Backup Plan?
Jun 17, 2022 | 4:51 pm
#16
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If IAD to EWR cancels, you have the option to be rerouted to one of the other NYC airports. Then take Uber from LGA or JFK to EWR. It’s time-consuming and expensive of course. I second taking Amtrak as a first back-up plan.
Jun 17, 2022 | 7:23 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2007
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Everyone else has already provided sound advice above. But a couple of minor additions/corrections...
You'll want to try to get an Amtrak train from Union Station to Newark Airport, not Newark Penn, if possible. The Airtrain runs from the airport station, not Newark Penn, to the terminals. The catch is that no Acela trains and not all NE Regional trains stop at the airport, so you might still be better off catching a train to Newark Penn at a better time and taking a taxi/Uber to the airport.
UA and EI operate from the same terminal at LHR. There is a separate immigration checkpoint for passengers connecting onto UK/Ireland flights, which is much less congested than the main immigration checkpoint for LHR-terminating passengers. So I wouldn't stress too much about immigration at LHR, and if you do miss the EI connection to DUB for some reason, there are several later flights that you can be rebooked on. Two hours should be more than sufficient.
UA and EI operate from the same terminal at LHR. There is a separate immigration checkpoint for passengers connecting onto UK/Ireland flights, which is much less congested than the main immigration checkpoint for LHR-terminating passengers. So I wouldn't stress too much about immigration at LHR, and if you do miss the EI connection to DUB for some reason, there are several later flights that you can be rebooked on. Two hours should be more than sufficient.
Jun 17, 2022 | 7:30 pm
#19
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Jun 18, 2022 | 7:48 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2005
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For the OP. As mentioned and if possible would be to move your flights to earlier in the week which would be mid week and sometimes lighter loads (probably not the case given the current times). Spend a couple of extras days ahead of time, get over the jet lag, take a side tour. The suggestion of the train is good too I have used between NYC and DC with very good luck. Otherwise having other routings that you know will work in hand is best. Being able to suggest them to an agent rather then searching saves you and them time and stress. Last time I did that it worked out fine for me.
Jun 18, 2022 | 7:56 am
#21
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Not really. The flight across the pond is leaving the evening of the 24th but arriving the morning of the 25th. So really a single day buffer. To calmly assess the situation on the day of means having proactively having a backup plan up. Exactly what the OP is doing.
Jun 18, 2022 | 10:26 am
#22
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The actual time on the 26th is moot as the vast majority of flights east across the pond are evening flights that arrive the following morning. There are exceptions. As such, what happens if they miss their flight on the 24th? Worst case, that means a flight on 25th which gets in on the morning of the 26th. As such, flying on the 24th arriving on the 25th is a single day buffer.
Jun 18, 2022 | 10:58 am
#23
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If tied with ual, I’d fly via LHR. One can even take a ferry to Dublin.
Else a nonstop with aer lingus.
bummer on that iad/dub CXL. Ugh.
Else a nonstop with aer lingus.
bummer on that iad/dub CXL. Ugh.
Jun 18, 2022 | 2:39 pm
#24
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Option E is to do what Matthew did a few years back, in reverse. Get an Uber from DC to Newark Airport.
https://liveandletsfly.com/long-distance-uber/
https://liveandletsfly.com/long-distance-uber/
Jun 18, 2022 | 5:12 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2013
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If you get to EWR too early, take a cab over to the Ironbound and walk around and have a real dinner at one of the Spanish restaurants over there.
Everyone else has already provided sound advice above. But a couple of minor additions/corrections...
You'll want to try to get an Amtrak train from Union Station to Newark Airport, not Newark Penn, if possible. The Airtrain runs from the airport station, not Newark Penn, to the terminals. The catch is that no Acela trains and not all NE Regional trains stop at the airport, so you might still be better off catching a train to Newark Penn at a better time and taking a taxi/Uber to the airport.
You'll want to try to get an Amtrak train from Union Station to Newark Airport, not Newark Penn, if possible. The Airtrain runs from the airport station, not Newark Penn, to the terminals. The catch is that no Acela trains and not all NE Regional trains stop at the airport, so you might still be better off catching a train to Newark Penn at a better time and taking a taxi/Uber to the airport.
Jun 18, 2022 | 8:16 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,191
I am trying to create a backup plan, and I hope someone can help me out.
Background: Several months ago we booked UA nonstop IAD->DUB for three people on 6/24, returning on 7/5. We need to be in Dublin no later than 11:59pm 6/26 for a scheduled tour, so we have allowed for an extra day just in case. Two weeks ago, UA cancelled our nonstop outbound flight (...in fact, cancelled ALL nonstop IAD->DUB service until 7/1), so we rescheduled to IAD-EWR-DUB, again leaving IAD late afternoon on 6/24, with a several-hour layover in EWR before a 10pm departure which arrives in DUB on 6/25.
The problem: I have noticed that UA has recently been cancelling the IAD-EWR leg with considerable frequency (despite no weather problems in either location), including today (7 days away from our scheduled outbound flight date). I am hoping to create a backup plan, in case they do it to us next Friday.
Having tracked the IAD-EWR flight for a number of days, it appears that when UA cancels this flight, they do so early in the morning on the day of the flight, but by the time they did it today, all WAS-EWR flights were full for the day, and all UA and EI flights WAS-DUB were fully booked for the next several days.
Do we really have no choice at this point but to roll the dice and hope the IAD-EWR flight is not cancelled, or can we create some sort of backup plan?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Background: Several months ago we booked UA nonstop IAD->DUB for three people on 6/24, returning on 7/5. We need to be in Dublin no later than 11:59pm 6/26 for a scheduled tour, so we have allowed for an extra day just in case. Two weeks ago, UA cancelled our nonstop outbound flight (...in fact, cancelled ALL nonstop IAD->DUB service until 7/1), so we rescheduled to IAD-EWR-DUB, again leaving IAD late afternoon on 6/24, with a several-hour layover in EWR before a 10pm departure which arrives in DUB on 6/25.
The problem: I have noticed that UA has recently been cancelling the IAD-EWR leg with considerable frequency (despite no weather problems in either location), including today (7 days away from our scheduled outbound flight date). I am hoping to create a backup plan, in case they do it to us next Friday.
Having tracked the IAD-EWR flight for a number of days, it appears that when UA cancels this flight, they do so early in the morning on the day of the flight, but by the time they did it today, all WAS-EWR flights were full for the day, and all UA and EI flights WAS-DUB were fully booked for the next several days.
Do we really have no choice at this point but to roll the dice and hope the IAD-EWR flight is not cancelled, or can we create some sort of backup plan?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Jun 18, 2022 | 9:55 pm
#27
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