bennos

Greetings Forum,

Last night I flew SFOJFK on the A321T, we were delayed a few hours due to weather. While this was a minor nuisance to me as I was trying to make an LIRR train that doesn't run that often, it was a major nuisance to a number of others who missed or were in danger of missing their connections. When we finally arrived T8 at about 10pm, we pulled into what looks like 31D from the wiki diagram after taxiing past an almost completely empty terminal. Based on the FA announcements while we were taxiing, most of the remaining connecting flights were leaving out of the other concourse.

My question is what operational constraints would have led to this gate assignment? I know that not all equipment types can fit at all gates, but from satellite photos it looks like an A321 can park at most of the other gates within that concourse. A more central gate would have meant less taxiing time and a greater likelihood of the remaining connections being made.

Global321

These type of logistics are worked out in advance as much as possible. Likely this was your gate all along and the others were going to be occupied (if you arrived on time). Changing your flight to another gate, might mean changing another plane and another and another. And you have to move the ramp folks and the gate folks. A lot of work to reduce a walk for some passengers by 5-8 minutes.

T8 is very walkable and not too far even farthest gate to farthest gate. My guess would be it is simply not worth the hassle to AA.

San Gottardo

I have a domestic connection, landing from CLT at 8pm and continuing to LAX at 8.45pm at JFK. It's sold as one ticket/through connection by AA.

In the first post it says that the MCT for domestic-to-domestic is 1 hour. Is that wrong? Or how can AA sell this 45 minute connection?

JJeffrey

At JFK the MCT for domestic-domestic is 35 mins, so the wiki is just wrong. I will updated it when I get a sec.

San Gottardo

Good to know, thanks a lot!

Thunderroad

Due to a schedule change, my wife and I can rebook an award AA business class LHR-SFO trip. The best option seems to be arriving JKF
at 3 pm and then flying on to SFO at 4:29 pm. I know the MCT is 1:15, but this seems tight. Is it realistic? Longer connections are not available, at least online.

FWIW, we have global entry and will just have carry-ons. We like that connection because of the better domestic business class seating.

Also, might I have better luck in finding a better connection through the chat function or via phone (if I can ever get through)?

Thanks for any advice.

berksgra

It's definitely possible. At JFK T8 i've managed to get off the plane, through Global Entry, out to landside, back through security via TSA precheck in 20 minutes though i was moving rather quickly That was for a 2h40 connection where the inbound was 2h late.

I assume you have TSA precheck ?

Personally I prefer a longer connection but feel it's all down to how early / late the inbound is so it's somewhat out of my control regardless.

Thunderroad

[QUOTE=berksgra;35297371]It's definitely possible. At JFK T8 i've managed to get off the plane, through Global Entry, out to landside, back through security via TSA precheck in 20 minutes though i was moving rather quickly That was for a 2h40 connection where the inbound was 2h late.

I assume you have TSA precheck ?

Personally I prefer a longer connection but feel it's all down to how early / late the inbound is.[/QUOTE


Thx! Yep, we have pre-check.

JJeffrey

Agree with the above, with no checked bags and GE you will be fine with a 1:50 connection.

At JFK I consistently can arrive and make it through immigration/customs and back through security in 15-25 mins depending on the arrival gate (GE and never check bags).

With 1:50 you'll probably even have ~30 mins of lounge time to freshen up as well.

Thunderroad

Oh my, I screwed up with my previous post. The actual JFK-SFO departure time is 4:29, which I’d rounded up to 4:30 and then mistakenly wrote 4:50, which I’ve now corrected.

Still, I appreciate both replies. Thanks.

tomli777

hi all. i live in nj so i usually fly united out of EWR but my mother is flying cathay out of jfk this coming week as it was significantly cheaper. knowing absolutely nothing about jfk, cathay/oneworld, i want to buy her lounge access so she can relax for a couple hours before her flight.

looking at the options, it seems like the best bet for a lounge in terminal 8 is buying a one time pass for the admirals club for $59. am i correct in this assumption?

don't think it will matter but she will be playing in premium economy

JJeffrey

I think that is your only pay per use option at JFK T8.

Unfortunately though some AC's do not allow day pass users due to lounge crowding, depends on the lounge and time of day.

I'd recommend just giving her the $59 then tell her to go to the AC and ask to buy a day pass on the spot, if they're not allowing them at that time they will just turn her away. That way you dont spend $59 for nothing.

ryanbriar

Agree. I was at the T8 AC last Saturday and didn’t recall seeing the sign that basically says no dice on day passes. The club was pretty quiet despite it being prime time for TATL / other departures.

cmtlatitudes

Is this connection feasible for someone with mobility challenges? Need wheelchair assistance unless the walking distances are short.

Connection is 1 hour, 17 minutes. But need to change terminals. BUF-JFK via Delta arriving at 658AM, departing AA to ANU 815AM.

Monday morning, carry-on only, both flights flying upfront. So theoretically I'd be near first off on the arriving flight.

It seems dicey, if I have to go through Security from Terminal 4 to Terminal 8. Even assuming a perfectly on-time arrival. Plus, I'm not sure how wheelchair assistance would work in this situation. If Delta would actually get me all the way to the AA terminal/gate and/or if there'd be a handoff to AA and how that would work.

JJeffrey

1:17 is very risky for someone needing wheelchair assistance.

Even if you're in F they typically ask for all wheelchair pax to remain seated until the flight has fully de-boarded.

You'll arrive at T4, exit landside then have to take the (Air)Train around from T4 to T8, then clear security again at T8 and to the gate.

I'm about the least risk averse person around when it comes to this type of thing, but even I would be squeamish about doing that connection myself even w/o assistance and having pre-check and a fast walker and knowing exactly where I need to go etc.