Ycang

Hi all,

I'm new to FT (although I've been reading the forums for some time now) and I have a flight connection in June that I need some help on. It involves a 45 min connection in OSL, but what complicates matters is that I'm arriving from EWR (Newark) on United Airlines and and carrying on to TXL (Berlin) on AirBerlin, so I'd have to get off my UA flight, pick up baggage, re-check in baggage, and make it onto my AB flight all within 45 mins. I'm also unsure as to what customs and security I will be subject to going through, but as I need to check in 30 mins before my AB flight, it all makes me feel that I'm cutting it too close, and wanted to hear your thoughts

Here is my itinerary:
UA38 (arrives in OSL from EWR at 9:50)
AB8247 (departs OSL for TXL at 10:35)

Thanks!

Aviatrix

Welcome to Flyertalk.

Did you book this on separate tickets?

If so I'm afraid your chances of making it are, approximately, ZERO. And if it's on separate tickets your conneciton won't be protected, and if you miss your onward flight you have to buy a new ticket.

Accepted wisdom is that you should not attempt to "connect" on separate tickets in anything less then four hours.

I think the only way you can salvage this is by travelling light (i.e., without checked baggage). Even then it's tight but you're in with a chance.

Ycang

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I did book them on separate tickets I guess I'll now look at rescheduling those flights and giving myself a day or two to explore Oslo.

I know what I was trying to do was impossible, but is four hours really the minimum I should have for separate tickets? The return journey of my trip (basically the same flights, just in reverse) involves a 90 min connection in Oslo, coming from TXL and heading on to EWR.

Aviatrix

Let's put it this way... I mentioned four hours on another forum and got a lot of stick for suggesting that four hours was enough! (Consensus seemed to be that anything under six hours is too risky). Of course it all depends on how much risk you're willing to take and what your contingency plans are, but I would definitely not want to do leave less than four hours if I am travelling with checked baggage. Without checked baggage I would consider shorter connections, but it depends on the airport and factors like whether or not I need to go through Immigration and/or re-clear security.

I'd say your chances of making this are probably, at best, about 50:50. If your first flight is more than a few minutes late you're going to miss your onward flight - and then what? On a through ticket you're protected (i.e., they will put you on the next available flight free of charge), but on separate tickets you're not... if you miss your flights you will have to buy a new ticket, and last-minute tickets tends to be very expensive.

ksu

45 minutes with checked luggage is impossible, unless your incoming flight is (very) early. With cabin luggage only, you might make it if you have printed your boarding pass OSL-TXL. In that case you must use the direct channel for connecting INT-INT passengers before taking the escalator down to the arrivals tax-free shop/ luggage belts. (It is about halfway down the long landing from passport control to the down escalator). Have you checked the flights OSL-TXL on SK or the flights OSL-SXF (Berlin Schönefeld) on DY (www.norwegian.no)? They might offer you more doable connections than your impossible dream!

Aviatrix

Is this INT-INT? I know Norway is a bit of an odd one in that it's Schengen but non-EU, but would a connection to a Schengen country come under "international"? Surely the OP would be clearing Schengen immigration at OSL?

ksu

Yes, this is INT-INT, even if Schengen immigration is cleared at OSL. The Schengen agreement is an agreement between independent countries, and travel between these countries is still international, even if passports are not required.

OSL has three separate parts: DOM, INT Schengen and INT non-Schengen. Basically: customs regulations are more important than passport control! You can buy tax-free goods when travelling to a Schengen country, but not to a domestic destination.

When arriving from non-Schengen countries the plane docks at the far end of the INT pier, where the non-Schengen gates are located. After passing through passport control (i.e. entering Schengen) one enters a long landing leading to the escalator down to the arrivals hall. All Schengen arrival gates leads into this landing, thus one technically is in the INT Schengen part of the terminal. On this landing, the INT-INT checkpoint is located. After passing this checkpoint, one walks down the stairs to the INT Schengen departure hall. Arriving from EWR one has entered Norway and the Schengen area, but one has not crossed the Norwegian customs border, and will usually not be checked by Norwegian customs officers until after the arrivals hall.

Aviatrix

All makes sense, and obviously things need to be done differently in Norway because you are not in the EU.

Airports in Schengen EU countries generally just have two parts, Schengen and non-Schengen (i.e., no separate domestic area).

chrisljo

45 min is as many have said impossible with check luggaged.

90 min on the return should work, but I wouldn't try before an expensive IC ticket.

I think my travel insurance covers something if I calculate checkin time plus 2 hours.

Aviatrix

I wouldn't say "should". I would say "may", or "might", or "may or may not". I'd give it 50:50.

If the first flight is on time (or no more than 15 minutes late) and if there are no other delays (e.g. with baggage delivery) then there is a good chance that it will work. If there are delays it won't work.

Another thought... does anyone know how check-in/bag drop is handled at OSL? Is it "per flight" or "per airline"/"per handling agent"?

If it's "per flight" (i.e. there is a dedicated check-in for every flight) then the OP is unlikely to have a long queue in front of him because most other people will have checked in - so that should work fairly smoothly.

If it's per airline or per handling agent (i.e., one desk shared by several flights) then he could find himself at the end of a long queue, and may have to rely on the kindness of other people in that queue to let him cut in front.

ksu

It is per airline for SAS/WF and DY (except flights to the US). LH/OS/LX are handled as SK flights. As all other scheduled airlines basically has only one departure a time, so check-in is really per flight. UA has its own check in desk for the EWR flight.

One should also remember that OSL has a very automated check-in system. Most passengers can use self-service check-in and drop their luggage self-service. AFAIK, this cannot be done for flights to the US.

ksu

SK has a flight to TXL at 11.05 Mo-Fr (11.55 Su and 15.35 Sa). This can be had at under NOK 400 o/w if booked in advance. This is a much safer alternative, both being 35 minutes later and being in the same alliance as UA. Early returns Berlin-OSL to connect to UA39 are more difficult though. Seeing the risk of losing the return, I would consider flying the night before, and stay overnight in Oslo.

chrisljo

Usually the bags are there at less than 25 min, from bag pickup to checked in I'd give it 20 min, security and to gate 15 min. Which leaves 30 min, so your analysis is spot on. Less than 15 min delay you make it, more and you don't, unless your lucky.

Aviatrix

I was using a slightly different calculation, but we seem to have come to the same result.

My calculation was based on the check-in/bag drop deadline. I was guessing - without looking it up - that check-in would close about 50-60 minutes before departure.

I have since determined that it is 60 minutes, so even a 15 minute delay could be problematic unless the OP's baggage appears very promptly (in my - limited - experience of OSL it's usually pretty quick)

ksu

Well...