Best and worst connecting airports

Back to Forum
Viewing 15 posts - 61 through 75 (of 101 total)

  • Charles-P
    Participant

    ‘Onghockguan’ – I was very surprised to read your post about theft from a bag at Dubai. Dubai Airports group takes theft VERY seriously and the penalties are severe for those even attempting it.

    May I suggest you contact them directly, they will follow up
    https://www.dubaiairports.ae/contact

    I have just emailed the head of security Phil Blum (a friend of mine) and if you make reference to this discussion on the BT boards he will follow up personally with your complaint.


    Bnweq987
    Participant

    The worst US one seems to be Chicago where you always need the little train ride and a new trip through security when connecting to or from an international flight.

    In Europe, CPH has the advantage of domestic and international flights now leaving from within the same two terminals (in close proximity) and no additional security check if travelling within Europe. OSL and ARN are much slower when changing between international and domestic flights. Passengers from other Norwegian cities than Oslo tend to prefer connecting through CPH not OSL.


    Selbyjay
    Participant

    Miami must be one of the worst airports i’ve every had the displeasure of using. Total & utter chaos, complete nightmare. AND i wasnt transitting! I’d never do a connection via MIA or recommend it to any of my clients.

    LHR is almost as unpleasent!


    OneA
    Participant

    As far as entering the USA is concerned, try to avoid DFW; its simply atrocious. There seem to be never more than 3 “alien” channels open and even arriving F or J, you will always tag onto the end of a queue from a Chinese airline’s A380!! There are constantly girls calling out connecting internal flight passengers to come forward and queue jump, lest the departing flight be held up (or you miss it and the airport will fill up with disgruntled passengers). The border staff roster “manager” needs to be replaced.
    In any event, if you want to have just one quick drink of anything, leave yourself 4 hours transit in the USA – immigration queues, terminal changes, collecting and re-checking baggage, custom exit queues…….then you don’t have to fret in each queue!
    Another tip for those travelling as a family group – when entering the USA and using the auto passport readers to get your slip to show to the border chaps, make sure you scan the named party lead first – otherwise you get nowhere as the subsequent passports are rejected!!


    Schaible
    Participant

    NigelHuggins – I agree with you that DFW is not the paradise for transits. It is unorganized, spiced with rude ground staff.
    Regarding the mass of Chinese at the immigration queue: there is no Chinese A380 going to Dallas. China Southern is to date the only Chinese airline with A380s in their fleet which on US routes they only serve LAX.

    From my memory the only scheduled A380 flight into DFW is from Emirates.


    penultimate
    Participant

    My favorite airport to transfer at is Dublin.
    If you are picking up luggage it arrives quickly. Exiting and rechecking in, including going through security has always been quick for me.


    PeterCoultas
    Participant

    Poor Nigel – he posts a lovely run down on the problems at DFW using perfectly acceptable poetic licence and the legal brain (Schaible) takes him to task.

    I see the point of perfect accuracy if intending to sue but otherwise a bit of exaggeration often makes the point better (though given the airport we are taking about I might have substituted Mexicans for Chinese) !


    RaveAroundTheWorld
    Participant

    MIA is pretty much a disaster. God help you if you checked luggage and need to transit somewhere else in USA, as the collecting of luggage and re-checking is especially painful there.
    -Rave


    MrMichael
    Participant

    About to book a flight for MrsM….the transfer from Austrian to Austrian at Vienna is just 35 minutes…..is that doable? She will have luggage.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    RATW – agreed, just suffered misplaced luggage in MIA, from LHR onwards to MCO..

    Added to which no one in MIA has any manners!


    DontTurnRight
    Participant

    Worst JFK and LAX (albeit some time ago for the latter)

    DUB always too crowded, plus A380s never always go from A380 terminal

    Best Munich( off Air Malta Flight and immediately on to Lufthansa flight next door)


    K1ngston
    Participant

    Before moving to Asia I was based in the Caribbean and had to transit through MIA most weeks! It was brilliant when they introduced the ESTA machines which negated the need to queue in the immigration line which after 11am in the morning meant a transit of anything less than 3 hours was undoable!

    If you had just carry on luggage with the ESTA machines you could be through immigration and customs and through security in about 25 mins which for the US convoluted methods is a dream, however if you were travelling with luggage especially from Jamaica you would not see your luggage for more than 1 hour as they went through each and every piece.

    My point, when MIA works it works well, the Customs people are not pleasant but generally the airport and the system (for ESTA) is great, but why oh why do American points of entry not recognise International transiting passengers and ease them on their way, the amount of times I saw people having missed their connections due to the onerous procedures and then they have to land them in the country overnight!

    So scaled for our US cousins the worst airports in my opinion for transiting or indeed having any experience is

    The best is Las Vegas, they just want you through and spending money second is Boston Logan always helpful and quick to transfer

    There are two worst LAX and JFK for 2 busy airports the whole process is so 1950’s


    AviationGeek
    Participant

    MrMichael – VIE is a relatively compact airport and has prided itself for very short connecting times for years. It has been extended recently making some walks between gates rather long.
    That said, if the inbound flight is a domestic or Schengen and pretty much first thing in the morning she might stand a chance – as does the luggage.
    If the inbound is from a non Schengen destination she’ll have to pass through passport control, which can be busy with as little as one flight arriving and often just 2 desks open. Connecting passengers also don’t tend to be called forward at those desks.
    If the transfer is later in the day the inbound aircraft may have picked up delays, eating into your 35 minute transfer, any weather (storms, snow etc) may add to this – although VIE is quite switched on.
    35 min really does not leave any wiggle room – I’d go for a longer connection and enjoy the lounge (if eligible) or the Airest restaurant with its apron views – and a proper coffee and a slice of Sacher torte.


    Carlton-Browne
    Participant

    Mr Michael – If the connecting flight is long-haul then there’s a significant chance they’ll hold it for connecting passengers. I’ve seen this quite a few times in Vienna. 35 minutes is tight but it might work.


    Selfemployed
    Participant

    Tere Tallinnman !!

    All Tallin flights are turboprops and therefore you are bussed into the terminal.

Viewing 15 posts - 61 through 75 (of 101 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls