Please sign in to post.

Please help relieve my connecting flight time anxiety

Traveling with my Son and family next month. He arranged flights. I'm stressing out about connecting flight times on our return flight. Details:

March 23. Zurich to Oslo, Gardemoen. Scandinavian Airlines. Arrive 15:25 hours

Depart Oslo on Norwegian Airlines for Orlando at 18:00 hours

That's 2 1/2 hours. They will have checked bags to retrieve from SAS flight and to check in with Norwegian Air.

Will we have to go through security in Oslo again? Will our gates be far apart?

When my husband and I travel, we don't schedule this tight. My Son says no worries! Well, Grandmaybe is stressed!

Since we have never been to Oslo airport, I just don't know what to expect.

Help!

Posted by
7054 posts

Instead of stressing, it's best to go to the airport website and look at the actual layout, number of terminals, and number of gates.
https://avinor.no/en/airport/oslo-airport/plan-your-trip/map/

You can also see which gates are used by Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian (this also shows up on departing and arrival flight stats for your flight number).
https://avinor.no/en/airport/oslo-airport/flight-times/departures/
https://avinor.no/en/airport/oslo-airport/flight-times/arrivals/

Also, read the section about connections under "Terminal", it will answer the "going through security" question.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Airport,_Gardermoen

Posted by
550 posts

I already did that on the Oslo airport website. Just not sure when we collect our bags from our Zurich flight, will we need to go through security bag check before checking in with Norwegian Air.

But thanks for providing the link.

Posted by
550 posts

Just saw your two other links. They didn't show up the first time I read the response.

Thanks so much

Posted by
8319 posts

We're coming out of Budapest late April on Norwegian Air--connecting for a flight back to the U.S.
Thankfully we've been staying in an apartment and will be setup to prepare our picnic for the flight. Nothing worse than a $45 airline meal on our return flight--no thanks!

Posted by
1317 posts

You were a good mom? Raised him right? Trust him. And if everything screws up, he can make it up big time on Mother's Day.

Posted by
5837 posts

Gardenmoen (OSL) has been my destination airport and return starting point airport but I have not connected at OSL. With that said, OSL is compact (i.e. one interconnected terminal, not multiple terminals). http://www.oslo-airport.com/

Oslo Airport has one unique terminal, which is 819 metres long. The
Terminal is divided in two piers (East and West). The domestic flights
are served in the east part (gates 2 to 26), and the international
flights from the west part (gates 35-59).

The Terminal is divided in two levels, Departures Level on the Ground
Floor and Arrivals Level at Level 1.

For OSL transfer advice see:
https://avinor.no/en/airport/practical-information/plan-your-trip/transfer/transfer

Coming from International bound for International

You can use the transfer point at gates E12/E13 on the arrivals level.
Follow "Transfer" signs.

Baggage must not be collected if it is checked through to the end
destination. This depends on the airline and type of ticket. Check
your luggage tag!

However, the "baggage must not be collected" only applies if your baggage is checked through to your final destination. Given that you appear to be traveling on two tickets, SAS to OSL then Norwegian from OSL, you will need to exit and pick up luggage from the SAS arrival then recheck your luggage through to your Norwegian Air destination. The transfer advice will not apply.

My experience is that 60 minutes is adequate for arrival through retrieving checked luggage including oversize bags and that 90 minutes is adequate for departure including checking in bags. The combined 2.5 hours should be adequate assuming that the flight from Zurich arrives substantially on time.

Given that you appear to already have tickets in hand, there is not much you can do other than be familiar with the airport layout and be prepared to move quickly. You may also want to find out from Norwegian Air options should you miss the ticketed flight.

Posted by
5837 posts

Norwegian's Deadlines for Check In:
https://www.norwegian.no/reiseinformasjon/innsjekking-og-boarding/frister-for-innsjekking/

Frister for innsjekking (Deadlines for check in)

Innsjekkingen slutter: (Check in ends)

Dubai...og USA: 1 time før avgang (Dubai...and the US: 1 hour before
departure)

Vis frem boardingkortet ved sikkerhetskontrollen Følgende godtas som
gyldige boardingkort ved sikkerhetskontrollen:

  • reisedokument med strekkode

  • SMS-billett med 2D-strekkode

  • elektronisk billett registrert på et kredittkort

(You need to show your boarding document to get through security.

Valid boarding documents include:

  • travel document with bar code

  • SMS ticket with 2D bar code

  • electronic ticket on credit card)

It will also be a good idea (saving time and money) to book and pre-pay for your checked baggage:
http://www.norwegian.com/en/travel-info/baggage/checked-baggage/

Posted by
1601 posts

I think you should be fine. Last summer we made a 40 minute connection including going through passport control and security.

We of course hadn't checked bags and were flying the same airline - SAS.

We flew in from Dublin and connected onto another flight to Iceland. For us it wasn't just a straight transfer - the immigration officer said that they handled the immigration for Iceland (at least for the routing we took). He stamped our passport and when we got to Iceland there was no immigration.

As long as your inbound flight is ontime I don't think you will have issues. It seemed to be a fairly small airport.

Edit - just did a check and Iceland is part of a Nordic Passport Union which explains my experience.