plastic bag, laptop out of bag, etc.
You will be in E concourse. If your flight to Monterrey leaves from concourse E, then you have a short escalator ride up, then short walk to your gate, time to stretch, use the facilities, etc. If your flight leaves from concourse A, B, or T, then you ride the escalator down and can take the train to the correct concourse, up the escalator and find your gate, with less time before takeoff.
Afternoon thundershowers and flight delays are common throughout the summer in ATL, but not the rest of the year, so that complication depends on your travel date.
The length of immigration lines, the time it takes for DL to offload the luggage, and the length of the security check line are extremely variable in my experience.
Last week, after a 10-minute taxi to a gate, it took me 1 hour to get off from the back of an international flight, go through the citizen immigration line, retrieve a priority checked bag, and ride the train to the main terminal. It felt average from my experience. I once once walked through with no waits anywhere. I once waited >45 minutes for my bag from the plane.
I think the time is OK, but if I were considering purchasing a connecting ticket through ATL or any other large gateway airport, I would schedule a minimum 2-hr connection. That is what I do connecting in Europe or Asia and it is sufficient 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time I miss my connection.
Tips to make it through ATL in <2 hours:
If you are Sky Miles Elite, make sure the ticket agent tags your bag as priority. It does help get the bag off first.
Sit toward the front of the plane if you can--get off earlier and get toward the front of the immigration line.
Have your carryon liquids in the plastic bag, laptop convenient, etc. for security check.
Have your immigration forms filled out before you leave the plane.
Walk briskly to immigration and follow the line for either citizen/resident or non-citizen as appropriate.
After immigration, walk to the escalator down to customs. (Here I have no experience with international transit, but if you were entering the US, you would retrieve your bag from the carousel (number is posted as you come down the escalator), walk through customs, and go to the counter on your right where you drop off your bag again for your next flight.
Go through US security (shoes off, liquids in plastic bag, laptop out of bag, etc.
You will be in E concourse. If your flight to Monterrey leaves from concourse E, then you have a short escalator ride up, then short walk to your gate, time to stretch, use the facilities, etc. If your flight leaves from concourse A, B, or T, then you ride the escalator down and can take the train to the correct concourse, up the escalator and find your gate, with less time before takeoff.
Afternoon thundershowers and flight delays are common throughout the summer in ATL, but not the rest of the year, so that complication depends on your travel date.
The length of immigration lines, the time it takes for DL to offload the luggage, and the length of the security check line are extremely variable in my experience.
Last week, after a 10-minute taxi to a gate, it took me 1 hour to get off from the back of an international flight, go through the citizen immigration line, retrieve a priority checked bag, and ride the train to the main terminal. It felt average from my experience. I once once walked through with no waits anywhere. I once waited >45 minutes for my bag from the plane.
Jul 26th, 2011, 05:08 AM
#14
" If your flight leaves from concourse A, B, or T, then you ride the escalator down and can take the train to the correct concourse, up the escalator and find your gate, with less time before takeoff"
And that's the catch at Hartsfield.
If you are going E to E, then it's plenty of time - with lots of time to spare.
If you are going E to T (the old international departure concourse), it's going to be hard to make it IF there is any delay with your arriving flight.
E-D-C-B-A are a quarter mile apart. T is at the terminal. So, you have the possibility of a 1+ mile connection. The train is fast and consistent so take it instead of trying to walk it. But the mere size of Hartsfield makes it tough to make fast connections. Then, when you are actually at your concourse you arrive via the escalator usually at around Gate 17 and I always seem to have the departing flight at gates 1 or 32. Those are LONG walks!
If you are E to E, you'll wonder what we were talking about. A breeze.
If you are E to A32, you'll understand why less than 2 hours makes some of us nervous. On domestic flights, it's less of a problem because chances are there will be several flights to the same destination that day. When there are limited flights to a destination, there's always the possibility you'll miss the first day of your vacation.
And that's the catch at Hartsfield.
