LoganFlyer

We've been talking about this in the BOS Minimum Connection Time thread, but it seems worthy of a separate discussion. According to both ExpertFlyer and dummy bookings at delta.com, most transatlantic flights out of BOS on DL metal are scheduled to depart from Terminal E starting March 1 27. Of course, they've always arrived in terminal E due to CBP being there, but they were then towed to terminal A for their departure. The only exception is flights to DUB; they'll still leave from terminal A as DUB is a preclearance airport and thus the inbound flight doesn't arrive at terminal E.

Here's what I don't know at this time:
* Is this going to be all TATL departures or just some of them? DL could be setting them all to terminal E as a worst case scenario but then deciding day by day which flights will really depart from E and which ones will be towed to A for their departures.
* Lounge access in E. If I had to guess, DL will use the AF lounge, which would mean that ST E+ would still have access to the lounge. But if they go for a non-ST lounge, then only D1 passengers would have access, which would be a loss for ST E+ passengers in Y.
* Whether DL will start an airside bus to help connecting passengers. Due to BOS's setup, as of now, any A-E connection at BOS requires a 10 minute walk through a parking garage and reclearing security.
* Whether this whole thing is something someone fat-fingered in Deltamatic .

If anyone knows or hears more about this, please let us know!

jalves

Interesting change. Makes sense so they and avoid towing the plane from E to A if its just making a turnaround.

demkr

Now if the VS Clubhouse would reopen...

littlefox2

Seems strange to create such a passenger unfriendly move just to avoid towing aircraft. The VS Club is way too small.

SFTNYC

The tow from E to A can take up to 45 minutes I understand (having to stop for traffic coming in/out of the alleys for B and C), so this will probably save some turn time. I think the bigger issue is that WB gate availability is tight at A (only 2x A330 gates, unable to convert others as the alley gets too narrow in the north section of A and the parking positions aren't deep enough). With 2x AMS, CDG, FCO, ATH, TLV on A330s all leaving between 1600 and 2000, they probably can't accommodate 2-3 of these. Whether the majority of the operation moves versus just the few they can't accommodate / highest O&D flights remains to be seen.

Lomapaseo

Sounds like this is an airport problem that hurts its Domestic carriers. So what can/should the airport do to make turn-arounds less complex?

LoganFlyer

What they *should* do is open a CBP checkpoint in terminal A. In fact, this was what DL wanted to do when A was constructed in 2005 or so, but CBP didn't want to staff two checkpoints at BOS. So instead, they're stuck with a single entrance for all non-precleared flights which can get way backed up during the European arrival bank.

rylan

This is going to be a mess... It may only be a 10-15 min walk from A to E, but having to go through security again in E is a significant time sink. There is no precheck or clear in E, so you get stuck in the normal security line which typically moves at a snails pace there. Even for the business class line it is slow. Pax will have to allow an additional hour for check in and security over there.

Is DL going to open checkin counters over there now? How about lounge access? E does not have large lounges... as someone else mentioned the VS clubhouse is way too small to accommodate DL pax (and its still closed anyway), and I think the AF lounge is too small as well for the influx. If they make it D1 only then that is a big negative for those who normally have access in A.

VFR

They could do what they are doing at LAX: certain flights depart TBIT but check-in is done at T2 and passengers take a bus over. Delta does not have any check-in counters or lounges at TBIT (the KE lounge is the only SkyTeam lounge there).

The lounge situation is going to be difficult for sure.

dw

And I’d consider the AF lounge there a big downgrade compared to the SkyClub

BmanCCP

One of the dirtiest lounges I have been to in awhile. Old, tired, and dirty. weird semi-refrigerated cases with strange food offerings. The fruit cups were swarmed with baby flies. I was J to Zurich in Nov but no booze in Lufthansa club so walked over to AF using priority pass. Had some booze and promptly left. Too gross to stay.

RobertS975

That fixes the passenger transfer issue, but doesn't solve the ramp cramp that exists for wide body aircraft at terminal A.

If I ran the zoo, I would quickly find a way to relocate the Fedex ramp to some less central location at the airport and convert the existing Fedex ramp into a 6-8 gate international terminal with CBP. For this to fly, it might have to be shared with other domestic carriers like AA and UA.

Lomapaseo

Sounds like a work-around might be for the domestics (ala Delta etc.) to continue handling the passengers and lounges in their Main terminals and provide a people mover to board the TATL flight like IAD. Of course that only helps the outbounds

smartytravel

I have an international flight arriving to BOS and connecting to a domestic flight in the US. Would it be a hassle for me?

LoganFlyer

Short answer is yes, you'll have to switch terminals. For more information, read the Wiki and post in the BOS minimum connection time thread (link below), as this thread isn't about connections at BOS.

Minimum Connection Transfer Time at Boston (BOS): The Definitive Thread