How to Navigate an Airport and Catch a Connecting Flight

[Courk]

I have to fly for work in the upcoming weeks. I've never been inside an airport before. I'm not even sure what to ask. Talk to me like I'm 5. What do I do when I first get to the airport? Where do I go? Where do my bags go? What new-to-me sights and sounds can I expect? What do I need to be cautious about?

At the second airport to catch the connecting flight, what do I do? Do I need to collect my bags? Where are they? How do I know where to go? Do I need to do the entire same procedure as the first airport? If not, what's different? Are there additional steps I need to take because it's a connecting flight? Are you my mommy?

When I arrive at my destination, where are my bags? Do I need to do anything special before leaving the airport? Is there, like, a check-out procedure? If something goes wrong (I miss a connecting flight, my bags are in Bermuda, etc.) is there a kind, patient, helpful person available? Who is this person? How willing are airport staff of answering my multitude of stupid questions?

[The Potter]

What do I do when I first get to the airport? -- You will go to the counter for the airline you are flying with. You can acquire your boarding pass and drop off your luggage. (Note: many airlines charge a fee for checked bags these days)

Where do I go? To to longest line. After you have checked in, gotten your boarding pass, go through security. They will look at your ID and pass again. Then do what the people in front of you are doing. You won't need to show your ID anymore.

Where do my bags go? They will be sent away on a magic journey through space and time. Hopefully they will arrive where you do.

What new-to-me sights and sounds can I expect? Lots of bored people. I recommend a fully charged iPod.

What do I need to be cautious about? Not too much...

At the second airport to catch the connecting flight, what do I do? You will get off the plane and find your next "Gate." Then you will wait.

Do I need to collect my bags? Where are they? How do I know where to go? Do I need to do the entire same procedure as the first airport? If not, what's different? Are there additional steps I need to take because it's a connecting flight? Are you my mommy?
No...you don't have to do any of that.

When I arrive at my destination, where are my bags? They will announce the collection location on the plane. It will be somewhere in the arrivals area.

Do I need to do anything special before leaving the airport? Is there, like, a check-out procedure? If something goes wrong (I miss a connecting flight, my bags are in Bermuda, etc.) is there a kind, patient, helpful person available? Who is this person? How willing are airport staff of answering my multitude of stupid questions?
The staff are very helpful if you are polite. I have lost bags, missed flights and just about every screw-up possible and always arrived safely. They will be happy to help. And I've even done some of them on the international level!

You may be able to get away with bringing guns and knives onto the plane. You will not get away with a full water bottle.
_________________
Artwork | Fractals | Don't ignore your dreams; don't work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.

[Courk*]

[Dread Pirate Westley]

In most cases, you are allowed one "Carry-on" and one "personal item." Your purse counts as the latter, as would a laptop bag.

If you are not checking a bag, you can usually check-in 24 hours in advance using this series of tubes, print your boarding pass(es), and go straight to the security line. In this case, find the large bank of screens labelled as "Departures", find the city you're going to from that airport, and follow the signs to the listed departure gate. Repeat this process at stopover (you usually will not have to exit and re-enter security).

[The Potter]

You get one "carry on" and one "personal item" So you can have one small bag and a purse.

Gates-- you will be given a gate number on your ticket. But sometimes they change so it is usually best to look at one of the screens with flight information on it. The gate will be something like C10. There will be maps to help you find the gate location.

Some larger airports get confusing. They may have shuttles to different parts of the terminal. If your connecting flight is with the same airline, there is a very good chance the gate will be in the same area. Confusing airports typically also have an information counter to provide guidance, moral support, and direction.
I have been in many airports and they are all different. But also consider this: the vast majority of the travelers are also in area for the first time. So they can't make it too confusing.

Some airports also have free WiFi!
_________________
Artwork | Fractals | Don't ignore your dreams; don't work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.

[Quailman]

First you need to plan what to take. If possible, pack in a small bag that will fit under your seat or in the overhead compartment. If you do have to check a bag, it will be checked to your destination. The guys at your connecting airport will transfer it to your next flight.

If you are flying on Southwest, you need to check in online 24 hrs. prior to your flight. Set an alarm. The closer to 24 hours the better spot you'll have for boarding (they have open seating). On other airlines you can check in and print your boarding pass a day in advance, but your seat will be assigned when you purchase your ticket.

