Short connecting time STL for in'l trip, am I OK?
 

I'm booked on an intl flight to CDG next month. My domestic flight arrives STL 1 hr 12 min before my STL-CDG flight departs. I see that STL's minimum connecting time domestic to intl is 45 min, and my flight to STL has an 80% on time rate, but I'm still concerned. TWA has no flights to CDG after my 7pm flight, so I'm wondering, if I don't make it due to a delay on my domestic portion, what action is TWA likely to take? Any advice appreciated.
(edited for typos)

[This message has been edited by SPort (edited 04-11-2001).]

I usually try to book on one flight earlier to STL for International flights to give me some cushion. They will probably only put you up overnight and out the next day. Although with AA on board, they could fly you to Chicago and catch an earlier flight the next day. I doubt if there are any flights to Paris that you could catch from ORD same evening. They will put you up overnight and some meal $$.

If you cannot get them to change your ticket to an earlier flight to STL, you can always standby (and tell agent of your concern to improve your chances).

Generally 1 hr 15 min is ample time to make connections, even if a 45 minute delay. Longest walk (run) from gate to gate would be 15 min. - and probably shorter as I think PDX flights ususally come into concorse C and Paris flight ususally in same concourse.

FWIW, CDG flight (TW 818) departs from the end of the C concourse (C32, C36, etc.), and PDX flights often come to the D concourse. Depending on which part of the D concourse, the walk time could be anything from 10 to 20 minutes of very brisk walk.

When people misconnect to AA's ORD-CDG flight which is on the early side, I've seen AA put them on a ORD-LHR flight instead and get them onto a BA flight for LHR-CDG.

So, before you leave, see if a TW flight to either ORD or JFK would connect to a AA flight to LHR. I think AA has a 11:55pm departure out of JFK, and the last ORD departure is rather late is well.