Missing connecting flight risk?

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Mal P

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Hi everyone,

I have been quoted a Qantas flight (QF11) from Sydney to LA, arriving 0945 this Friday at terminal 4. I have a connecting flight at 1100 on Air Canada from terminal 2 to Edmonton, Canada.

What is the risk of not being able to make the connection, i.e. due to delays etc? How reliable is Qantas from Sydney to LA? Does it arrive a little earlier usually? And how far is terminal 2 from terminal 4? I'm a little concerned I'll have to end up routing through another city, which I would like to avoid wherever possible.

Oh, and my checked baggage... will it be automatically routed?

Thank you,
Mal
 
75 mins is way less than I would be seeking at LAX, especially for a T4 -> T2 connection requiring rechecking bags.

Look at it this way for the best scenario:

Arrive QF11 at T4 on-time at 09:45.
Taxi to the gate, await aero-bridge and doors open: 09:55.
Exit aircraft and walk to immigration desk: 10:05
Wait in immigration queue and processing: 10:15
Wait for bags on carousel: 10:20
Join customs exit queue and exit: 10:25
Walk briskly from T4 to T2: 10:35
Join check-in queue and check-in at T2 for AC flight: 10:45
Pass T2 security: 10:55
Walk to gate to find aircraft already pushed back

And this is assuming minimal delays at all points.

You really need to arrive on QF107 or QF149 to make an 11am T2 connection.
 
Yah, with LAX being the complete zoo that it is, I also believe your chances of making the connection are fairly low.

Is the Air Canada flight on the same ticket? Different tickets?
 
On the topic of connections...does anyone think I'm cutting it too fine with the following:
MEX-DFW arr DFW 6:20pm
DFW-MCI dep DFW 7:10pm

I realise it's tight...but hopefully not too tight (given the MEX-DFW arrives at the Domestic terminal, and I'm assuming DFW-MCI departs from the same Domestic terminal).

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: Carry-on only.
 
Febs said:
On the topic of connections...does anyone think I'm cutting it too fine with the following:
MEX-DFW arr DFW 6:20pm
DFW-MCI dep DFW 7:10pm

I realise it's tight...but hopefully not too tight (given the MEX-DFW arrives at the Domestic terminal, and I'm assuming DFW-MCI departs from the same Domestic terminal).

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: Carry-on only.

Well I wonder how you clear customs. AFAIK pre-clearance (as from Canadian and Carribean destinations) is not available in Mexico. If you do have to clear customs at DFW its gonna be almost impossible.
 
Febs said:
On the topic of connections...does anyone think I'm cutting it too fine with the following:
MEX-DFW arr DFW 6:20pm
DFW-MCI dep DFW 7:10pm

I realise it's tight...but hopefully not too tight (given the MEX-DFW arrives at the Domestic terminal, and I'm assuming DFW-MCI departs from the same Domestic terminal).

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: Carry-on only.
I would say your chances are very low. Boarding for the MCI flight will commence 30 mins before departure at 6:40p, giving you 20 mins from landing to get through immigration and customs (even with only carry-on you still need to queue to get through customs), to you departure terminal, through security and to the gate. Most unlikely to make it.
 
dragonman said:
Well I wonder how you clear customs. AFAIK pre-clearance (as from Canadian and Carribean destinations) is not available in Mexico. If you do have to clear customs at DFW its gonna be almost impossible.

I was wondering that too. I wasn't aware of pre-clearance from Mexico when flying - but it could exist. Looking at AA's site, I see the MEX flights arrive at Terminal D, which is the International arrivals terminal.

DFW airport though, is huge but quite easy to travel around. They have a train system which travels both clockwise and anticlockwise and comes along regularly. I transited from A terminal to C in around 15 mins or so, and also did a B to C in around 10 mins from memory. There are 2 train stations per terminal, so wherever you come out you should be close to the train. This is only if you're on the sterile side of the airport though...

See also dfwairport.com - How to Connect at DFW

If you do have to pass through Customs/Immigration there, they have shuttle busses on the outside of security. This would definately be running extremely fine in your situation IMHO.
 
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Thanks guys...guess it was wishful thinking.

Changed my flight into DFW, now arriving at 3:45pm. Much safer (and I'm sure I can busy myself in the lounge/around DFW for a few hours).

Luckily the MEX-DFW was an Award flight, so no penalties for making the change (I thought I'd be slugged a 2,500pt penalty, good to see that wasn't the case!)

Anything I could've done in 27 hours in Mexico City, I'll have to do in 24 hours now. :D

Cheers,
- Febs.
 
Cheers, thanks all. I'll make my way through Seattle or Vancouver instead. Or take the earlier Qantas flights. Sigh.

Sincerely,
Mal
 
Hi there,

Right, I'm taking QF107 which arrives at 0640 which should be enough time to make the 1100 Air Canada connection (the flights are on separate tickets, but travel insurance is there so should be all good).

Question, once I collect my baggage, how long should I use the Qantas lounge in T4 before I should make my way to T2?

Thanks!
 
Mal P said:
Question, once I collect my baggage, how long should I use the Qantas lounge in T4 before I should make my way to T2?
You cannot use the T4 lounge. As an international arrival, you must first go through immigration and customs and then you end up outside the secure area and cannot get back into the secure part of T4 (and hence the lounge) without a boarding pass for a flight departing from T4 that day.
 
75 minutes T4->T2 at LAX waaaay too small. At bad times of day it can take almost an hour just to clear T2 security.
 