If you are going E to E, then it's plenty of time - with lots of time to spare.
If you are going E to T (the old international departure concourse), it's going to be hard to make it IF there is any delay with your arriving flight.
E-D-C-B-A are a quarter mile apart. T is at the terminal. So, you have the possibility of a 1+ mile connection. The train is fast and consistent so take it instead of trying to walk it. But the mere size of Hartsfield makes it tough to make fast connections. Then, when you are actually at your concourse you arrive via the escalator usually at around Gate 17 and I always seem to have the departing flight at gates 1 or 32. Those are LONG walks!
If you are E to E, you'll wonder what we were talking about. A breeze.
If you are E to A32, you'll understand why less than 2 hours makes some of us nervous. On domestic flights, it's less of a problem because chances are there will be several flights to the same destination that day. When there are limited flights to a destination, there's always the possibility you'll miss the first day of your vacation.
Aug 17th, 2011, 09:09 AM
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This is making me a little worried - our layover at Atlanta is only 1h 35m! We are transferring to a domestic flight (to Charleston) though so maybe this won't be so time-consuming? It says we arrive and depart from Terminal S. Should I be worried?
Aug 17th, 2011, 09:19 AM
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If you are coming in on an international flight you wil have to go through Immigration, pick up any checked bags, go through customs, reenter through security and get to your flight. I woudld be VERY hesitant to do this in ony 1.5 hours. Is this a single ticket? If so, you are protected - maymiss your flight but it's their problem to fix it. If not a sinlge ticket it's your problem and could be VERY expensive to buy a walk up ticket on the next flight.
Aug 17th, 2011, 01:18 PM
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MG_SE4,
Do you mean international-domestic transfer or domestic-domestic transfer?
If international-domestic transfer, then you will go through the same process as Silverthorne and 1h 35m means you should use only carryon bag, if possible and follow all the other instructions.
If domestic-domestic transfer, that is typical for the airlines at ATL. Not a problem if your flight is on time and your gates in same concourse or next one and you are mobile. More difficult if you are late arriving, seated in the back of the plane and have any mobility issues. Be sure to ask for wheelchair or ride if you have any issues because the distances can be great.
Most tickets list Terminal S for DL because their ticket operations are in the South side of the main terminal. You will need to find your arrival and boarding gates online or at the airport on the day of your flight. Of course, these change constantly. If you are arriving internationally beyond Canada and some others that screen customs and immigration before you board, then you will arrive in Terminal E so that you can go through customs and immigration. You might be departing from terminal T, A-E.
Do you mean international-domestic transfer or domestic-domestic transfer?
If international-domestic transfer, then you will go through the same process as Silverthorne and 1h 35m means you should use only carryon bag, if possible and follow all the other instructions.
If domestic-domestic transfer, that is typical for the airlines at ATL. Not a problem if your flight is on time and your gates in same concourse or next one and you are mobile. More difficult if you are late arriving, seated in the back of the plane and have any mobility issues. Be sure to ask for wheelchair or ride if you have any issues because the distances can be great.
Most tickets list Terminal S for DL because their ticket operations are in the South side of the main terminal. You will need to find your arrival and boarding gates online or at the airport on the day of your flight. Of course, these change constantly. If you are arriving internationally beyond Canada and some others that screen customs and immigration before you board, then you will arrive in Terminal E so that you can go through customs and immigration. You might be departing from terminal T, A-E.
Aug 25th, 2011, 06:05 AM
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Oh dear, I will start to worry properly now. We're due in from the UK at 13.30, changing onto a domestic flight that leaves at 15.05. It is a single ticket, both legs operated by Delta. Surely they wouldn't sell the ticket if it wasn't possible? or is that naive? not possible to travel with just hand luggage unfortunately.
Aug 25th, 2011, 09:14 AM
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If she's going from the UK to Mexico and just connecting in Atlanta she shouldn't have to go through customs or immigration as she's not actually spending any time in the US, correct? She would only have to do that if her final destination was somewhere in the US.