You didn't say how you'd get to the airport. If you are driving yourself, you must decide where to park. I use off-airport parking because it's cheaper and a bus picks you up at your car to get you to the terminal. Avoid the hourly lot closest to the terminal.

Whether you walk in from parking, or get dropped off by a parking bus or a friend, you need to decide whether to use curbside baggage check. Lokk for the baggage check for your airline. Some airports or airlines don't offer this option. This only applies if checking a bag or two. You don't have to haul your bags into the terminal, but you should tip the guy a couple of bucks per bag. You may have to stand in the cold for this too.

So you go into the airport. Look for the ticketing/check-in counter for your airline. If you have a boarding pass already and only need to check a bag, get in that line. Try to avoid the full service line where people are rescheduling and buying tickets.

If you have a boarding pass and checked outside or do not need to check a bag, just find the monitors above your airline's counter that will tell you whether your flight is on time and what gate number it will depart from. The gate assignment might be C-42, meaning gate #42 on C concourse.

Look for signs directing you to "All Gates" or "C Concourse". That will lead you to the security checkpoint for your gate and many more. At this point you should only have your purse and carry on bag. Have your boarding pass and photo ID (driver's license or passport) handy. You need to show them to get in the line.

For screening, you'll need to remoce your shoes, belt watch and jewelry. My wife brings ankle socks for this part. She wears sandals because they're easy to get off and on, but who wants to walk around an airport barefoot? There will be tubs to place your stuff in. Your laptop must be removed from its case and placed alone in a tub. IPads may stay in a backpack at most airports. You need to take off your jacket too. Do not bring any liquids or scissors or a pocket knife. This is why you'll probably need to check a bag.

After you walk through the screening unit you may reclaim your stuff. Look for signs to your gate. Go there and await instructions. If you have time you can get something to eat or drink. You can even take it on the plane. About 30 minutes before departure the gate attendant will make an announcement about how they'll board. Except on Southwest it will be by rows starting in the rear (higher row numbers). You shouldn't need to talk to anyone at the gate or show ID again. Just present your boarding pass as you go through the line. On Southwest you'll line up accoring to your boarding pass number. Tell someone who's getting in line that you're a Southwest virgin and they'll help you.

At Most connecting airports, you do not need to leave the secute area and go through security again. My wife connected through San Diego on Southwest last week and had to, however. You won't need to collect and recheck your bags. When you deplane look for a monitor and find yor departing flight's gate. Same boarding process. You should have gotten two boarding passes when you checked in yesterday.

When you deplane at your destination follow signs to Baggage Claim. When you get there, look for monitors that say which flights arrive on which carousels. It may take a while. Look for people who were on your flight to know if you're in the right place. When you get your bag, check to be sure it's yours. Some airports have a person to compare tags to your claim check so hang onto that.

My iPad is almost out of juice. More later.

[The Potter]

On domestic flights in both New Zealand and Norway, you don't have to take off your shoes when going through security.
_________________
Artwork | Fractals | Don't ignore your dreams; don't work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.

[Thok]

@Courk: What airline are you using? (In the US, most non-Southwest airlines give a similar experience, but Southwest is somewhat different.)

On very basic things, get to the airport at least an hour before the flight is going to leave (and maybe closer to two hours early). Bring a book to read or a game to play if things go faster than expected (you'll want this anyways for the flight). Given the choice between being early or late, you want to be early.

In security, be ready to take off your shoes, any jacket with pockets, and any belts that have metal in them. And be ready to go through a metal detector.

Many people will ask you questions about security that will seem stupid. Resist the urge to make jokes about them or over think them.

You may want to pack something to eat on the flight, especially if you are traveling on Southwest. Airline food is still awful; Southwest gets around this by basically not feeding you (you might get some peanuts or crackers). Don't worry about water/stuff to drink however, airlines are really good about getting you soda/juice/water for free. The food at airports tends to be slightly better than inflight food, but ridiculously overpriced.

[Zag]

It looks as if they have about covered it, except for your approach to the airport. If you are driving to a big airport, where they have multiple terminals, you will need to watch for the signs that say what terminal you go to for your airline. So be sure to know the exact name of the airline you are flying out on and watch for the signs. (For instance, American and American Express fly out of different terminals in Boston.)

Also, often arrivals and departures go different directions, so you'll want departures. (You'd pick up an arrival at baggage claim, which is usually a lower level than ticketing and the gates.)

