Philly airport question
 

We're headed to Puerto Rico Thursday and am getting nervous about making our connecting flight at PHI. We have a short 40 minute layover if all goes on schedule. We need to make it from Terminal A to Terminal F where we depart for San Juan on USAir.

Can anyone tell me how likely this is? Will we have to redo the security thing? Are there moving walkways or a tram? If we're late arriving and are ready to hustle but I'm unfamiliar with the distance involved.
Thanks in advance.

All I can say is Good Luck! (My estimate of your chances of making it - 5%)

Did the airline really ticket it this way? (assume its a single airline and your luggage is checked through) - if not - I reduce your chances to 0%.

I think that you mean that you will arrive in terminal F and depart from terminal A. Terminal F is for regional jets and A does intl and caribbean flights. There is a shuttle bus from F to C (half way there) and then it's a hike. There are moving walkways but . . . IMHO, if I were you I would call and see if I could get an earlier flight from wherever you're coming from. Philly airport is prey to weather and air traffic delays. Taxes are the reason that Phl is so long. Instead of building a new airport they've just kept adding on and now it's two miles long. From F to A west. Philadelphia would never let them relocate it because it would fall outside their tax base.

As I recall you do not have to go through security again when switching terminals at PHL. They are all connected inside the security zone.

What is the on-time record of the first flight, the one into PHL? Do you have that information?

As someone else said, there is a shuttle bus for part of the way and there are movable walkways. I think you have a good chance to make the connection if everything is relatively on-time. If this is a scheduled connection (both USAir?) then they will be used to quick connections like that and should account for it. I can't imagine they would schedule connections like that if people regular miss their flights. Or are you flying two different airlines or something, on your own?

Andrew

You're lucky you only have to spend 40 minutes in Philly! I hope you get out on time!

Yes I have them reversed. We're coming in from Albany NY to Terminal F arriving at 7:09 AM and departing Philly from Terminal A at 7:50 AM. It looks like there are also 2 terminal "A"s

Both filghts are on USAir.

I think the Albany to Philly flight has a 90% on time record but I'm trying to refinding that info. That flight originates here in Albany.

We are doing carry-on only...no checked bags.

sharondi, is there another US Air flight to San Juan after the one you are schedule on? They would book you on it automatically if you miss the connection. Seems likely that there are more flights since it is early in the day. Anyway, if you miss your connection it might make you feel better to know how many flights go after yours and when they go - I usually think about that whenever I have a connection to worry about. Worst-case scenarios. I hate connecting to the LAST flight of the day, knowing that if I miss it I'll likely be stuck in the connecting airport overnight.

Andrew

Yes, there is another flight a couple of hours later. It looks like the weather won't be an issue in either Albany or Philly Thursday so I guess it is all up to air traffic delays and how fast we can move from gate to gate.

Call UsAir for advice. One time our flight was delayed and the next flight was waiting for us. UsAir had a motorcart waiting to rush us to the gate. Somebody must have been watching over us. I never expected that kind of service (it was about 6 years ago). Are your seats on the first flight near the front? I would also tell the flight attendant about your concerns. Maybe they will get you off the flight sooner. Good luck.

I hope we aren't making you nervous by our replies. Terminal A to Terminal F is not close, nor is it easy to get there in a straight line.

Plan on making tracks as soon as you get off the plane.

There are soo many complaints about the PHL airport, and missed connections is a huge problem here.

Help, we are doing the same getting in at F3 and need to make it to A26 in under an hour. Could someone please let me know....Do to we try to run to A terminal, or try to mess with the bus. How often does the A terminal bus come? How long is the ride vs/ walking and running? and how often does it come.....I will ask the flight attendant but any first hand accounts always help

When I was at PHL last month, flying out of Terminal F, I realized that E and F have their own security checkpoint separate from the other terminals. Although I'm sure there is a shuttle, I think you have to pass through security again if you are changing from F to A. At least, when I asked about going over to the big food court between B and C, I was told I would have to go through security again both ways, so I declined to do so and just stayed put in F.

Call the airlines and confirm this.

Andrew

Knowing the Phila airport as I do, I wouldn't try it.

There are no quick terminal-to-terminal trams there (as in, say, Atlanta) so you'd probably end up walking, or running, with your carry-on bags.

As I recall, sometimes you do have to pass through security, depending on which terminals you're using, but can't remember the specifics for the specific terminals mentioned. And there have been long lines at times, though if you have a hurry-up flight and let them know, they often let you get to the front.

Still, it sounds risky.