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Reasonable AY connection times in HEL?

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Reasonable AY connection times in HEL?

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Old Feb 23, 2005, 4:30 pm
  #1  
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Reasonable AY connection times in HEL?

I am looking at making a trip to Moscow in June, and would prefer to fly OW carriers if I can. Both AA and ITA booking engines show itineraries via AY and HEL with very tight connections. Specifically,
Arrive HEL from JFK at 08.50, depart 09.25 for SVO
Arrive HEL from SVO at 13:40, depart 14:20 for JFK

So, is this reasonable? Seems VERY tight to me!

Last edited by Wexflyer; Feb 23, 2005 at 11:28 pm
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Old Feb 23, 2005, 5:28 pm
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Originally Posted by Wexflyer
I am looking at making a trip to Moscow in June, and would prefer to fly OW carriers if I can. Both AA and ITA booking engines show itineraries via AY and HEL with very tight connections. Specificially,
Arrive HEL from JFK at 08.50, depart 09.25 for SVO
Arrive HEL from SVO at 13:40, depart 14:20 for JFK

So, is this resonable? Seems VERY tight to me!
You will be fine.
HEL is a small airport. Many russians fly between MOW and JFK with Finnair. I would even assume that they will delay flight to MOW or JFK if flight from JFK or MOW arrives late.

Last edited by fokker50; Feb 23, 2005 at 5:33 pm
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Old Feb 23, 2005, 10:42 pm
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And you will be arriving from a non-Schengen country and connecting to a non-Schengen country so you don't have to go via passport control either, so no problem what so ever. You will be arriving and departing from gates 30 and above: http://www.ilmailulaitos.fi/files/fc...ice_FinEng.pdf
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Old Feb 24, 2005, 10:53 am
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Thanks for the informative and prompt replies folks. For the record, I was in HEL once, on the way back from St. Petersburg, but with longer connection time - I thought HEL was very efficient, with reasonable AY lounge (which I guess I won't see with the above connections).
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Old Feb 24, 2005, 11:07 am
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Originally Posted by fokker50
You will be fine.
HEL is a small airport. Many russians fly between MOW and JFK with Finnair. I would even assume that they will delay flight to MOW or JFK if flight from JFK or MOW arrives late.
This is very much the case, I would assume that the Moscow flight is one the most used connections for AY's JFK flight. There is also around an hour or so spare with AY005/006 schedule so it usually arrives on time even if it departed a bit late. If lucky, you can even have time to go to the renovated OW Sapphire/Emerald lounge in the non-Shengen area @HEL
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Old Feb 24, 2005, 11:19 am
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I have had connection times of c.25 mins in HEL on the winter LHR-HEL-BKK service. Baggage handling is very good at HEL and I normally have time to run to the proper duty free (after immigration) grab some stuff (great prices at HEL) and stop off for a quick fag break before boarding.
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Old Feb 27, 2005, 2:18 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Wexflyer
I am looking at making a trip to Moscow in June, and would prefer to fly OW carriers if I can. Both AA and ITA booking engines show itineraries via AY and HEL with very tight connections. Specifically,
Arrive HEL from JFK at 08.50, depart 09.25 for SVO
Arrive HEL from SVO at 13:40, depart 14:20 for JFK

So, is this reasonable? Seems VERY tight to me!

Should be long enought, even though HEL airport has very long buildings.

Another option, and in MHO much more confortable for you could be if you fly AA/LX from US (e.g. LAX or DFW) via ZRH to MOW. AA and LX have very close agreements and on many flights they have code shares.
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Old Feb 27, 2005, 6:28 am
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Originally Posted by ziplaufwerk
Should be long enought, even though HEL airport has very long buildings.

Another option, and in MHO much more confortable for you could be if you fly AA/LX from US (e.g. LAX or DFW) via ZRH to MOW. AA and LX have very close agreements and on many flights they have code shares.
Not to mention that LX (as well as BA) flies to DME instead of SVO (as does AY), which is a much more pleasant experience. Note also that some AY flights HEL-SVO (though IIRC not the connection to JFK-HEL) are operated by SU, and thus not eligible for AAdvantage credit. As has been posted here previously, AA.com will not show flights on LX (not sure if code-shares show, but no code-share ZRH/GVA-DME).
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Old Feb 27, 2005, 7:32 am
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Codeshares do show on AA, so no codeshare LX to DME , and flying LX in economy (intra europe) is not that pleasant experience,
BA is probably best option if you prefer the better airport DME , Iberia also flies to DME,

Your total travel time with AY will be a lot shorter..

Last edited by beepee; Feb 27, 2005 at 10:31 am
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Old Feb 27, 2005, 8:36 am
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Originally Posted by chalf
Note also that some AY flights HEL-SVO (though IIRC not the connection to JFK-HEL) are operated by SU, and thus not eligible for AAdvantage credit.
I doesn't matter who operates the flight, only the AY code matters:
Only regularly scheduled Finnair flights (flight series AY001-AY1000, AY3000-AY7000) are eligible for mileage accrual.
This only excudes AY leisure flights which are between AY1001-2999, which only credit to AY Plus. I believe with almost all OW carriers it's only the code that matters - with *A they have this confusing "metal" rule.
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Old Feb 27, 2005, 9:18 pm
  #11  
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Thanks for the suggestions regarding LX and BA to Moscow. Regarding LX via ZRH, I had not thought of that, but when I put LAX-ZRH-MOW into the ITA search engine the flight to MOW turns out to be a second overnight flight, arriving 2.am. Not a good combination! Regarding BA - in the past, I have gone to St. Petersburg using BA from LHR on the way over, and AY on the way back. I may do something similar again. I must say I liked AY, but that was before they stuck in another seat in each row on the MD-11, I am not sure it would be so nice this time around?
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Old Feb 28, 2005, 8:21 am
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Another option is JFK - BRU on AA and SN BRU - Moskou Domodedovo, the flights in BRU leaves at 10Am arrival 15.25 the AA flight is 6.30 Pm arrival in BRU around 8am

Sn is also partner of AA, so you could earn miles on these flights (as a non codeshare only bonusmiles)

It is also a good AA-award possibilty, 20.000 aa miles for return flight in economy
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Old Mar 4, 2005, 2:06 pm
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Those Helsinki connecting times can work out OK, and all the non-Schengen gates (a minority of flights) are, as stated, next to each other, but you are rather exposed to even a small amount of lateness on the incoming aircraft. Helsinki can get surprisingly busy, especially in the early afternoon, and I've been put into a circling holding pattern there waiting for a landing opportunity. And there's a bit of a chance too of your aircraft being put onto a remote stand, with a bus into the terminal, which can add more minutes.

Connecting international to domestic is a different matter and it's a LONG walk !
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Old Mar 12, 2005, 9:58 am
  #14  
 
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A short connection at HEL is no problem at all... Scandinavians are famed for the efficiency and HEL is an amazing example of it.
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