When you check your bags, you check them through to the final destination. The bags might take a different route to get there than you do.

Here's an anecdote just to let you know that they've dealt with every problem, and it will work out eventually: When I flew to Greece 6 years ago, I was flying Boston to New York on Delta, then on to Athens in a European airline (Lufthansa, I think). My flight to New York was delayed, and I missed the flight to Athens. It was already evening by the time I got to the Lufthansa desk, and they were closed! Standing there feeling a little frantic, I was relieved when the nice lady at the American Airlines desk next to the Lufthansa one asked if I needed help. It turns out that they cover Lufthansa after hours, she set me up with a new flight, using two different airlines (neither one American) and a transfer in Paris, and got me to Athens only a few hours late. (My bags didn't arrive until the next day, but they got there.)

[Quailman]

Zag - When your connection got messed up, your bags went separately. Otherwise they'll always be on the flight you are on. If you check a bag but don't show up at the gate and board the plane, they'll pull your bag off.

[esme]

[Jack_Ian]

If the connecting flight is from the same airline, then they will generally transfer the baggage for you on to the connecting flight.
Knowing where you need to go in the connecting terminal is vital if you are on a tight schedule, especially if your initial flight was delayed. The flight staff normally have a good working knowledge of the terminal layout and can offer advice and also confirm about your baggage transfer. That way you can be prepared even before you land.
If the connecting flight is a different airline, then you picked a great way to begin your adventure with flying, as you will likely need to do everything yourself.
If it's an international flight followed by an internal flight, then you might need to go through customs and then come back in again.

One American friend of mine had a problem coming to visit me in Ireland. She flew through Heathrow in London and needed to go to another terminal to get the flight to Ireland.
The problem was, she had a visa for Ireland, but not for the U.K.
They refused to let her move to the other terminal, because she could not enter the U.K.
Eventually it got sorted and luckily she had a few hours before her connecting flight was to depart, as it took a few hours to clear up.

Perhaps if you gave more specifics about the airports and airlines concerned, we could offer more definitive advice.

[Quailman]

Here's a link to the TSA website listing things you can and cannot bring through security checkpoint or in checked bags.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items

When it's time to board the flight, most gate attendants call for passengers who need extra assistance or who are traveling with small children first, followed a couple of minutes later with a call for first class and other high mucky muck passengers (those who fly a lot - different airlines call them different things). Then they call for general boarding by row number, starting in the back. They may say "rows 25-30" then when that bunch goes through the little door, "rows 20-30" and so forth. You may board any time until they close the door, but especially if you have a window seat it's polite to get on with your group. That way you can get into your seat before the passengers in the middle or aisle sit down, as there is no way to get past them once they do. They'll have to get up and into the aisle.

When the plane lands (both flights), don't try to immediately stand up as soon as the little light goes off indicating that you can unbuckle your seat belt. If you're near the back it may take ten minutes before you can move. The plane empties from the front back, so wait until the second or third row in front of you starts into the aisle before rising. Try to relax during this time, as it can be frustrating, especially if your connection is tight.

Speaking of connections, sometimes as the plane is approaching the landing, a flight attendant (don't call her a stewardess in the US) will announce what gate you'll be arriving at and the departure gates for connecting cities. That's helpful, but always double check when you get into the concourse.

[DF*]

[Courk*]

[Thok]

[Quailman]

Have we given enough advice yet? Can we start offering our tales of woe, like the time I drank too much Goldschläger and it tripped the metal detector, resulting in a cavity search?

[esme]

[The Potter]

"If the connecting flight is from the same airline, then they will generally transfer the baggage for you on to the connecting flight."

It doesn't matter what airlines are involved, even non-partner airlines will transfer checked bags. This is also true for all international flights.

