Lisbon layover 1:50 - too short?
Jun 14, 2022, 8:17 pm
#76
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
My experience this week, landing from Toronto at 11:30am (slightly delayed), connecting to Paris (at 12:25pm). 55 minutes to connect
- COVID check line: was long, but moved pretty quickly, I would say 10-15 min max. We were at the front of the plane, so add 100 people if you are in the back. Down to 40 minutes.
- Customs: From there, down the stairs to customs, and I've never seen more people in a queue in my life. Right at the back of the queue, there was an airport man in a white shirt, who we approached and told him we were tight on time. He looked at his flight list, and escorted us to a 'tight connections' line on the far right. Only 3 people ahead of us. Through in 2 minutes. Down to 35 mins.
- Security: Around 75 people in the security line for connections, but again we flagged down someone in a white shirt who looked at a flight list and lifted a rope for us. Still took about 10-15 minutes as there were a number of people in our lane and wheelchairs... and a lot of people with waters etc that didn't think they needed to do security again. Down to 20 minutes.
About a 10 minute walk to the gate, they were just finishing boarding, 5 min to spare.
Advice:
1. 1:30 hours was tight from N-S to S, especially with some many departure delays at the moment.
2. When in doubt, talk to the white shirts, they were like a 2+ hour difference in our case and were very helpful
- COVID check line: was long, but moved pretty quickly, I would say 10-15 min max. We were at the front of the plane, so add 100 people if you are in the back. Down to 40 minutes.
- Customs: From there, down the stairs to customs, and I've never seen more people in a queue in my life. Right at the back of the queue, there was an airport man in a white shirt, who we approached and told him we were tight on time. He looked at his flight list, and escorted us to a 'tight connections' line on the far right. Only 3 people ahead of us. Through in 2 minutes. Down to 35 mins.
- Security: Around 75 people in the security line for connections, but again we flagged down someone in a white shirt who looked at a flight list and lifted a rope for us. Still took about 10-15 minutes as there were a number of people in our lane and wheelchairs... and a lot of people with waters etc that didn't think they needed to do security again. Down to 20 minutes.
About a 10 minute walk to the gate, they were just finishing boarding, 5 min to spare.
Advice:
1. 1:30 hours was tight from N-S to S, especially with some many departure delays at the moment.
2. When in doubt, talk to the white shirts, they were like a 2+ hour difference in our case and were very helpful
Glad to hear you made it on time!
Jun 15, 2022, 2:11 am
#77
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 917
Jun 15, 2022, 2:36 am
#78
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
https://www.theportugalnews.com/news...t-delays/67900
Towards the end of the article.
Canadians and Americans will be permitted to use e-gates for entry (cannot come too soon).
Towards the end of the article.
Canadians and Americans will be permitted to use e-gates for entry (cannot come too soon).
Jun 15, 2022, 4:56 pm
#79
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 1
Hi there, This is exactly the thread and the informed responses I have been looking for. We have booked a LHR - LIS - Cancun flight with a 1 hour and 35 minute stop in LIS. I have been regretting my decision to book this flight and endlessly worrying that we won't make the connection. Does anyone have recent experience of the above comments that INTL-INTL / Non-Shengen - Non-Schengen countries don't have to join the crazy queues mentioned above?
Tedious I'm sure but if anyone has the time and/or inclination to break down, step by step what the process from exiting one plane to getting on the next will be (according to the above route) I'd be hugely gateful.. you may even save me another sleepless night. We travel on 15th July in case that has any bearing, 2 vaccinated adults and 2 unvaccinated but antigen-tested children (again, in case that has any bearing.)
Thank you!
Tedious I'm sure but if anyone has the time and/or inclination to break down, step by step what the process from exiting one plane to getting on the next will be (according to the above route) I'd be hugely gateful.. you may even save me another sleepless night. We travel on 15th July in case that has any bearing, 2 vaccinated adults and 2 unvaccinated but antigen-tested children (again, in case that has any bearing.)
Thank you!
Jun 16, 2022, 2:32 am
#80
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Welcome to Flyertalk and welcome to the TAP forum.
The queues here are entirely for entering Schengen, even departing Schengen doesn't have this problem. You will not be going anywhere near them since Mexico is not in Schengen. You get off the aircraft, you check your departure gate on the monitors, you go to the gate which will be nearby. There are no passport controls, no security, you may get a pre-check of paperwork just before the gate area, but that takes a few seconds. Should take 5 minutes or so. There are some exceptions to this, for example you may get a bus transfer from the London aircraft to the building, but that doesn't greatly change matters. It's pretty pointless worrying about something you cannot control, particularly if you worry but don't do something about it, but if you did miss the connection you would be simply rebooked via another route. If you have an up to date ESTA for the USA you obviously make that easier, but personally I wouldn't go that far.
