Expert: Roberto Gomes - 4/14/2008

Question
The last person I submitted this question to was "unable to answer". I'm not sure why (I thought it was fairly straight forward...) Perhaps you can assist.

I am a novice flyer (I have only flown twice) and am planning a trip to New Orleans. The two flights I am interested in (least expensive) both have layover times. However, since I do not fly often, and have never had to 'layover', I am not sure what the appropriate amount of time between flights should be.
Please note, I am providing such detailed flight info because I assume that some airports/airlines are more "difficult" to deal with than others.

EXAMPLE Flight #1:
Departure- Greensboro, NC to Houston, TX (Continental) 53 min layover, then on to New Orleans from Houston (Continental)
Return- New Orleans to DC (United) 1 hr 19 minute layover, then on to GSO from
DC (United)

EXAMPLE Flight #2:
Departure- GSO to Atlanta (Delta) 2 hour 7 min layover, then on to New Orleans
from ATL (Delta)
Return- New Orleans to DC (United) 1 hour 19 min layover, then on to GSO from
DC (United)

Short lay-over times (53 minutes) are appealing to me, but I have no idea what-all goes on after I land. Do I have to go gather my own baggage and re-check it
before boarding the connecting flight? Are there more security checks? Or do I just get off of one plane, and then head over to the other and that's all there is to it?  Please forgive my ignorance, I just don't know about such things!
Thank you--
JB

Answer
Dear JB,

Travelling on these days where the on-time operations is something uncommon can be very challenging. The longer your layover the better chances you'll have to avoid problems.

But on the examples provided you showed two types of travel.
One that the airline industry calls ONLINE (only one airline makes two of more flight portions) and another INTERLINE (where two or more airlines makes the flight portion).

In the first example, the airline chosen i.e. Continental and on the way back United will check you baggage to the final destination and will produce at the origin the boarding cards for the two segments and your bags will be transferred from one flight to another. No additional security checks are needed since you'll disembark and re-embark on the same terminal. Also they will be responsible to accommodate you if the flights misconnects.

On the second example since the airline #1 Delta can not check you and your baggage on airline #2 United, you'll need to collect your bags and proceed to United's counter to make another check-in.
Also arriving with Delta will place you on Concourse C or D, while United is located at Terminal T and you'll need to face all the security checks again to enter the gates at Terminal T.

You can click on the link below for a detailed Atlanta terminal information:

http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Default.asp?url=sublevels/terminal/termmap.htm

Hope this helps to answer your question. If you need any additional information, please let me know.

Best Regards,
R. Gomes