IAH Terminal E connection times
Dec 28, 2010, 5:35 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Programs: LH Sen; BA Gold; HH Diamond; *W Gold
Posts: 193
IAH Terminal E connection times
Due to the weather conditions at EWR my wife who is travelling with 2 kids 4+5 years are was rebooked by Continental on FRA-IAH-GUA. She has 60 minutes connection times at IAH and I was wondering, if it is possible to make it at all in that time.
Do I assume correctly, that she has to pass imigration but not customs, as she is on an intercontinental transit flight?
Is there any special lane for people with short connection times and/or travelling with kids? Is there any point in talking to the border control officers?
Any advise is highly welcome.
Do I assume correctly, that she has to pass imigration but not customs, as she is on an intercontinental transit flight?
Is there any special lane for people with short connection times and/or travelling with kids? Is there any point in talking to the border control officers?
Any advise is highly welcome.
Dec 28, 2010, 10:16 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: France
Programs: United Plus
Posts: 1,761
Sorry but I'm a little confused. She's flying from Frankfurt through Houston to go to Guatemala?
There is no "sterile transit" in the U.S. Everyone must enter the country, even if it's only for a few hours. When she fills out the forms, her U.S. "address" is "Transit to Guatemala". I have never heard of anyone bypassing Customs, especially not coming off of a transatlantic.
She has to collect her bags and she doesn't have to recheck them but once through Customs, she only needs to hand them over to a ground agent who then sends them on to her connecting flight.
Usually 2 1/2 to 3 hours is recommended as all this can take time. Even if she can get the airlines to help her through immigration, she still needs to wait for any checked bags. Plus, they need to walk over to their next flight.
The good news is that there is no departing immigration, only entering.
The airlines are very limited getting people through this process faster but they might help in either delaying the departure and/or escorting them through the airport. She should ask about this. Also, airline schedules are "padded" meaning the published time rarely takes that long so if they leave on time, they might arrive early, giving her a bit more time.
Check Continental's schedule to see if there is a later flight. It's also possible that they could be put on a later flight on another airline but the airport staff in Houston has to arrange this.
Everything is so messed up right now that it might just be wiser for her to take her chances and go, even if rescheduling is not possible. When there are system-wide delays, it's likely that the flight will be "held" for connecting passengers off of other flights.
Make sure they pack their carry-on's with what they would need to spend the night in a hotel if necessary (without their checked bags) just in case. If the children have any electrical products to keep them occupied on the trip, they should bring the rechargers, with U.S. adapters.
Also, experience speaking, when there are weather problems, lost bags are more likely. She needs to mark her bags well both inside and out with her Guatemala address. Mix the contents (don't pack one person to a bag) so that if one bag is not there, someone doesn't has to walk around naked. Kids aren't good about wearing each others' clothes (experience with that too-even if it's a pair of socks lol!)
It's trying flying during times like these so she should be prepared to be flexible. They can't exempt her from the process all passengers entering the U.S. must do but there might be some ways for the airline to speed things along.
She needs to relax on her transatlantic since she wont know anything until she arrives. Listen carefully for announcements and/or agents looking for her. It's easy to stress in a situation like this, especially with children in tow but it will help if she doesn't panic or lose her patience.
Good luck and let us know how it went!
There is no "sterile transit" in the U.S. Everyone must enter the country, even if it's only for a few hours. When she fills out the forms, her U.S. "address" is "Transit to Guatemala". I have never heard of anyone bypassing Customs, especially not coming off of a transatlantic.
She has to collect her bags and she doesn't have to recheck them but once through Customs, she only needs to hand them over to a ground agent who then sends them on to her connecting flight.
Usually 2 1/2 to 3 hours is recommended as all this can take time. Even if she can get the airlines to help her through immigration, she still needs to wait for any checked bags. Plus, they need to walk over to their next flight.
The good news is that there is no departing immigration, only entering.
The airlines are very limited getting people through this process faster but they might help in either delaying the departure and/or escorting them through the airport. She should ask about this. Also, airline schedules are "padded" meaning the published time rarely takes that long so if they leave on time, they might arrive early, giving her a bit more time.
Check Continental's schedule to see if there is a later flight. It's also possible that they could be put on a later flight on another airline but the airport staff in Houston has to arrange this.
Everything is so messed up right now that it might just be wiser for her to take her chances and go, even if rescheduling is not possible. When there are system-wide delays, it's likely that the flight will be "held" for connecting passengers off of other flights.
Make sure they pack their carry-on's with what they would need to spend the night in a hotel if necessary (without their checked bags) just in case. If the children have any electrical products to keep them occupied on the trip, they should bring the rechargers, with U.S. adapters.
Also, experience speaking, when there are weather problems, lost bags are more likely. She needs to mark her bags well both inside and out with her Guatemala address. Mix the contents (don't pack one person to a bag) so that if one bag is not there, someone doesn't has to walk around naked. Kids aren't good about wearing each others' clothes (experience with that too-even if it's a pair of socks lol!)
It's trying flying during times like these so she should be prepared to be flexible. They can't exempt her from the process all passengers entering the U.S. must do but there might be some ways for the airline to speed things along.
She needs to relax on her transatlantic since she wont know anything until she arrives. Listen carefully for announcements and/or agents looking for her. It's easy to stress in a situation like this, especially with children in tow but it will help if she doesn't panic or lose her patience.
Good luck and let us know how it went!
Dec 28, 2010, 10:54 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Programs: LH Sen; BA Gold; HH Diamond; *W Gold
Posts: 193
Thanks for the good tips. She will surely take her chances and also be prepared for staying a night at IAH, though that obviously is not the preferred option.