philip868

hi hope you can help me. On a Wednesday morning in June I have the following flight connection to attempt. My Travel consultant thinks it's very doable. I however has reservations.

Here it is

FLL to JFK on Jetblue. Arrives at 08.50 terminal 5

Connecting Flight

JFK to HKG Cathay. Departs at 10.00 Terminal 7

I am assuming that I can check my luggage with Jetblue all the way. Not sure it's relevant, but my Cathay flight is business class.

I have not used these airlines together before so I have no clue how logistically feasible this is.

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Phiip

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Ask your travel consultant what the Minimum Connection Time (MCT) is for JetBlue domestic to Cathay international at JFK. Also ask whether JetBlue has an "interline baggage agreement" with Cathay.

Are both of these flights going to be on a single ticket, or on two separate tickets?

Often1

1. Yes, B6 interlines with CX, so you will be able to check your bag at FLL to its CX destination.

2. I don't think that the timing is sensible. The flight actually arrives at 8:49 AM, 7 minutes later than you have posted (although I did not check every Wednesday in June). This means that you have 1:11 between brakes locked on the inbound and the push on the outbound. CX requires you to be at the gate no later than T-40. That is 9:20. This leaves you 31 minutes.

31 minutes is doable, but risky. Remember, presuming that the flight is on schedule, the brakes are locked at 8:49 AM. That doesn't mean you are off the aircraft and headed to Terminal 7.

All of this is premised on no delays. That is unreasonable for the heavily-congested NE airspace and for a short-haul arrival into JFK during the AM rush.

I would fly in the night before and overnight at one of the JFK hotels or fly in the day b efore and enjoy NYC. You can always drop your bags at the airport hotel, head into the City, enjoy yourself and head back out for the night if you don't want the AM rush.

JDiver

Welcome back to FlyerTalk.

Here's a JFK map with airlines by terminal: link.

It will certainly be possible if your flight arrives on time, but if not you could be stuck; IMO, risky. I might choose an earlier flight and be prepared to spend a little time in the decent British Airways Galleries lounge available to you in terminal 7. (After security, turn left from the top of the escalator.)

What you'll have to do is arrive Terminal 5 and head for the AirTrain station. If you take a Howard Beach or Jamauca Station train, both travel anti-(counter) clockwise around the airport before heading to Federal Circle,, both are free within the airport grounds, board at T-5 and disemark at the next station, Terminal 7.

Proceed to the terminal, get your boarding pass if you don't have one, proceed through TSA security and head for the British Airways lounge.

If you take the Airline Terminals Train, it normally travels clockwise, so you'll board at Terminal 5 and travel pretty much around the airport circuit (terminals 4, 5, 2, 1, 8 and 7) before reaching Terminal 7.

See this map here.

I just did this late last month, though from Terminal 7 to T-8.

I'm assuming you have an interlined ticket (rather than two separate tickets), and Google says the airlines established an interline agreement in 2012, so your baggage should be checked through by jetBlue. (Frankly, IMO, if your Travel Consultant can't tell you if jetBlue and Cathay Pacific have an interline baggage agreement and advise you about these issues, it may be time to search for another one. The fact you're asking these things here tell me the consultant is probably not providing the services you're presumably paying for.)

ysolde

Agree with Often1. Any little thing goes wrong on your JetBlue flight (weather, catering issue, anything) and you are out of luck.

Take the evening flight out the night before, if time is an issue. The hotels around JFK are nothing to write home about, but you can find something clean, with a comfortable bed. You won't need much else, and you'll have peace of mind.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Cathay has several flights a day from JFK to HKG, so rather than flying in the day before, the OP might simply wish to choose a later same-day CX flight out of JFK.

philip868

Thanks Guys

You have collectively given me the answer I am looking for. Whatever happens here, all I am doing is encouraging stress, that I really don't need. It may work but there is every chance it won't.

Therefore, I have decided to call the travel company in the morning and get them to change either B6 or the CX flight.

I am truly grateful to you all, and am humbled that you would take the time to help.

Thanks to you all.

Philip

Often1

You say "reservations", but I take that to be tickets. If that is the case, you are not connecting at JFK, but rather simply transferring between tickets. MCT is simply a carrier's willingness to accept the risk of a misconnect. It has no applicability if you are on two tickets.

1. B6 is unlikely to check your bag onto CX. Thus, you will need to retrieve it at JFK and check in with CX.

2. If you no show for your CX flight, you have no protection. Your ticket will be cancelled. Depending on the ticket's fare rules and the charity of the CX agent, you may have to purchase a new ticket.

My general rule of thumb is to allow 2-3x the MCT when you are on separate tickets. That is certainly not met here.

All disturbing stuff about your travel consultant. If the TA doesn't know this basic stuff, ditch him.

JDiver

I agree with your suggestions, but I dont want to assume separate ticketing unless the OP tells us it's so. Then, much of what you spell out may well occur.

aBroadAbroad

Because this query is off-topic for the info desk and OP appears to be satisfied with the replies already posted, the thread has been closed. (Please see the Read Before Posting announcement at the top of this forum for more detailed guidance.)

Since airport transit and MCT questions are usually best discussed in the destination forums, OP may want to visit the dedicated New York forum if any further info should be needed.