---Airline horror stories----
On my way to Tromso, Norway from Fairbanks with planned connections in Seattle, Amsterdam, and Oslo, the flight was the last one out of Fairbanks at 1 am. After a few delays, everyone boarded but then mechanical problems couldn't be resolved. So we had to switch to a slightly smaller plane. It was a full flight and they needed 12 volunteers to give up their seats to go the next day (rewarded by I believe a $300 voucher).
There was only eleven volunteers. I was the lucky person who got involuntarily bumped. When they saw my itinerary they did try very hard to get me on but no one budged. So I patiently waited while they let the plane depart without me.
In the end, I found out when such things happen you get refunded either twice the value of the ticket or $1300. I also got a first class upgrade, something I am sure they did completely out kindness. Most people tend to get irate when it is 2 am and they didn't make it on board. Oh, and the university was paying for this travel but I got to keep nearly all of the money
The next day the group of soldiers going back to Afghanistan were there again. They were very happy to get the extra day and traveling money!
The only issue was that my checked bag flew to Seattle on the first night. And then it didn't make it onto my new flight a day later. It was a little stressful to arrive in Norway with effectively just the clothes I was wearing but my bag was delivered to the hotel a few hours later. It was interesting to see the different stickers; it took a different route and was marked for urgency.

----
On the way back, I wasn't paying attention and ended up just going to the gate on my ticket for the flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. It was the same one I have departed from in the past and figured it was correct. When I realized my mistake the correct gate was just too far away. I was booked on the next flight without any issue at all.

--
I suppose the important thing to remember is that things do go wrong frequently with airlines. Delays happen for mechanical and meteorological reason and frequently push tight layovers into impossible connections. But people consistently arrive at their destination.
_________________
Artwork | Fractals | Don't ignore your dreams; don't work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.

[Neo]

Looks like everybody covered it pretty well. When you know your airports, let us know and somebody could probably give you even more detailed help.

I remember my first airport experience. I was nowhere near as well prepared as you are now, but I'll leave you with the one sentence advice I was given, and still fall back to now.

"When in doubt, look up."

Signs are super helpful, everywhere, and fairly standard. And they're above your head. If you can follow arrows, you can navigate an airport.
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_{Ad Astra}

[Courk*]

The only part I'm really worried about is the layover. I can arrive super early to ensure I'm on time to the first airport. Layover is likely to be Chicago or Detroit (my friend's been routed through both).

[Quailman]

I've been through Chicago O'Hare several times (there's also Chicago Midway). You'll probably be on the same concourse (a long 'spoke' exending outward from a central terminal), but if you're lucky you'll have plenty of time and have to change to another. O'Hare has tunnels to connect the concourses. They have music by Brian Eno playing and wild neon light overhead that seem coordinated to the music. There are people movers - basically flat elevators - so you don't have to walk the entire distance, or you can walk on them and move twice as fast.

I just looked it up. It's only connecting two United concourses. There are plenty of youtube vids.

[Quailman]

About 25 years ago, I had flown from Juneau, AK to Seattle, WA in the evening. I stayed over in a hotel and left at about 4:30 AM to catch a flight to Baltimore, changing planes at Chicago O'Hare. Well, Chicago was fogged in, shutting down the airport, so we waited about three hours to leave Seattle. When we got there, so many planes arriving that sat on the runway between other planes for more than an hour before we could get a gate. When I deplaned I discovered that my connecting flight was perhaps the only on-time departure that day. With all the chaos, by the time I got rescheduled I got home at 2:00 AM. Door to door ended up being nearly 19 hours, six of which were in the air.

[Sessie]

Looks like everything's been hit upon pretty well here, so I'll share a few tips of my own.

- If you plan to check one or more bags, tie a small piece of brightly-colored, easily distinguishable ribbon to your bags so they'll be easy to spot when they come around the baggage carousel. Or buy obnoxiously colored luggage instead of the little black suitcases everyone has (I have a big bright purple suitcase that I love using because it's so unique). Trust me, baggage tends to all look the same.

- Like Neo said, there are signs EVERYWHERE. Keep in mind, the airport is built to be easy for people far dumber than you to use, not to mention people who don't speak the language.

- One thing I haven't seen posted here that you should be aware of is that sometimes you will have to "gate check" your carry on bags. If it's a small plane, there may not be room for some bags even if they are technically small enough to be allowed as carry on. In this case, the person at the gate will announce this, and you will have to attach a tag (which they will give you) to your luggage, keeping a stub from it so you can reclaim it later. You will usually leave your bag in the little hallway before you actually step onto the plane, then pick it up in the little hallway right after you step off the plane when you land. This doesn't happen often, but just be aware so you don't panic if it does.

- Regarding carry on bags: one carry on (like a small suitcase or duffel bag) plus one personal item (like a purse or laptop case). I've gotten away with bringing a duffel, a laptop case, and my purse by stuffing my purse inside the duffel bag while boarding the plane.

