I am trying to plan a trip to Europe in July. Coming back we have found a flight from Florence to Munich on Air Dolomiti (Lufthansa) and then connecting to Air Canada. The time between flights in Munich is only 35 minutes - is that enough time? There is an earlier flight but that means a 4 1/2 hour layover in Munich.
Carl von Mehren
The airline selling it as one ticket believes it is enough time. If you don't make it they will just put you on the next flight going to your final destination. I would buy it only if it is a great price and listed on Air Canada or Lufthansa's site and not from a 3rd party like Cheapo Expedia Orbitz etc,
We had the exact same decision to make when we booked our flights for this September's trip on the same route (FLR to YYZ via MUC). We took the longer layover option just to ease our minds and be less stressed. In our case the earlier flight is a nice 10am departure; we might have risked the short connection if the earlier flight was at some dark and early hour.
Coming back we have found a flight from Florence to Munich on Air
Dolomiti (Lufthansa) and then connecting to Air Canada. The time
between flights in Munich is only 35 minutes - is that enough time?
There is an earlier flight but that means a 4 1/2 hour layover in
Munich.
Ok, if these are 2 separate flights on 2 separate itineraries, this is not a CONNECTION but a STOPOVER. 35 minutes is NOT enough time. You are allowing no time for a late arrival from Florence.
35 minutes isn't enough time even if your itinerary is on one ticket.
Worse, the Air Canada transatlantic flight could close 30 minutes prior to departure so unless your Florence flight is on time, you are the 1st person to deboard, and the Air Canada gate is immediately next to your arrival gate, forget about it.
Yes, 4 1/2 hours is the smart move.
The shortest stopover time I can find on Air Canada , going from FLR to somewhere in Canada that stops in MUC is 1 hr 10 minutes. The other choice is 4.5 hrs.
Presumably the 35 minute layover time is achieved by doing 2 separate bookings, in which case you are doomed to buying a ticket in MUC at "walkup" prices. ( That fare is going to be a heart attack test)
Take the longer layover. Even if everything is one reservation, 35 minutes in Munich is not enough time. Don't get me wrong. It's a lovely airport, but your second flight will usually start boarding 30 minutes before the stated departure time. That technically means you have 5 minutes to make your connection before the second flight starts boarding.
There are so many variables here - is this one reservation or two? If the first flight is late and this is on two reservations, then you are probably out of luck on the second flight.
I'd either make sure everything is booked through on one reservation so if you miss that tight connection you're covered, or I'd book the longer layover in Munich.
Book a flight with a layover of at least an hour or more; preferably longer in case of delay from Florence.
If you missed your flight to Canada, you wouldn't get on another till the next day, and then be liable for hotel, etc. in the worst case scenario.
I've flown out of Florence a number of times, and can't remember any flight leaving there dead on time!
The mathematics are against you. The time between arrival -- i.e. touchdown -- and takeoff may be 35 minutes but it's not available to you. Especially for trans-Atlantic flights, you should be in your seat half an hour before stated takeoff. That will probably include going through another security check for carry-on luggage. Don't place too much faith in what an anonymous and automatic computer program "thinks" is possible. And even if you somehow make it aboard, your checked luggage may not.
I'd be amazed if this is on one ticket; I can't believe an airline would sell a ticket with a connection that short. The Munich airport web site lists approximate connection times, and I doubt if this is within that.
This can't be on one ticket. It just can't.
Flights out of Florence on Air Dolomiti aren't famed for punctuality. Even if you land on time, you'll have to go through passport control before going to your Toronto flight. No way would I attempt this. Look for an earlier flight out of Florence. And think twice about buying your ticket on any site other than the airline's.
Indeed, it can be on one ticket. Munich Airport's website shows a minimum connection time of 30 minutes for a connection that is within Terminal 2 (which at least for today's flights is where the connection would occur.)
Having said that, no way would I do this. It has been said many times you can choose to be stressed or bored when choosing flight connections--I choose bored every time, but that's just me, if you have very low aversion to risk, go for it.
And, yes, it is also true that if this is bought on one ticket and you miss the connection, the airline will put you on the next available flight. But since there will be limited options on the segment from Munich to Canada, the next flight with available seats might be the next day.
