Connecting in TLV and ADD
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: United
Posts: 19
Connecting in TLV and ADD
So I flew SFO-> TLV -> ADD -> CPT, first leg on United, rest on Ethiopian
Here is my experience connecting in TLV: Don't
I arrived around 11 pm, and as I turned into the "connecting flight" corridor, there was a sign "pick up the phone if you're connecting." Bad sign. I pick it up, and wake up the guy who comes out and brings me to a security area. I was the only person connecting. Out of the entire flight. Or any other flight. About 5 people showed up from security, brought my checked bag from the bowels of the airport, put me through the scanners. They knew exactly what they were doing, from a security standpoint.
But. I had a bad feeling about the luggage, so when I checked into Ethiopian, I asked the woman to verify that they had my bag. She called and said they did. (It was a 4 hour layover)
To my surprise, when I landed in Cape Town, my luggage was right there... not. Yup, they lost it and found it 2 weeks later when I was back home,
So don't connect through TLV, for the love of god. Their lounge is terrible, btw.
Btw , ADD is almost as bad. I didn't know there was a second security checkpoint at the gate, and that there would be a mob of people trying to get through. I almost missed my flight because it took 1.5 hours to get through the second security (which didn't even stop me for having a full water bottle).
Here is my experience connecting in TLV: Don't
I arrived around 11 pm, and as I turned into the "connecting flight" corridor, there was a sign "pick up the phone if you're connecting." Bad sign. I pick it up, and wake up the guy who comes out and brings me to a security area. I was the only person connecting. Out of the entire flight. Or any other flight. About 5 people showed up from security, brought my checked bag from the bowels of the airport, put me through the scanners. They knew exactly what they were doing, from a security standpoint.
But. I had a bad feeling about the luggage, so when I checked into Ethiopian, I asked the woman to verify that they had my bag. She called and said they did. (It was a 4 hour layover)
To my surprise, when I landed in Cape Town, my luggage was right there... not. Yup, they lost it and found it 2 weeks later when I was back home,
So don't connect through TLV, for the love of god. Their lounge is terrible, btw.
Btw , ADD is almost as bad. I didn't know there was a second security checkpoint at the gate, and that there would be a mob of people trying to get through. I almost missed my flight because it took 1.5 hours to get through the second security (which didn't even stop me for having a full water bottle).
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I can add dont connect via ZRH either, twice recently doing so 1 of my 2 bags remained in ZRH
Do you know who was at fault? did the bag make it to TLV? if so did it make it to ADD with you?
fwiw isnt UA starting up its own flight to CPT I think non-stop from EWR
Surely you could have flown from SFO to Europe and then non-stop to CPT why did you route it the way you did? was it a Saver kt and thats all that was available
Do you know who was at fault? did the bag make it to TLV? if so did it make it to ADD with you?
fwiw isnt UA starting up its own flight to CPT I think non-stop from EWR
Surely you could have flown from SFO to Europe and then non-stop to CPT why did you route it the way you did? was it a Saver kt and thats all that was available
#3
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,071
TLV is seldom a transit airport, considering its location and neighbors do not align. Lounges for non LY (and even they aren't great) are not good, but being a PP lounge it is what it is, plus the way flights work at TLV you have waves of departures which make the lounges packed. Considering you had to phone call someone to transfer sums up TLV airport as a transit airport (it definitely is not) and Israel in a nutshell.
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
TLV is seldom a transit airport, considering its location and neighbors do not align. Lounges for non LY (and even they aren't great) are not good, but being a PP lounge it is what it is, plus the way flights work at TLV you have waves of departures which make the lounges packed. Considering you had to phone call someone to transfer sums up TLV airport as a transit airport (it definitely is not) and Israel in a nutshell.
Ever arrive into a US airport way early in the morn eg EWR, JFK you will remain on the plane until C&I opens at their offical time at times at means an hour of simply sitting and waiting, never had that @ TLV
I still agree TLV is far from an ideal transfer airport no different then almost every US airport
#6
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,760
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
My gut tells me it was a Saver Award . Many times when looking to get to TLV using a Saver, ET (?) is the only option, but the routing and layover and arrival time just doesnt work for me so I purchase an Aeroflot Prem Coach for $100s kess then any reg coach eg for my Oct trip SU was $1170 while the cheapest *A coach was $1900 via Europe and sitting in E the whole way, no UA flights in E+
Last edited by craz; May 17, 2019 at 12:34 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: United
Posts: 19
It was left in TLV. I don't think Ethiopian ever received my bag from TLV security after they pulled it out of the baggage area.
I took that routing because it was the shortest (30h) out of the available United award tickets (through Frankfurt would have been 37h)
I took that routing because it was the shortest (30h) out of the available United award tickets (through Frankfurt would have been 37h)
#12
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,414
With the added complexity of the ADD transit etc. I suspect it was probably a mix of TLV security holding the bag and then the rest is all ET's fault (or their ground handlers)