ludocdoc

I'm looking to do a combined Israel/Jordan trip in the fall, and fly mostly on US, so I hope to use my upgrade certs to fly to TLV. I would look to connect to RJ for the hop to AMM. It looks like there was a transit bridge in years past, but there arent recent threads confirming its use, and they generally look like ElAL to ElAl connections.

Anyone with experience trying to go US to RJ? I'd have a 2:30 connection time. RJ isnt *A, so does anyone know if they can interline my bags? If not, it looks impossible as I suspect there's no way to clear passport control and exit control that fast....

dand99

RJ is fairly reliable - best to speak with them directly for the TLV-AMM leg, though... It would be highly unlikely they'd be able to interline bags.

2:30 seems fine to me, your main risk would be flight delays. Passport control and baggage claim (in my opinion) is speedy - 30 min max. The security lines on the way back in may be long - has never taken me more than an hour, though, from arrival to the gate. Security staff will be sympathetic if you are at risk of missing a connection.

D.

ludocdoc

I am, of course, trying to answer my own question, but worry that whatever answer I get from US or RJ may be incorrect as it wont be the people on the ground, so was hoping for someone who has tried it. The way I think I'm going to connect is US fro PHL to TLV, connecting to RJ to AMM. On the way back I'll take a few days in Israel. I'd be nervous leaving security in PHL to recheck my bags on a 2.5 hour connection, much less in TLV. So really hoping to hear good news about interlining. Worst comes to worse, there's a later flight to AMM, but its a 6 or 7 hour layover after a long TATL flight... too painful to do on purpose.

If I hear from US or RJ I'll post results, but still hoping someone out there in FT land has tired this.

ludocdoc

Word is, they will interline bags.

Now a harder question, in case anyone is still reading. If I reverse my order, and want to transit TLV on the way home -- flying RJ from AMM to TLV, connecting to US to PHL -- the layover choices are 11 hours or 70 minutes. Can one transit TLV in 70 minutes?

entropy

I'm sure its doable, but if I were you I'd rather train into TLV for the day and grab some good food, walk around the city...

joshwex90

That's interesting that they will interline the bags. Regardless...

• If you do PHL-TLV-AMM, then 2.5 hours should be fine. I usually, from touch down to entry into the arrivals hall, in under 1 hour. That would leave you with more than 60 minutes. Now assuming they interlined your bags, just go straight to security. Security does not take that long. Clear it in under 10 minutes for sure. And passport control also not too bad. If they didn't interline your bags, then it should still be fine. (This is all the long route. The short route would be transiting in the standard way, but I've never done this in TLV.)
  
• If instead, you do AMM-PHL-TLV, 70 minutes is tight. To even consider it working, your bags would for sure need to be checked through. I think you're better off with the 11 hour connection and going out to Tel Aviv, as entropy suggested. However, you will already have visited Israel in the begining of your visit. Therefore, I personally suggest the first option (PHL-TLV-AMM).

ludocdoc

I agree -- the longer time would make me feel much safer. It doesn't sound like you are talking about the transit route through TLV though -- it is rumored to exist, and would presumable not include an arrivals hall as it would be only perhaps a security rescreen, but no passport control. No?

joshwex90

It may very well exist, but I always see only 2 signs:

Arriving Passengers - Passport Control and Passengers Connecting to Eilat.

Although LY does have connecting flights from the West to places like BKK and HKG. I've never done that. Perhaps asking in the LY forum might yield results.