lazyzee

What happens in a situation where one is checked in through to the final destination and has to transit to catch a connecting flight, and the incoming flight is delayed resulting in a very short connection time.

Will the airline make any arrangements to help the transit passengers reach their gate on time ?

Alternatively in such a situation, if one is rushing to catch a connecting flight and faces a long queue in transit security or inter-terminal shuttle, is it okay to directly proceed to the front of the queue ?

Will a "please may I go ahead, I will miss my flight" request be treated kindly or with hostility ??

What is the correct way to handle such a situation ?

Yoshi212

If on one ticket it is the responsibility of the late delivering airline to get you to your destination. If you miss your connection they will put you on an alternative route or following flight/day.

If not on the same ticket the airline may be helpful or may be not and may not be required to assist without a fee or new ticket.

in my opinion, if you're running late and trying to still make your connection it is not ok to just go to the front of the queue and ask that one person if you can skip. You can ask people as you progress up the line but skipping the whole line can put others at risk of missing their own flight.

Efrem

This varies from airport to airport, but I have found airport staff (including some of the much-maligned U.S. TSA) to be very helpful when I'm running late for a tight connection. If a uniformed TSA employee (or someone in a like position in other countries) escorts you to the front of the line, as they often will in my experience if you show them a boarding pass with an imminent departure, there will be no pushback from anyone.

goldencondor

Agreed, approach a member of staff if there's one around (not the one at the desk handling the queue obviously )

There's usually someone around to ask.

glennaa11

That's a good point. At US airport there's usually some one at the beginning of the queue to direct people to the right place. That would be a good person to talk to.

In general I think there are a lot of variables. If you're on an international flight there may not be another flight option that day. So I've been on many flights that are held waiting for connecting pax. It also helps if you're flying first or business class. In F class you will sometimes be met on the jetway or just inside the terminal by an airline employee with a sign who will help expedite you. At NRT on a late arriving TG flight once I was met by an ANA staff member who hustled me through transit security all the way to UA's gate. She was on the radio letting them know we were on the way. In that case I was flying in F class which probably made a difference.

goldencondor

I was just reading a thread about someone who arrived at Heathrow T5 and only had 90 minutes to make their connection to Oslo. They were unexpectedly met on arrival by someone from BA to escort them through to ensure they got their connection in time (and they only had Bronze status).

Should be the norm in all airports

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-status-3.html

CKA1

I remember being in the security line and a lady came up to me, didn't even ask, just elbowed her way forward saying, "I've got a plane to catch".

I was annoyed, but people travel for various reasons and if I clear CATSA fifteen seconds later, who cares. At least she didn't jump the entire line and instead started at the back and bullied her way forward.

beckoa

Please follow this to TravelBuzz for further discussion.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

lloydah

At LHR T5,arriving on BA flights you'll often be met with BA staff carrying boards with flight destinations on them for pax who have tight connections which they know about - through tickets - no matter what your status. I think I've seen this more times than not.

callum9999

OneWorld has an entire department that monitors connections and arranges support like that if transfers start getting tight (for anyone, regardless of status) or automatically arranges for you to be rebooked if you miss it completely. They have stations in Heathrow, LA and Madrid off the top of my head - and I'd imagine any major OW hub.

sbm12

JFK, too.

I had my first "purple coat" experience a couple weeks ago when OSL-LHR was delayed and I missed LHR-JFK. They had already rebooked me on the next LHR-JFK and were willing to be flexible if I asked them to. I was escorted to transit security and then to the lounge. A very pleasant experience overall and made up for the frustrating service leading up to that point.

kalderlake

Transiting at Montreal from Boston a couple of years ago, we were fast-tracked through everything to get to our connecting flight to YVR.

I think they may have held the plane, as there were quite a few of us--I do know that when we got on they had to rearrange a bunch of seating to get us into our reserved seats, which didn't exactly endear us to our fellow passengers.

It was a helluva lot of fun--running through the airport with various staff pointing directions/taking luggage/checking passports etc etc.

It felt a bit like a charity 10k run.

lazyzee

Thanks everybody - very enlightening replies.
So:
Rushing to front of queue is a no no.
Best is to approach nearest attendant.
Airlines do assist in making a tight connection.
Its airlines responsibility to get you to your destination.
Airlines do hold up planes for arriving pax.
And best of all - if flying first - can expect to be ushered through to your seat. Now, if only I can use this to convince my wife that I should be travelling F

goldencondor

Indeed, but don't assume they will be there on arrival waiting for you

I had a tight hour to make my connection for a New York flight in Brussels (flew in and out on Air Brussels) and had to change terminals, but no one was waiting.

sbm12

Or they don't. You won't know until it happens, but remember that holding the plane for you potentially has adverse affects on the others on board and those on the next segment that plane operates as well.