Reading this thread has caused me to read over my itinerary from my TA. The following are our flights to Miami, USA. Has the TA allowed enough time between flights?
Arrive Syd 1915
Depart Syd for HNL 2100 (Hawaiin Air)
1.45hrs to get bags; go from domestic to internationl terminal; recheck in and go through customs.

Arrive HNL 1040 Terminal M
Depart HNL for Lax 1300 Terminal Z (Hawaiin Air)
2hrs 20min to get bags, recheck in and go through customs

Arrive LAX 2120 Terminal 2
Depart LAX for MIA 2315 Terminal 4 (American Airlines)
1.55hrs to get bags, recheck in.

We are paper ticketed for Aust to Hawaii segments. We are eticketed for USA segments.
I was advised by my TA that we would have to recheck our bags in each time we change airlines.
 
aussiecruisers said:
Reading this thread has caused me to read over my itinerary from my TA. The following are our flights to Miami, USA. Has the TA allowed enough time between flights?
Arrive Syd 1915
Depart Syd for HNL 2100 (Hawaiin Air)
1.45hrs to get bags; go from domestic to internationl terminal; recheck in and go through customs.

Arrive HNL 1040 Terminal M
Depart HNL for Lax 1300 Terminal Z (Hawaiin Air)
2hrs 20min to get bags, recheck in and go through customs

Arrive LAX 2120 Terminal 2
Depart LAX for MIA 2315 Terminal 4 (American Airlines)
1.55hrs to get bags, recheck in.

We are paper ticketed for Aust to Hawaii segments. We are eticketed for USA segments.
I was advised by my TA that we would have to recheck our bags in each time we change airlines.

If it is all on one ticket then no problem at all.

If not ...
What is the close off of check in for Hawaiian at SYD? Work backwards allowing for the terminal transfer and that tells you how late you flight to SYD can afford to be and a gauge on riskiness.

At HNL you have immigration and customs to clear. 2:20 should be long enough unless the flight from SYD is very late. Being on same ticket you should be protected. However, a lot of Hawaii to mainland flights are around the same time. Are there later ones same day? If your SYD-HNL flight is late enough to miss HNL-LAX so that end up travelling the next day, and LAX-MIA is a separate ticket then you may be stuck, unless that is a flexible fare.

At LAX no need for immigration or customs, so 1:55 should be enough time. It is quite a walk from T2 to T4 though.
 
All on one ticket? How do I find that out? Do I ask my TA? I have one itinerary and Reference codes and I have paper tickets for the BNE to HNL segments and Eticket receipt number for the HNL to MIA segments. My TA uses galielo booking system and I have the reference for our booking.

Also how do I found out the close off time for check in for Hawaiian at SYD? Do I ring them?
 
NM said:
giving you 20 mins from landing to get through immigration and customs (even with only carry-on you still need to queue to get through customs)

Believe it or not....13 minutes from my seat to the gate!

I was incredibly lucky though (no queues at immigration/customs, new security screening point opened just as I arrved), and I would have been stupid to expect such a quick connection. Gives me a good chance to get through some e-mails at least. :)

Thanks again for the advice all. :)

Cheers,
- Febs.
 
Febs said:
Believe it or not....13 minutes from my seat to the gate!
Wow, that was fast. I assume this was DFW Terminal D. From some arrival gates it can take almost that time to get to the immigration desk! Was your onward departure also from the same terminal? I assume 13 mins would not be enough time to also get another terminal.

I have a DFW international arrival and domestic connection coming up next month and have chosen flights with 2:45 connection time.
 
NM said:
Wow, that was fast. I assume this was DFW Terminal D. From some arrival gates it can take almost that time to get to the immigration desk! Was your onward departure also from the same terminal? I assume 13 mins would not be enough time to also get another terminal.

Well, my onward departure was from Terminal D....until they changed it at the last minute, didn't announce it in the Admiral's Club (I was listening - heard plenty of announcements for Brazil and other wonderful destinations)...and updated the departure screens (in the Admiral's Club) late.

So where did they change it to? C14 - literally the furthest possible terminal (5 stops on the SkyLink, in both directions). Did we make it? Well...I wouldn't be sitting here in the Irving, TX Westin if we did! Thankfully AA picked up the tab, though it took a bit of prodding.

Cheers,
- Febs.
 
Febs said:
So where did they change it to? C14 - literally the furthest possible terminal (5 stops on the SkyLink, in both directions). Did we make it? Well...I wouldn't be sitting here in the Irving, TX Westin if we did! Thankfully AA picked up the tab, though it took a bit of prodding.
Ahhh, the best laid plans of mice and men ....

Irving ... couldn't you talk them into anywhere nicer? If you get a chance to head out somewhere for dinner, try the Stockyards area at Ft Worth. H3 and Cattleman's are good steak places there. And you can always head into down-town Ft Worth to The Flying Saucer (corner of Commerce and 7th) for a very impressive array of beers.
 
NM said:
Ahhh, the best laid plans of mice and men ....

Irving ... couldn't you talk them into anywhere nicer? If you get a chance to head out somewhere for dinner, try the Stockyards area at Ft Worth. H3 and Cattleman's are good steak places there. And you can always head into down-town Ft Worth to The Flying Saucer (corner of Commerce and 7th) for a very impressive array of beers.

Thanks NM - I'd hoped to head out but being a good 15mi from anywhere, and being dead to the world after days and days of little sleep, I was happy to just finish my work and hit the sack.

Next time perhaps (although let's hope there isn't a "next time"!)

Cheers,
- Febs,
 
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