Flight Transfers

byronkincaid · #1 06-26-2005, 10:13 AM

I've never had to transfer flights before so I might be worrying about nothing but... I won a seat to the WSOP on Betfair. Tha flights they have booked me on are not direct I have to transfer flights at Dallas. On the way there my flight to Vegas departs 1 hour 45 minutes after my flight to Dallas is due to arrive. On the way back there is only 1 hour 20 difference. I am told that international travellers have to collect there bags personally ie the bags are not just put onto the next flight automatically, clear customs and then presumabley take my suitcase to a counter somewhere todrop it off and then get to the departure gate for the next flight.

Now maybe I'm just used to British inefficiency but I have had to wait over an hour to collect my bags on more than one occasion. What if the first flight is delayed and I've only got 10 minutes to jump on the next flight. I've contacted the travel agents and they are just saying it will be fine don't worry but they're not potentially missing the start of the WSOP.

If anyone has any experience of transfering flights at Dallas Ft Worth please could you tell me what you think.

partygirluk · #2 06-26-2005, 10:30 AM

When I flew to Vegas there was a 50 minute stop over in Chicago and they automatically transferred my luggage.

byronkincaid · #3 06-26-2005, 10:35 AM

How long ago was that? The impression I got was that these are fairly new rules. The travel agent rang Dallas this is what they said

[ QUOTE ]
The US require travellers that are arriving on an
International flight and connecting on to a Domestic within the US, to
collect their luggage and clear customs at the transiting airport prior to
departing on their onward/connecting Domestic flight.

I have spoke to Silke at American Airlines reservations, she has advised
that when you arrive at Dallas Fort Worth Airport that you will need to
collect your luggage and clear customs before continuing on to your
departure gate for your onward to Las Vegas. Silke has advised that you
will have enough connecting time at Dallas Fort Worth to do this. You do
not have to re-checkin for the Dallas - Las Vegas flights but you do need
to clear immigration at Dallas.

[/ QUOTE ]

bdk3clash · #4 06-26-2005, 10:40 AM

People that check bags are suckers. Pack light and carry on.

partygirluk · #5 06-26-2005, 03:56 PM

This was May 2002

tbach24 · #6 06-26-2005, 03:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
People that check bags are suckers. Pack light and carry on.

[/ QUOTE ]

disjunction · #7 06-26-2005, 04:13 PM

Never transferred internationally, but my 2 cents:

You left a reasonable amount of time. There's a ~10% chance of something going awry but there's no use worrying about it. Bring enough on your carry-on so you can get by for a day if your luggage is lost. Even if the airline messes up, your luggage should be at your hotel no more than a day after you.

Ask the flight attendants before departure about your situation, and ask again on the plane if you find yourself running late. If you're running late for a connection they should tell you what to do to expedite the process. If you have to, bring your bags to the 2nd plane and if you're not too late I think they can check them in there as you board (as if you were someone who was trying to get away with a too large carryon). You're not the first person to be doing this so I wouldn't worry too much about things you can't change [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

busguy · #8 06-26-2005, 04:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
People that check bags are suckers. Pack light and carry on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah . . . like one of those pricks that boards just as they close the door and has a bag that barely fits in an overhead (if no one elses stuff is already in there) but has no chance of fitting under the seat (where it is supposed to fit . . if it is to be carried on) . . . and then holds everything up for 10 minutes while the flight attendants scramble around trying to find a place for the monsterous bag to go.

yah . . . people who check baggage . . .those are the suckers all right

[img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] busguy

StevieG · #9 06-26-2005, 05:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I've never had to transfer flights before so I might be worrying about nothing but... I won a seat to the WSOP on Betfair. Tha flights they have booked me on are not direct I have to transfer flights at Dallas. On the way there my flight to Vegas departs 1 hour 45 minutes after my flight to Dallas is due to arrive. On the way back there is only 1 hour 20 difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

That 1 hour and 45 minutes could be close.

Key question here is are you booked on the same carrier for both legs, or a partner airline? This is a key question for a couple reasons.

(1) The gates at Dallas-Ft Worth (DFW) are not well connected. You may wind up having to take a shuttle from your arrival terminal to get to your next flight.

(2) You will have to go through customs and immigration between the first leg into DFW and boarding the flight to Vegas. Nowadays, this can be a huge pain in the ass. Now, if you are booked on the same carrier for both legs, if you miss the connecting flight they will take care of you. If you are on a different airline, the airline going from DFW to Las Vegas is under no obligation to help you should you miss your flight.

On the way back you will not have a problem. The first leg is domestic, and you will go from one gate to another easily.

[ QUOTE ]
I am told that international travelers have to collect there bags personally ie the bags are not just put onto the next flight automatically, clear customs and then presumabley take my suitcase to a counter somewhere todrop it off and then get to the departure gate for the next flight.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is correct. Pack everything on your carry-on bag. You should be able to do this on a trip to Vegas for a poker tournament. For advice on packing light, follow up in another thread, make a Dear Bison post, whatever.

byronkincaid · #10 06-26-2005, 06:10 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. Since posting this I have found out that I was lied to by the Travel Agent who i was told to go through by Betfair. There is a direct flight on the 6th July from gatwick which other crypto qualifiers are on! I have rang the airline who say there are plenty of seats available. I can't believe this. The direct Virgin flight is almost exactly the same price as the non direct AA one. WTF would they do this? I've sent off emails to Betfair and the travel agent and we'll see what happens tomorrow. I think I'm within my rights to demand a seat on the direct flight. A small part of me thinks I'm being ungrateful but the fact of the matter is that I have an email from them saying there are no direct flights on that day and there most definitely is one.