- IF YOU TAKE ANY REGULAR MEDICATIONS, PUT THEM IN YOUR CARRY ON. Your usual toiletries can be purchased at your destination if your baggage gets lost, if necessary. Anything that would seriously put you in a bind if it got lost, carry on (if it's allowed; the TSA website has guidelines for that stuff).

- IF YOU MISS YOUR CONNECTING FLIGHT, DON'T PANIC. It happens all the time, and airport staff is well equipped to get you fixed up and on your way. When in doubt, ask the first official-looking person you see. If they're not the right one to help you, they'll point you to someone who is.

- When you go through security, you will feel like the biggest guiltiest criminal out there. This is normal. You might even see the people watching the xray machine back the conveyor belt up a few times to get a better look at what's inside your bags. These people are trained to be suspicious of everyone and everything. Just do what they tell you and don't make any jokes or smartass remarks; they don't like that at all and your various body cavities will not thank you for it.

- Last time I flew, I didn't even need a paper boarding pass. I checked in online and had my boarding passes emailed to me, then as I boarded the plane, I pulled the pass up on my cell phone and moved it to where the barcode was visible on the screen, and scanned that. But since this is your first time, definitely print them just in case.

- Prepare to see shades of humanity you didn't know existed. Airports are great for people-watching, if that's your thing.

Above all, try not to stress too much. It's been said here a few times but I'll reiterate: people screw up their flights all the time, and there is always someone available to fix things.

Also, congratulations! You're on your way to becoming a jaded, weary American traveler.
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"I have an everyday religion that works for me: love yourself first, and everything else falls into line." --Lucille Ball

[Sessie]

Here, this might help. Sample boarding pass for United Airlines:



Things to note:

United Flight D3048. This is your flight number. This is the number you look for when you look at the departure/arrivals monitors to figure out what gate you need to be at.

Departure Gate: A22. This means Concourse (sometimes called Terminal) A, Gate #22. NOTE THAT THIS GATE MAY CHANGE. When you get to the airport, always, always, always check the monitors for your flight number so you know for sure where to go. They're everywhere; look for a dozen or so people staring up at a couple of screens.

Boards at 3:15pm. This is the time they will actually start loading the plane. Notice it's about a half hour earlier than the actual departure time, 3:40.

Boarding Zone 2. This is just so they can attempt to maintain order when people are boarding the plane. While you are waiting at the gate, you will hear over the loudspeaker something like, "We are ready to begin boarding United flight D3048 with service from Rapid City to Denver. All passengers in boarding zone 1 may board at this time." They do this so the line to board isn't a throng of mass chaos. If for whatever reason you miss your zone, you can just board with the next one.

Seat number 23A, Coach. This is your seat number and section. If you fly coach or economy, you'll probably have to walk past the first class section and get sneered at by all the rich businessmen in suits. Sneer back if you want.

Your boarding passes may look slightly different depending on the airline, but the info is basically the same.

As for the flight itself, I happen to enjoy the takeoff process. You'll taxi (that's what it's called when the plane is moving on the ground) slowly over to the runway, then you'll start to go really REALLY fast and whoosh! up into the air. If you're the type to get motion sickness, takeoff and landing are the worst parts. When you start your descent to land, you might hear/feel a "bump" as the landing gear lowers. Then you'll sometimes get that stomach-dropped-out rollercoaster feeling as the plane starts to gradually lose altitude (it's not as bad as it sounds). It can feel a bit like a bus while the plane is at cruising altitude; a few bumps here and there as the plane hits air pockets. The pocket on the back of the seat in front of you will probably have a handful of magazines as well as, yes, an airsick bag. Flip through Skymall if they have it and check out all the overpriced worthless crap. Always entertaining.
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"I have an everyday religion that works for me: love yourself first, and everything else falls into line." --Lucille Ball

[Sessie]

Here's what a fairly typical airport security screening looks like.



[edited to remove hotlink]

First, you'll have to show your ID and boarding pass. Then, you'll put all your carry on stuff (and your shoes) into one or several of those grey bins and place them on the belt. If you have a laptop, it has to be out of the bag and in its own bin. Your bins will travel through the xray machine where they will be inspected on a computer monitor (see them?). Then you'll step through the metal detector, backscatter xray machine, or both. If you set it off, you'll be asked to step to the side to be patted down or hand-wanded or otherwise checked. Once you're through all that, you can collect your stuff, put your shoes back on (there's usually a little area with chairs and benches for you to get yourself back together), and head to your gate. In the picture you can see the signs for various gates just beyond the metal detectors.

