I am considering flying from a small regional airport to Philadelphia, and then from Philadelphia to London. It would all be "USAir" but the first flight is liable to be some regional affiliate. I'd love to hear from folks who have made this kind of trip starting at a small regional airport. Good experience or bad??? 1. I have two choices of layovers, and am thinking of taking the longer one (6 hours) because the flight with the shorter layover only has a 20% on time arrival rate and a cancellation rate of 25%. But if I do this, do I run the risk of having such a long layover that my luggage would get parked somewhere and never make the 2nd flight? 2. Is there a possiblity that I would need to collect my luggage at Philadelphia and re-check it for the international flight at the Philadelphia airport? Or is it always checked all the way through at point of origin on international flights? Thanks!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Six hours is a long time to spend at PHL. There are a few bars with TVs to while away your time. However, the regional carriers use Terminal F and international flights leave from Terminal A. It's a long walk between them, even with moving sidewalks, but at least you don't have to go back through security. I wouldn't know about luggage check as I only carry on.
Posted by
Atlanta
1358 posts
How long is the shorter layover? And, if you miss that flight, is the next one the one that's 6 hours later? Since it's all booked under USAir, it should all be under a code share. Your luggage will be checked all the way through. Coming back, you'll have to go through immigration and customs in Philadelphia, so you'll have to collect your luggage, go through customs, and send it back through to your final destination. Your luggage shouldn't get parked somewhere if you have a long layover. If you miss your connection, your luggage will be placed on the next flight, which, hopefully, you'll be on, too.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
I agree with Maureen, take the longer layover. You are far more likely to miss your plane than your luggage is. The airport might be boring, but if you have a book, laptop, or iPod, you can amuse yourself. I would think that if it is all booked on one ticket, your luggage would automatically be checked all the way through, but as I usually carry-on only, I can't be sure.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
805 posts
Its all USAir as far as the airline is concerned so as long as the entire itinerary follows a single confirmation number, bags transfer automatically. Your bags WILL make the international flight with that long a layover baring something crazy. Long layovers don't mean you have to collect your bags at all. A few years back I was coming back from Asia and had an 8.5 hour layover in Tokyo (in order to catch the only daily nonstop flight from Tokyo to Portland, OR) and I didn't have to touch my bags til I got to customs in Portland. Btw, a regional affiliate carrier doesn't even count as a code-share for what its worth. Its considered a US Air Express flight operated by (whomever the contract the flight to). A codeshare is when a flight on one airline is marketed as if its on another. For example, when I go to Spain this April, I made my reservations through KLM and so even though the first and last legs of my trip (PDX-AMS and AMS-PDX) are operated by Delta, they are a KLM codeshare.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23564 posts
Unfortunately it is Phila and US Air -- all bets are off.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
There is a shuttle from Terminal F (Gate F-10) to A-east. Unless you enjoy hiking, it might be worth waiting for.