[Idyllchat] RE: JFK, Alitalia, Delta

[Russ Crum]

Don't bet on Heathrow either! We landed there last fall on American  
on a flight from Chicago. We were to transfer to Alitalia for our  
flight to Milan. We had just over 2 hours between flights. Landed on  
time and deplaned fine. But, because of the transfer to another  
terminal we had to go through the serpentine security line. The  
bottom line was that we arrived at our departure gate with less than  
30 minutes before departure!

Russ Crum
rrcrum at sbcglobal.net

On Sep 29, 2007, at 15:47 , Art and Marilyn Bervin wrote:

> Having just returned from a two-week trip to England, my wife and I  
> read of the JFK experience with more than a little interest as it  
> was the duplicate of this week's transit at O'Hare.  You'd think  
> that after six years of heightened security our airports would have  
> figured out ways to be more efficient.  We have had our struggles  
> in Frankfurt, CDG, and now O"Hare.  The common thread in all of  
> them amounts to redundant screenings for passengers making  
> connecting flights.  Somehow, passengers screened in other airports  
> are moved into insecure areas as they move from terminal to  
> terminal.  And then it's back to the 3-ounce bag, removing belt and  
> shoes, and usually long, slow lines.  Only in Baltimore did I find  
> that the airport had constructed a bypass that allowed passengers  
> to move from terminal to terminal without leaving a secure area.
>
> As for O"Hare, Dante had an easier time passing through the  
> Inferno. We had two hours between flights and fancifully envisioned  
> picking up a slice of pizza or a sandwich between flights.   
> Instead, our problems started with a last-minute change of gates  
> that delayed our exiting the plane.  Take away ten minutes.
>
> My wife and I, both equipped with long legs, strode to the passport  
> control area, only to find a long, slow line.  Take away 30  
> minutes. At least picking up our bags and rechecking them was  
> efficient.
>
> As directed, we took the train that would move us from Terminal 5  
> to Terminal 1.  Then the fun began.  When we exited the train, we  
> were in an insecure area.  Up to that point, signage was OK, but  
> once we entered the ticketing area, all signage stopped.  Signs for  
> the B and C parts of Terminal 1 vanished.  Finally we found a very  
> long line feeding into "C."
>
> Had we not elbowed our way into the line, we would have missed our  
> plane.  No doubt about it.  When we could talk to someone about  
> jumping the line even more, he assured us that we would be through  
> the line in 10 minutes.  Wrong.
>
> After serpentining back and forth, a young woman asked whether  
> anyone had a plane leaving in 10 minutes.  When I said our plane  
> would be boarding in four minutes, she assured us we had plenty of  
> time. Wrong on both counts.  If a traveler's plane would leave in  
> 10 minutes, reaching the gate was all but impossible.  Then, once  
> we finally were screened, my screener said, "It's just a five- 
> minute walk to your gate."  Wrong.  My wife and I ran most of the  
> way to C-27 and were among the last four or five passengers to  
> board. Without that run, we would have been locked out.
>
> Clearly those responsible for screening need to have better  
> information about time and timing.  Every response we had was wrong.
>
> But, more to the point, our British friends have had far more  
> experience with terrorism than we have had here.  Surely the  
> Heathrow screening is as good and as thorough as any one can find.   
> The challenge for airports is to find efficient ways to allow  
> previously screened travelers to reach connecting flights.  There  
> would be fewer frazzled travelers, and screening lines would be  
> shorter for those just starting a trip.
>
> Not only is it useful to hear about transfer problems at airports,  
> but it would be equally helpful to compile a list of traveler- 
> friendly airports as well.  I'm glad to hear that someone found CDG  
> less formidable than we did a few years back.
>
> Safe travels, Marilyn and Art Bervin
> -- 
> Some people drink at the fountain of knowledge; others just  
> gargle.  -anon.
>
> If you have the same ideas as everybody else but have them one week  
> earlier
> than everyone else then you will be hailed as a visionary. But if  
> you have
> them five years earlier you will be named a lunatic. 	--Barry Jones
>
> When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know
> peace. 	--Jimi Hendrix
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