Question about Philadelphia airport
 

Anybody know how far it is from Terminal F to Terminal C? Can it be done quickly? Thanks!

I used Fodors search, entering Philadelphia airport as my search criteria.

Among the returns were these, which might help

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34734288

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34560403

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34731264

Topping for info on terminal C. Thanks.

There is a bus that takes folks from Terminal F to Terminal C. The bus actually runs on the tarmac so you never leave the security area. The trip takes about 5 minutes and the bus lets you off at Terminal C...there is only 1 stop.The busses leave about every 5 minutes

Thanks Emily. Do you have to wait for the bus? There is only 25 minutes between these flights...

I'm not sure that anything can be done quickly in Philly. My husband and I refer to it as "the black hole". Every time we fly through Philly something goes wrong -- lost luggage, missed connections (despite a good lag time between flights), cancelled flights, etc.

I hope that you pass through on a day when your guardian angel is working overtime. Good luck!
((c))

Generally, as the bus fills, they leave about every 5 -7 minutes I would say. If your next flight remains in terminal C, then you won't be far away. Is this a legal connection from the airlines?

The other point, Philly is notorious for delays, especially in bad weather and between 3 PM and 7 PM on business days - too many flights...
If it means a lot to you not to miss the second flight, then I would try to get to Philly earlier. Where are you coming in from and what is your destination?

According to USAirways' timetable, minimum "legel" connection time for domestic-to-domestic at PHL is 30 minutes.

US Air claims this is a legal connection. (It is actually 32 minutes when I figured it out.) His destination is Columbus Ohio, and the flight is in the morning. He can't get there earlier.

I hate US Air. They changed his flight from a perfectly good flight through Pittsburgh to this.

tries2paklite:
Funny about the black hole. My son went through there four weeks ago. He still does not have his luggage. Lost. We had to replace everything he owns for him to go back to school tomorrow.

wliwl -- we fly USAirways almost exclusively, because that is where all our miles are. Their biggest drawback is the Philly connection.

My husband flew back from South Jersey the other night thru Philly. While he was on the phone telling me that his flight was delayed, they were announcing that his flight was cancelled. He got home 3.5 hours late. Not fun on a work night.

I hope your son's luggage shows up eventually.
((c))

My husband knows all too well the hassles of flying USAir into PHL. At least we live here and we don't have to worry about making a connecting flight through Phila.

I can't tell you how many times he's called me and said he had landed, but was waiting in the plane to get to the gate, which was unavailable b/c there another plane was there. He tells so many times how there are so many people on these flights flipping out b/c as they sitting on that plane, their connecting flights are boarding and they are so close to their flight, but unable to do anything about it.

If US Air changed his flight then he has some bargaining power. I would call them and complain about the change and request what I think is reasonable. I've done this before with US Air with success.

I HATE US AIR!!!

We get to the airport this morning only to find out that they canceled his flight and rebooked him on a much later flight that goes through Dulles. Now he's likely to miss the shuttle back to campus.

They must have changed this reservation 10 times since I made it.

Of course I do carry a bit of a grudge - he still doesn't have his suitcase from his US Air flight home a month ago!

Thanks to everyone for helping a nervous mom.

wliwl -- you really need to get in touch with someone higher up at US Airways. While we all go thru our share of problems, this is really ridiculous. Here is what I would be demanding:

- full payment of everything he had in his suitcase (plus the value of the suitcase itself)

- Incremental costs incurred such as finding alternate transportation back to campus

- 1 free RT ticket to anywhere in the continental US

- 1 free day pass to US Airways club

If you need to, write a letter with everything you went through and send it to US Airways corporate AND Phila airport. Keep following up until you get reparation.

If they changed his flight, then he has the right to say "no" and select another flight

SenecaGirl:
Yeah, you can not believe what I have been through with US Air.

And you want to hear something funny? Son just called to say they put him BACK on a (different) flight through Philadelphia. I presume his luggage is on the flight to Washington (which actually is Reagan, not Dulles). He was laughing about it. I guess that's good.

I called his college this morning to find out where luggage could be delivered to, just in case it doesn't make it this time. (It's the Security Office.) So I put that on a sign inside the bag.

I have been on the phone with US Air almost everyday since the luggage was lost. It is impossible to talk to anyone "real" there. I've even been to the airport twice to try to talk with a real person. (They look at me like I'm crazy - not their problem after 24 hours.) I've faxed them, begged them, demanded supervisors, you name it.

My last thing was I sent them a letter registered mail and demanded FULL and QUICK payment of my claim. Well, that was over a week ago and of course I've heard nothing.

At some point you start to think that your blood pressure is more important than money I guess.

I know people say this all the time, "I'll never fly such-and-such again." But in this case, I really mean it! I HOPE they go out of business. They deserve it!!!

Well thanks for the sympathy. It helps just to vent.

USAirways has been bought out by America West. Yes, they call it a merger and the new combined company will be called USAirways, but the reality is that HP bought them out.

They're still operating mostly as seperate companies - hopefully things may get better.

After changing his flight THREE times this morning, son has made it to school -- WITHOUT HIS BAGGAGE!!!

Can I just say it again? I HATE US AIR.

wliwl -- can I help you express those feelings?

AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!

senecagirl - Thanks for that. It helped. :)

Here's the funny thing - I called US Air in Columbus just now (the guy here stealthfully gave me the phone number). I just wanted to impress upon them that if they get his suitcase tonight could they PLEASE deliver it tonight. They were all confused because he has two different claim numbers from two different flights! DUH.

Wouldn't it be funny if the first suitcase shows up at school?