Rocky2

Hey all. Not sure if this is the right subforum to post this but i'm pretty sure its not. But can a moderator move this to the right forum?


I have flown many times before and almost always it was a direct flight unless it was to say a long destination where you have to have direct flights. However, if you do that, i know there is a very long layover where you are at the airport for a few hours before you go on the next flight. Once i recalled i took a domestic flight and it was an interconnecting flight... I don't recall exactly how long but when i got off at the first destination, i believe i had like 50 minutes or so before the next flight boarded which would go to my final destination. Now at that airport, i know many people fly directly from there to the destination. This was a flight from the US to another country.


Now what i want to know is this. If the flight gets delayed the initial one, would your interconnecting flight get delayed as well or not? Because if not, then aren't you going to miss the interconnecting flight? I'm curious but how often would you say a flight that goes to a destination, say there were flyers where they had to fly using an interconnecting flight before this one? How much percentage? Because the thing is i recalled they gave me less than 1 hour etc to get to the next flight. Now i checked flights and i notice that there was as little as a 30 minute layover. If thats the case, doesn't that mean there is high chance that someone can miss their flight especially since they have to walk quickly to the other one etc? Because the thing was i recalled i only had a carry on with me... no checked luggage. But if you had checked luggage, i assume that checked luggage was already in the second plane that goes to your final destination right? Because you would never ever have to check the bag again right as that would be impossible? The thing is how do people even handle 30 minute layovers? If your plane is late or the distance is very far, couldn't you miss it?


The other thing is i heard of people intentionally missing their interconnecting flight. I googled interconnecting and thats the first thing i read about. I only wanted to know what if you miss the interconnecting flight. What are the reasons people intentionally miss it? Is it because the first place it goes to is their final destination and its cheaper that way as oppose to direct flight? That is the only way i could think is the reason? Also the other thing that confuses me is do people do interconnecting flights usually because they have to... or because they have on costs? I done it once a while back but it was to save on costs. But I thought that is not good idea because if your flight is delayed etc, then aren't there lot of issues?


On a related question. I notice when you use Jetblue, AA, orbitz to check flights, you have the nonstop flights. Then you have those 1 stop flights. But the thing that always confuses me are those flights that have like a 5 hour or 12 hour layover or more. The thing that confuses me is why are these flights so expensive? Like imagine you going from one state to another or from the US to another country. But you could fly one way and its this cost. But if you fly an interconnecting flight to that state or country, there is not only like a big layover, the price is so expensive? Im sure you all know what im talking about right? Its like why are these flights 800 dollars when a direct flight might be 300.


Thanks.

mvoight

Just because your flight is late, doesn't mean the flight you are connecting to will be late. It doesn't even mean the flight it will become at the connection point will be delayed.
If the aircraft planned for a specific flight is delayed or has mechanical problems, it can be replaced by another aircraft. So, do not rely on the scheduled inbound aircraft's arrival lateness determine whether you should get to the airport on time.

Fares vary for many reasons, and people take connecting flights instead of nonstops for many reasons.
For fares it sometimes depends on the specific markets and whether there is competition or not.
That is also the reason for nonstop fares to be more than trips requiring connections. Connections means there can be more options for you with other carriers.
Of course, nonstop flights can also be lower, especially if there is a low cost carrier serving the same city pairs.

JDiver

Let’s get our terms straight first.

Nonstop flights go from A to B without stopping. They are often the most expensive flights.

Through (as LovePrunes correctly indicates, also called direct flights) flights generally fly A-B-C, with the same flight number. They might well involve different aircraft, different aircraft types and different gates - even terminals. There are also anomalies in how miles are earned, in securing upgrades and other details.

Interconnecting flights, more usually called connecting flights, have different flight numbers and are generally governed by the airport’s Minimum Connection Time (which includes other variables, such as terminals used, domestic or international flights, etc.) Its generally “illegal” for an airline of agent to sell you connecting tickets that violate MCT.

If you miss your connection because of a delay, etc. on connecting tickets, the airlines generally won’t hold your connecting flight (exceptions may be made for VVIP or larger groups of passengers), but the operating airline is generally required to put you and your baggage on the next flight with available space in your class of service. The last airline to operate your travel flights is ultimately responsible for delivering your baggage. (MCT often covers connecting baggage fairly well.)

Generally, cheaper flights will be connecting flights, but if travel is deliberately purchased with a long connection (for, say, business meeting or other reasons), or a flyer tries to fly more legs / longer flights exceeding the Maximum Permitted Miles for a trip, flights will cost more - sometimes, considerably more.

Many rules followed by the airlines are promulgated by the International Airline Transport Association, or airline regulating authorities. “The International Air Transport Association (IATA) supports aviation with global standards for airline safety, security, efficiency and sustainability.”

Domestically and for nearby International flights, one way flights might cost half of a round trip fare - but may cost considerably more than a round trip on long-haul international flights. Low cost carriers, competition or the lack thereof, demand and whether the demand is by business persons or those on leisure travel ate other variables (seasonality) that affect travel cost.

Others may fill in with more information, but hopefully this begins to answer your questions.

Now, as these are general questions that apply to most airlines, and not specifically AA, we will move this thread to the Information Desk soon. /Moderator

LovePrunes

speakng of cleaning up the OP's terms: OP also uses the term "direct flight" which is NOT same as a nonstop flight. It's same as what moderator listed as "through" flight.