lateacher

I've got a EWR connection on the FCO biz special from last year.

Originally, we had 2:30 to connect, but due to a schedule change, now we only have 1:15.

I've called expedia and AZ because I don't think we can make a 1:15 connection in EWR, especially with a 1-year old in tow.

If I search the AZ or expedia timetable, our flight combo (AZ644/AZ3902) does not come up as an option. I've had at least one AZ agent and one expedia agent agree that this is a tight connection. But the AZ agent told me to call expedia, and expedia tells me that AZ has control of my ticket.

The expedia agent even told me that I would not have to collect luggage in EWR. They also tell me that AZ operates my flight from EWR-LAX.

Should I continue trying for a better connection? Has anyone here had a connection at EWR from AZ to CO?

Thanks!

sbm12

The chances of you making that connection are almost zero. You will arrive in Terminal B. You'll have to clear immigration, collect your bags, clear customs, re-check your bags (should be quick, but if AZ doesn't tag them all the way through it will be much slower), take the AirTrain to Terminal C (5-10 minutes, including wait time) and then reclear security at Terminal C. Being in business class will get you off the plane faster and give you access to the elite security line, but it is still incredibly tight.

If AZ doesn't tag your bags all the way through or if they don't issue your CO boarding passes it is impossible as you'll have to visit a CO desk and you'll never get there before the 60 minute cutoff. Even if they do both of those things it is highly unlikely. I actually think that 75 minutes might be below the MCT for international to domestic connections at EWR.

I'd push for a free change to the itinerary, which they should be able to do based on schedule change. Which carrier changed the schedule? I'm assuming AZ. It will be hard as you're going to have to get AZ to change the seats on CO flights, which is a PITA for them to do, but you need to push it.

Next time you call don't mention Expedia at all and see if they bring it up. You can also push them to take control of the ticket if they claim that Expedia has control, even if Expedia denies it.

rcs85551

The published MCT from AZ to CO at EWR is indeed 1:15. Hence, any changes without any change fee are a gesture of goodwill.

lateacher

That's what I expected to hear. I never would have booked such a short connection in EWR. I've tried to push for a change, but no one at AZ or Expedia will do it.

If it's a PITA for them to change the seats on CO, we'll have no problems switching to the nonstop FCO-LAX that AZ operates that day.

lateacher

I trust your answer more than the AZ agents. One told me it was 1 hour, and another said it was 1 hour, 30 minutes.

I'll wait a while and see if there are any more schedule changes.

Thanks for the information.

KL803

I have a similar story: flying MXP-EWR on AZ606 next month with a connection to CO99 to HKG. The time between flights is just 1 hour 30 minutes. I wonder what happens if AZ606 is late (which it is quite often in winter due to fog in MXP). Will CO wait for me? Will AZ offer me a hotel voucher if I can't make it? Or will AZ simply do nothing at all? FYI: It's all on one AZ-coded (055...) ticket, so the responsability is with AZ, no doubt.

If the ***t hits the fan: I'll have my travel insurance

Michael

rcs85551

Assuming it is on one single ticket & reservation, AZ has to re-route you on the next available flight, should you miss your connection due to them arriving late into EWR.

KL803

Thanks for this info. It's correct, it's all on one AZ-ticket. Anyway, so far, I was always lucky and I've never missed a connection before, so no experience with this.

If it happens, where do I go? AZ or CO desk in EWR? Do I have a choice of connection? For example: I see a 4.45 pm departure on CO to LAX then on CX to HKG arriving 5.40 am. But there are also routings through CDG and even SEA-YVR. Or can I choose a night in a hotel in EWR and simply take CO99 a day later? I assume, it also depends on availability on these flights...

One more thing: If I get rerouted to CX, will I still earn miles (I'm FB-Gold) for it?

Thanks again for your answers!

All That Jazz

Not sure how it would work with FB. I had two flights cancelled with AZ (YYZ-MXP and then MXP-YYZ on the way back). I was reprotected on an AC flight outbound nonstop to my destination past MXP (which was TLV), then on the way back was reprotected on another AZ flight to BOS then AC up to YYZ. When I asked for the miles (arguing that I had booked the ticket with AZ and that they were the ones rebooking me with AC), the YYZ-TLV was fully credited, but then they refused to credit the additional 500 miles on the BOS-YYZ flight - which was booked by AZ on an AC flight, just like the YYZ-TLV one...

Kinda random, eh? If I had to guess, I'd say that the formal answer you'd get from FB would be that if it's not on SkyTeam metal (or other acknowledged FB partners), you don't get any miles. In practice there may be some variations.