How to deal with too short transfer interval?
I got on the flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo via Beijing, and on the stopover, the scheduled time difference is 70 minutes.
However, while the first flight arrived at the scheduled time, it took another 30 minutes to get off the plane, during which the plane repeated to stall and move a few times. Then I had to get on the shuttle bus to the airport and then walked to the immigration, which took another 4 minutes. And I passed the immigration.
At that time, the immigration staff said to me that I had only 4 minutes left to pass through the body and baggage check and walk (dash, actually!) to the boarding gate; the boarding time is 30 minutes before the departure.
I'm sure that is impossible even for Usain Bolt. And I'm highly certain that this is not my fault. Not even close.
In the end, I missed the boarding time but got on the second shuttle bus on the last 1 minute, which was 15 minutes before the departure.
With this horrifying experience, I now wonder what would happen if I were late just a minute. My question is, if I missed the boarding, what should I do first? Can I still get on the flight? And if I can't, who would bear the unexpected hotel and flight cost?
Also, is there anything that I could do in this case? Even if I can make it to the flight I hate to dash. I have no reason whatsoever why I have to dash...
For your information I used the same airline (Air China).
Best Answer
Just a short answer: it all depends on whether you had it as one booking or two separate bookings.
If it is on one booking (which I assume) then you are fine. The airline will take care to get you on a later flight and also of hotel if necessary. Just contact their desk in case. (Since the delay/missed connection is their fault, not yours.)
If it's two bookings, you can try to ask but they are not responsible for it, it is you.
See this question and links therein for more details.
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Quick Answer about "How to deal with too short transfer interval?"
Is a 45 minute layover too short?
Give yourself a fighting chance As a rule of thumb, on domestic routes, you need a minimum of 45 minutes between flights. That's because you don't have to go through security, customs, and immigration.Is a 30 minute layover too short?
The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.Is 30 minutes enough time for a connecting flight?
Consider allowing at least 60 to 90 minutes for a U.S. domestic connection, and at least two hours for an international connection. Airlines usually allow you four hours or more maximum connecting time.Is 2 hours enough time for a connecting flight?
Two hours. Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a \u201chacker fare,\u201d as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.WATCH BIMBO ADEMOYE, WOLE OJO, AND IK OGBONNA IN TOO LATE TO BACKOUT
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