Urgent PVG-DTW-EWR 1H25M Layover at DTW???
May 22, 2015, 5:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 23
Urgent PVG-DTW-EWR 1H25M Layover at DTW???
My dad just got his visa and I just bought his ticket for him, but the layover at DTW is 1 hour and 25 minutes. Even though it is the same itinerary, I am still worried that he's not gonna be able to make it. He doesn't speak any English...should I worry?
He has to pick up his bags too...
He has to pick up his bags too...
Last edited by UMichKid; May 22, 2015 at 5:49 pm
May 22, 2015, 5:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Programs: 2006 NW SE; 2007 NW GE; 2008-2009 NW PE; DL PM
Posts: 85
If he is connecting to a Delta flight and does not have to change terminals he should have no problem. Yes, he will have to pick up his bag there in DTW and re-check it, but the bags normally arrive quickly. From what I have experienced the customs lines are not normally long like at ATL or JFK.
Assuming he is connecting to a Delta flight it will be helpful if he has a Delta boarding pass which will expedite him connecting after he clears customs.
If I could pick any airport to have a short connection at it would be DTW based on my 10 years of flying NWA and Delta.
Assuming he is connecting to a Delta flight it will be helpful if he has a Delta boarding pass which will expedite him connecting after he clears customs.
If I could pick any airport to have a short connection at it would be DTW based on my 10 years of flying NWA and Delta.
May 22, 2015, 6:03 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Programs: 2006 NW SE; 2007 NW GE; 2008-2009 NW PE; DL PM
Posts: 85
DTW airport for Delta is very easy to navigate---there is concourse A and B/C. International arrival will come out at concourse A which will be near the B/C tunnel to walk through. If your Dad can look at the monitors and match his flight number to either the A gate number or the B/C gate number he should have no problem finding it. If he is having problems have him go to any gate with his boarding pass and a Delta representative will surely help him find his gate.
May 22, 2015, 6:06 pm
#9
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May 22, 2015, 7:00 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: DL DM/MM
Posts: 2,273
Urgent PVG-DTW-EWR 1H25M Layover at DTW???
See if you can call reservations and get a note put in your Dad's reservation, informing them that he doesn't speak (much) English and will need some help with the transit process. There's absolutely no guarantee that someone will be there with to greet him, but in the past, I've had some luck with this with my own family.
May 22, 2015, 7:15 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: AA Gold, Delta DM Hilton Diamond SPG Gold, and Foodland premium.
Posts: 824
DTW is one of the easiest international airports to negotiate. It would take work for him to not make his connection. My own mother from Central America was able to do it with no problems two years ago. She does not speak English and has never traveled alone in the us.
May 22, 2015, 7:28 pm
#14
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Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
To make things easy and presuming that there's time to ship, buy your dad any prepaid disposable phone with some minutes on it and your # programmed. As he'll be using it at DTW if at all, it will be a standard US phone. All he has to do is press the button and he can speak to you and you can interpret for an agent.
The baggage situation won't require him to recheck the bag, simply drop it after Customs. It will already be tagged to EWR at PVG.
Unfortunately, if he does misconnect, it's the last flight of the night. DL will rebook him, but won't likely deal with a hotel & food. He should have a CC with him to pay for a hotel and any necessities.
The baggage situation won't require him to recheck the bag, simply drop it after Customs. It will already be tagged to EWR at PVG.
Unfortunately, if he does misconnect, it's the last flight of the night. DL will rebook him, but won't likely deal with a hotel & food. He should have a CC with him to pay for a hotel and any necessities.