Close Calls: Absurd Airline Connection Times

Travelers spend lots of time researching destinations, planning activities, and booking hotels for hard earned vacations. It would make sense to do equal amounts of preparation for your transportation to get there. Unfortunately for many travelers this is not the case, and not researching your flight options in depth can cost you hours or even days of your highly anticipated trip.

When booking a flight, most travelers tend to look for the best price on the days they want to depart and return. Rarely do they consider connection times when booking an itinerary that requires a connecting flight. If you have the option of flying nonstop to your destination then that option should be preferred, but nonstop flights are sometimes not an option, and may not be cost effective when they are available. When you find yourself in a position where you will be making a connecting stop at another airport between your origin and final destination you should really look at connecting time between your flights.

Airlines these days have continually been condensing connection times between flights. I have seen some flights with as little as 30 minutes between flight arrival and flight departure. That 30 minutes is between arrival at the gate and departure of your next flight. When you consider the time it takes to just get off of the plane if you are not seated in the front, and the fact that all major airlines close their boarding doors 10 minutes prior to aircraft departure, you'll probably be left with about 10 minutes to get between gates. That's simply not enough time.

A short connection time leaves no margin of error. A slight delay could cause you to miss your flight easily. There is nothing worse than arriving at a gate right after they close the door, and getting rebooked on another flight can be a nightmare in some situations. Not to mention, you'll probably be out of breath from your sprint between airplanes. Have you ever had to change terminals in Chicago O'Hare (ORD) or run the whole Delta terminal in Detroit (DTW)? Those buildings are huge, I hope you brought your running shoes and a Gatorade for those treks. If you are changing buildings in LAX, you'll have to go back through security before getting to your next gate, and we all know how long that will take.

If you have missed a flight due to a delay or too short of a connection, you are already aware of the problems with short connections. This is something that everyone should be looking at when booking their flights. When an airline sells you a fare with a tight connection they will not wait to make sure you make your next flight. It doesn't cost them anything to leave you behind and place you on a later flight. The airline doesn't lose money when you miss a flight, you will just be dealing with the frustration of being late and attempting to get to your destination as soon as possible. (Hopefully later that day, but no guarantees)

The practice of booking tight connecting flights is going to continue in the airline industry. thankfully there are some things you can watch out for and know what to avoid when booking, and what to do when things don't work out.

The next time you will be picking a flight pay attention to your options and consider these few things to make sure you get to where you need to be; on time:

- Fly Nonstop Whenever Possible
Search far and wide for available nonstop flights. This is your highest percentage chance of getting where you need to be when you need to be there. Nonstop flights are often more expensive than connection options, but paying a few extra bucks could be a great value, adding some piece of mind to your trip.

- Less than an hour? No Way!
If you will be booking a connection, make sure that there is at least an hour between flights. A 30 minute connection time shouldn't even be legal. If a 10 minute delay can cause you to miss your next flight then that's not enough time to connect. Most airline delays are less than 15 minutes, if you get at least an hour of connect time then a typical delay won't cause you to misconnect.

-Fly Early
If you travel early in the morning you are less likely to encounter a flight delay. Airlines tend to run into more delays as the day goes on. If you are delayed early in the day then you will have more opportunities to get rebooked on another flight in a case where you do misconnect. If you miss the last flight of the night then you are looking at an overnight stay in the airport waiting for the next flight to your destination. That is not a fun experience.

-Consider the Weather
Weather conditions are the number one cause of flight delays. Blizzards, fog, thunderstorms, and high winds can have a major impact on airline flight operations. Although you can't predict weather delays when you book you can consider seasonal weather conditions i.e. winter weather in midwest and northeast cities. You may want to try to connect through southern and western cites, like Los Angeles, (LAX) Dallas, (DFW) Atlanta, (ATL) during the winter to avoid snowstorms.

You can also monitor weather conditions as they approach. If you notice a large storm in the area of one of your flights then contact your airline. Airlines will often allow customers to change routings free of charge to avoid weather delays. You can also find information about weather related travel waivers on each airline's website.

-Be Proactive
If it looks like you will be having trouble with a connection due to a flight delay you will want to have a plan to get where you need to be ASAP. If your origin flight becomes delayed then talk with airline staff about getting "protected" on the next flight to your destination in case of a missed connection. You can also ask if there are better options that may be on time like a possible nonstop flight. If the airline s running late then they will usually be willing to re-accommodate you for no charge, as long as there are available seats on other flights.

-Travel Light. Comfy Shoes. Run Like Hell
If you are really pushing it to make departure time then it is always a good idea to make a run for the gate. Running through an airport is always easier if you are not carrying a bunch of luggage with you. You'll also want a good pair of shoes that you can run in. Save the flip flops or high heels for when you make it to your vacation!

A little bit of planning can go a long way to help you get to all of the flights you need to be on. Keep a close eye on connection times and you will usually have no issues getting to where you want to be. Unfortunately the airline industry is notorious for treating its customers poorly, regardless of airline, so you will want to plan the routing with the highest chances of success or you can find yourself stuck in the wrong airport.

Have you ever had issues with airline connections or delays? How did the airline handle your problem? Share your stories in the comments below. If you have any other questions about booking or dealing with airline problems please feel free to ask. I've spent a lot of time in Customer Service for an airline. I've seen just about everything the industry has to offer, and i love to help people solve their airline issues!