Losing connecting flights when transferring between airports
I was booked a flight with a connection in Sao Paulo, Brazil. However, I noticed that I will have to transfer between airports between the domestic and international legs of my trip. They are all on the same reservation, but I have a relatively short connection (4h) and traffic in Sao Paulo can be very chaotic as I recall.
I know that airlines will put me on another flight if I lose a connection in the same airport, but I have no idea if they would do the same if I lose it because of an airport transfer.
Anyone had any experience with this?
Best Answer
If you fly on one ticket, as you said you do, you will be booked on the first available flight if you miss your connection, assuming you have done your best to get there in time.
Best contact the airline (one of the cabin crew will do) before landing how to handle the transfer, so you know what is the recommended way to handle the transfer.
Check whether you need to pick up your luggage (which is likely) and take it yourself.
Some airlines have special shuttles between different airports when they have many passengers that need to make the transfer. Most do not but they might tell you to use one shuttle company or one connection method which is more reliable or faster than the others.
And when you arrive at your next airport, there might be ways to get you through the system faster if you report in the right way to the right place. That is an other reason why you should ask before you leave the first airport, likely the cabin crew will know it.
The last good time to ask the cabin crew is well before landing, even before the last food service before landing, as they are often rather busy in that last period. It would not hurt to mention it when you are waiting to board the flight if the ground staff is of your airline and not from the airport, and again as soon as the first food service in the flight is done, so the crew can come back to you when they have time, and can even ask for the information if they do not have it yet.
If you get no (good) answer from the cabin crew, ask ground staff in your arrival airport. Do not leave the airport without the advice, as not following it might lead to the airline denying you your next leg of the journey if you do miss the flight.
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Who is responsible for missing connecting flights?
Even if you are on a business trip when you miss a connecting flight, it is still you, the passenger, who is entitled to compensation. The general principle set out by EC 261 is that the passenger who has suffered the inconvenience is owed compensation, not the person who paid for the ticket.What happens if I lose my connecting flight?
If the missed connection is the airline's fault (a delayed initial flight due to mechanical problems, for example), the airline should rebook you on the next available flight. If the next outbound flight is the following morning, the airline should either book you on another airline or provide accommodations and meals.Does the airport transfer luggage on connecting flights?
When you purchase a connecting flight, checked baggage is usually forwarded to your final destination, and will change planes when you do. The agent at check-in will usually ask if you want your luggage checked through to your last stop.What happens if your first flight is delayed and you miss your connecting flight?
If you miss your connection booked with the same airline of your first flight and the issue is due to a delayed take off or anything else that's in the hands of your airline, it's the airline's responsibility to rebook you on the next available flight.Will An Airline Hold Your Connecting Flight?
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