Hello all,
I've found a $450 flight from O'Hare to Rome next June on TAP and that's a fantastic price so want to act on it but have two questions.
1) Is a one hour layover (8-9 AM) long enough to make our connecting flight. Have never been to the airport.
2) Looking for recommendations for a decent, inexpensive hotel near the airport preferably with a shuttle as on the way back we have a 14 hour layover at night.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Best,
wvdthree
1) If TAP are willing to sell you that connection, they think it's long enough. And if you miss it, it is their responsibility to get you to Rome.
Thanks Badger. I guess I had heard that at some point in the past but had forgotten it.
You can read a bit more about the rules and the airline's responsibilites in case of a missed flight here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm
In regards to the hotel, I would not worry too much about being near the airport. It is only a short drive into the city center, 15 to 20 minutes, and Taxis and Uber are cheap (Uber was about 10 euros, maybe less). Depending on timing, lunch, dinner, or just a stroll in the city center would be better than cooling your heels in a hotel out in the suburbs.
Paul,
Thanks for the logistics tip regarding proximity to city center. Unfortunately we arrive from Florence at 10 PM and leave at 1 PM the next afternoon so no real opportunity to explore. My least favorite way to end a trip is at a airport hotel but the difference between TAP's $540/pp and the legacy carriers price of $1,250/pp it's a no brainer for the two of us. An $80 hotel and $20 in cab fares should take care of the nights stay. I'll see if theres an earlier flight out of Florence to Lisbon but I won't wait to long to act on this deal.
We always stay at the Rome FCO Hilton. You can walk across the street to the terminal or take a free shuttle there.
But your title is confusing. Maybe you want to stay overnight in Lisbon?
The airport is very near downtown.
I can’t imagine an hour being enough time for a layover in Lisbon - especially with an international flight. All flights coming from outside the EU must go through passport control. With an EU passport things go pretty quickly, but with all other passports the lines can be really long. And, yes, it’s the airlines responsibility but having to wait around for another flight when you are excited about arriving at your destination is miserable.
TAP (before the lockdown) has a program where you can spend up to three nights in Lisbon without extra cost. You might want to think of staying one night in Lisbon to ensure you don’t miss your flight.
Also, the Oriente area is very close to the airport and has nice hotels, restaurants, etc. It’s 3 stops on the metro from the airport so likely a very short taxi/Uber ride. There are a few hotels close to the airport but they have nothing around them. So, if you decide to go that way, be sure the hotel has some type of restaurant - or plan to use Uber eats for dinner..
My least favorite way to end a trip is at a airport hotel but the
difference between TAP's $540/pp and the legacy carriers price of
$1,250/pp it's a no brainer for the two of us.
Legacy carrier is a US term that isn't used in Europe (and really doesn't make sense to use), but TAP is a flag carrier that has been around since 1945 and it is a Star Alliance member. So it is not some kind of low cost airline.
Badger, thanks for the clarification. I guess when I say "Legacy" I'm referring to all large, been in business for a long time,probably have extensive routes and for the most part, more expensive airlines. For my Europe flights I would throw Delta,KLM,Air France etc. into that group. On the low end, in my mind, I would group airlines like Ryan Air, Easy Jet, Norwegian etc.. into what I refer to as low cost or non legacy airlines. So yeah, I guess my lumping TAP in with them was in error.
Found this definition of legacy carriers on Wikipedia and now it makes sense.
"A legacy carrier, in the United States, is an airline that had established interstate routes before the beginning of the route liberalization permitted by the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and so was directly affected by that Act."
I've seen airlines schedule too many iffy connections to feel that publishing an itinerary can be taken as a guarantee. Yes, it is the carrier's responsibility to get the client to the destination on the next available flight -- but what if there are no available seats on the next departure? That's a game of chance. Better to build in more comfort margin when planning an itinerary. And worth paying more, too
. But it's an even bigger guessing game to predict what schedules and fares may be 10 months from now.
Badger, thanks for the clarification. I guess when I say "Legacy" I'm
referring to all large, been in business for a long time,probably have
extensive routes and for the most part, more expensive airlines. For
my Europe flights I would throw Delta,KLM,Air France etc. into that
group. On the low end, in my mind, I would group airlines like Ryan
Air, Easy Jet, Norwegian etc.. into what I refer to as low cost or non
legacy airlines. So yeah, I guess my lumping TAP in with them was in
error.
Great, I thought for a while you considered TAP a low cost airline. In Europe the distinction is usually between Flag Carriers, older airlines from the time each country had a national airline, and low cost airlines. Flag carriers can be big and fly all over the world, like Lufthansa and Air France, or they can be small and operate only withing Europe, like Luxair and Aegean. Or somewhere in between, like TAP. Then there are the low cost airlines. They are usually younger companies, and except Norwegian fly within Europe only, sell cheap tickets, but you may end up somewhere very far from your destination. Especially Ryanair is well known for creative marketing of airports.
I've seen airlines schedule too many iffy connections to feel that
publishing an itinerary can be taken as a guarantee. Yes, it is the
carrier's responsibility to get the client to the destination on the
next available flight -- but what if there are no available seats on
the next departure? That's a game of chance.
And a game of chance the airlines are usually not willing to take. According to EU rules, in case of a delay they not only have to rebook you on the next flight but they also have to provide food and other need and in case of longer delays pay compensation of up to €600.
Passport control in Lisbon has been a problem. For us it was a 4 hour problem. An hour connection? No, you won’t make it. And yes, the airline has to get you there but if there are no seats that day, well....
I highly recommend spending a few nights in Lisbon. TAP should make it easy financially.
I would never ever go for a 1 hour connection. Here are things to consider:
TAP is unlikely to put you on another carrier if you miss the connection. See how many more flights TAP has to Rome that day.
If you have checked luggage the likelihood that it will make the connection is very low. When you get reunited with your luggage is an open question. It could be on the alternate flight you'll be on - but it could easily not be.
An hour isn't really an hour. Arrival time is when the plane gets to the gate. Departure time is when the plane leaves the gate. It takes time to open the door, and then first/business classes get preference in debarking. The departure gate closes at least a few minutes before actual departure time. If there are a number of other transit passengers continuing on your flight, TAP may hold the flight to Rome and expedite your passage through passport and security . . . but you can't count on it, especially if they have more flights to Rome that day.
Chani,
Thanks for the reality check. My gut was that that isn't enough time. I'll call to see if they have other flight combinations.
Best,
wvdthree