The queues here are entirely for entering Schengen, even departing Schengen doesn't have this problem. You will not be going anywhere near them since Mexico is not in Schengen. You get off the aircraft, you check your departure gate on the monitors, you go to the gate which will be nearby. There are no passport controls, no security, you may get a pre-check of paperwork just before the gate area, but that takes a few seconds. Should take 5 minutes or so. There are some exceptions to this, for example you may get a bus transfer from the London aircraft to the building, but that doesn't greatly change matters. It's pretty pointless worrying about something you cannot control, particularly if you worry but don't do something about it, but if you did miss the connection you would be simply rebooked via another route. If you have an up to date ESTA for the USA you obviously make that easier, but personally I wouldn't go that far.
Jun 17, 2022, 1:00 pm
#81
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flying out of CHI-MSP-CWA
Programs: UA, PC Plat
Posts: 1,036
I'm arriving into LIS (from the USA) next week at 12:05, and have a separate flight (different PNR) leaving to BCN at 14:00. I'm realizing this if a poor life choice at this point. What are my odds, and is there any strategy to make this connection happen? Find the folks in white shirts and plead my case? I will only have hand luggage and will be checked in online/have my boarding pass. TIA
Jun 17, 2022, 1:18 pm
#82
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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That's relatively late on, it may not be so bad at that time, particularly midweek. If the e-gates are switched on for USA citizens (which I am assuming you to be) - I haven't seen a relaibly account of this having happened yet - and you don't have children with you then that would make it quite easy.
Jun 18, 2022, 5:41 am
#83
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
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I cannot recall which article I read last week, but one of first days of operation roughly 500 American and just under 100 Canadians used the e-gates.
https://eu.heraldnews.com/story/news...ts/7640604001/
I will have my own datapoint tomorrow afternoon, but yesterday the SEF officer confirmed that all e-gates should work for both Canadians and Americans entering.
https://eu.heraldnews.com/story/news...ts/7640604001/
I will have my own datapoint tomorrow afternoon, but yesterday the SEF officer confirmed that all e-gates should work for both Canadians and Americans entering.
Jun 20, 2022, 11:14 am
#84
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
Good to go at the LIS ekiosks last night entering Portugal. No issues whatsoever and a huge improvement for those peak times.
Jun 23, 2022, 5:45 pm
#85
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: HHonors:Gold,Marriot:Silver,United:Gold, Delta:Gold
Posts: 94
Your flight arrives at the same time as a number of other TATL flights. Immigration queue will be long. When I arrived at that time from the US - I timed the queue at approx. 2hrs (certainly more than 1 hour at best estimate).
TAP "passenger experience" people are, indeed, somewhat around the queue. However, they are difficult to get ahold of and exercise "discretion" as to whom they help. The help also does not mean you move all the way to the front. You will be moved to another queue (for EU citizens), which is short, but probably still about 10-15 min at least. (As an aside, the "passenger experience" reps are exceedingly rude to everyone - you will *not* enjoy that conversation)
So, at a minimum, you will have a very unpleasant experience. I would estimate your chances of making the connecting flight at less than 10%. YMMV.
TAP "passenger experience" people are, indeed, somewhat around the queue. However, they are difficult to get ahold of and exercise "discretion" as to whom they help. The help also does not mean you move all the way to the front. You will be moved to another queue (for EU citizens), which is short, but probably still about 10-15 min at least. (As an aside, the "passenger experience" reps are exceedingly rude to everyone - you will *not* enjoy that conversation)
So, at a minimum, you will have a very unpleasant experience. I would estimate your chances of making the connecting flight at less than 10%. YMMV.
TAP does a bad job at spacing out flights.
Jul 2, 2022, 3:43 pm
#86
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,344
I've read through this thread and want to make sure I understand it correctly. For USA-LIS-FCO, this is considered an Intl-to-Intl connection at LIS, and I'll have to go through passport control and security check (normal procedures, with suitcase scanning and body x-ray) before I can head to the lounge at LIS. Is that correct?
Jul 2, 2022, 4:14 pm
#87
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AT Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, National
Posts: 2,440
I've read through this thread and want to make sure I understand it correctly. For USA-LIS-FCO, this is considered an Intl-to-Intl connection at LIS, and I'll have to go through passport control and security check (normal procedures, with suitcase scanning and body x-ray) before I can head to the lounge at LIS. Is that correct?
Jul 25, 2022, 2:09 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: WAW
Programs: LH FTL, AY+ Gold, BAEC Silver, AF FB
Posts: 122
Looking at buying a OSL-LIS-US flight with a connection time of just 70mins ... is that enough considering the early boarding for TATL time and document checks for US-bound passengers?
Doable or race against time?
Doable or race against time?
Jul 25, 2022, 2:58 pm
#89
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Do able. The gate checks are done quite swiftly. You do have to exit Schengen, but that's usually fast enough, plus a bit of walking. But you should make the flight even if you have a 20 minute delay. If it's on one ticket I would have no concerns, unless it was vital to arrive in the USA on that particular service.