Is an 1 hour and 10 minute connection doable?

[joeperkins]

Hi all

I think I may have made a big mistake. I booked a air/hotel package
from Cheaptickets that includes a very tight connection at LAX. In any
event coming back from Sydney on Delta this coming September I arrive
in LAX at 6:15am and then leave at 7:25am (yes on the same day). I
really think to look at all of the details, as I knew the price for
one person was very good. Just wondering now if Delta will put me on a
later flight if for some reason I don't make it through customs and
all at LAX. I am afraid they make me buy another ticket home at their
very high last minute prices. Should I really be worried or is this a
doable connection at LAX?

Worldtraveler

[James Robinson]

joeperkins@boardermail.com wrote:

> Just wondering now if Delta will put me on a later flight if for some
> reason I don't make it through customs and all at LAX.

Flights from Sydney are often early, so you have a good chance of getting
more time.

You don't mention if the flights are on the same ticket. If they are, the
airline will have approved the connection time when the ticket was issued,
and will reaccommodate you on the next available flight at no charge if you
miss the connection.

If you purchased them as separate tickets, you are likely on your own.

[joeperkins]

On May 31, 12:19*pm, James Robinson <wasc...@212.com> wrote:
> joeperk...@boardermail.com wrote:
> > Just wondering now if Delta will put me on a later flight if for some
> > reason I don't make it through customs and all at LAX.
>
> Flights from Sydney are often early, so you have a good chance of getting
> more time.
>
> You don't mention if the flights are on the same ticket. *If they are, the
> airline will have approved the connection time when the ticket was issued,
> and will reaccommodate you on the next available flight at no charge if you
> miss the connection. *
>
> If you purchased them as separate tickets, you are likely on your own.

Yes they are on the same ticket with Delta.

Worldtraveler

[joeperkins]

On May 31, 12:12*pm, "tim...." <tims_new_h...**********.uk> wrote:
> <joeperk...@boardermail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:f050e59d-b266-435d-9abf-1ca8d4057ec1@g19g2000vbi.************.com...
>
> > Hi all
>
> > I think I may have made a big mistake. I booked a air/hotel package
> > from Cheaptickets that includes a very tight connection at LAX. In any
> > event coming back from Sydney on Delta this coming September I arrive
> > in LAX at 6:15am and then leave at 7:25am (yes on the same day). I
> > really think to look at all of the details, as I knew the price for
> > one person was very good. Just wondering now if Delta will put me on a
> > later flight if for some reason I don't make it through customs and
> > all at LAX. I am afraid they make me buy another ticket home at their
> > very high last minute prices. Should I really be worried or is this a
> > doable connection at LAX?
>
> This is the the TA/Airline's problem.
>
> And no, I don't think you will make it.
>
> tim

Hi there here is some more information I found at the above listed
link.

"If you are a passenger connecting through another airport to get to
your destination, and time is pressing, it may be helpful to know what
the minimum connection times are that are provided for larger
airports. Also, if you book a ticket with a connection with less than
the minimum connection time, the airline is not obligated to help you
out because it was already a "hot", or illegal connection - just
another reason why it's important to be aware of minimum connection
times. "

Looks like the airline has no obligation to help if something happens.
I wonder if I should just request a chargeback from AMEX, as I was
sold this with an illegal connection.

Worldtraveler

Worldtraveler

[James Robinson]

joeperkins@boardermail.com wrote:

> On May 31, 12:12*pm, "tim...." <tims_new_h...**********.uk> wrote:
>> <joeperk...@boardermail.com> wrote in message
>>
>
> Looks like the airline has no obligation to help if something happens.
> I wonder if I should just request a chargeback from AMEX, as I was
> sold this with an illegal connection.

Phone Delta and ask.

[Daviesgang]

I have just spent the last week organising flights to Canada from Perth,
Australia and one that was offered was flying Delta with that
practically impossible connection in LAX. When I pointed this out to
my travel agent and asked if we would have time to clear customs she
was quite shocked because according to her, the legal connection time
at LAX is almost 3 hours. We ended up finding another route that was
much more direct and going nowhere near LAX but she was going to
stretch out our connection time to 4 hours if we ended up going via
LAX. To prove a point....My cousin came over from Canada in October
last year (to Australia) and she came via LAX. They had a 3hr 15
minute connection time and they were still in line waiting to come
through customs when they were being paged to board their next flight.
They only made it because the customs people waived them through. 1
hour 10 minutes I would say is impossible if you have to clear customs
but I have been told it is doable if you don't need to go through
customs.

--
Daviesgang