Here's a shot of the monitors we keep talking about.



That's obviously not an American airport, but they're all the same, just different languages. Find your gate, follow the signs, and be on your merry way. You can do it!!
_________________
"I have an everyday religion that works for me: love yourself first, and everything else falls into line." --Lucille Ball

[Jack_Ian]

If it's a long haul flight and you need to spend a lot of time in an airport waiting for a connection, this site can come in handy.

[groza528]

[The Ragin' South Asian]

[The Ragin' South Asian]

[Quailman]

In 1986 I relocated from Denver to Baltimore. All my stuff went in the moving van except for four bags that I was taking with me to have before I closed on the house and got my stuff back. At the time you could check three bags, so I had to pay $25 for the extra. The flight was Denver-Dulles-BWI. When none of my bags showed up, I went to the friendly people we've told you about. They looked at my claim checks and said, "Here's the problem. They only checked your bags to Dulles." That's outside Washington, DC, about three hours away. I figured they be on a morning flight and I'd get them tomorrow, but a delivery driver rang the bell at my rental at 3 AM to drop them off.

I got the extra bag fee refunded.

[Quailman]

The monitors with departures & arrivals probably won't be as big as in Sessie's photo. They may be six TVs in a row, with three on the left for arrivals and three on the right for departures. Some airports list the flights under each category by city; some list them by originally scheduled time. Ones in the concourse may only list departures. As you cannot go to the gate to meet someone, the only people beyond security are either going to a departing flight or heading to baggage claim.

Many years ago I was traveling with three coworkers, connecting in Chicago from Denver to Baltimore. We were running late, so we had to rush. We deplaned and looked quickly at the monitors. Two of us immediately saw Baltimore and called out the gate. We had to run through the crowd. We got there just as the gate attendant was closing the door. She didn't even look at the boarding passes we tossed at her. On the plane, everyone was already seated as we walked toward our designated rows it appeared that all the seats were full. My row didn't even exist. We were on a plane to Pittsburgh! It had arrived from Baltimore. We had looked at the wrong monitor. It turned out that our flight was departing from the gate next to the one we had arrived at. And it was delayed an hour, so we had plenty of time to catch it. I am so glad I wasn't the only one to see the wrong gate number.

[Neo]

ITT: Lots of good advice, but Sessie goes above and beyond and reminds me why she's one of my favorite GL'ers.
_________________
_{Ad Astra}

[Jedo the Jedi]

[Courk*]

Thanks all! I'll probably have more questions close to the trip, so keep an eye out.

I'm familiar with the ear popping when driving through mountains. Probably more extreme in an airplane, but, maybe I'm weird, I look forward to it in the mountains.

[referee]

There was a time when airports were almost comfortable and not the pain in the backside they are now.
_________________
Jan 21st, 2008: The pillaging continues.
Mar 4th, 2008: Rest in Peace, Gary Gygax. May your dice always roll a natural 20 wherever you are.

Be the Ultimate Ninja! Play Billy Vs. SNAKEMAN today!

[Sessie]

D'aww...I try. I just find visual references easier.

No problem, Courk! You're gonna be just fine. And don't worry about the creature on the wing just outside your window; his name is Herman and he only attacks people when he's hungry. If he comes after you, just toss him some peanuts.
_________________
"I have an everyday religion that works for me: love yourself first, and everything else falls into line." --Lucille Ball

[Lepton*]

Minimize the amount of metals you wear to make security easier. Bring some snacks because airport food I is pricey and crap. Take a novel. Pee before you board the plane. Try not to be stressed.

I try to see travel misfortune as opportunity. I have an overnight layover in Frankfurt tonight, so I'll take the bus to Luxembourg for a couple hours.

Happy travels, C.

[crk*]

Potentially it's a half hour layover at O'Hare

[Quailman]

That's not much for O'Hare. There are so many things that can throw you off schedule. Too far between gates, bad weather in whatever city your first fligjt originated in, bad weather in Chicago, a mechanical problem with an earlier flight in your originating city, causing delays while they try to get all those passengers on other flights, including yours. But those same factors can affect the connecting flight, so you should be fine.