How to Minimize the Risk of Missing aConnecting Flight

             

A connecting flight may be taken ifthere is no direct flight available from the passenger’s home orstarting airport to the final destination airport. The passengers traveling on aconnecting flight are required to change from one plane or airline to another at an intermediate point (called connecting point) on way to theirdestination. When a passenger lands at an airport to transfer to aconnecting flight, his or her flightitinerary allows for some transitiontime. This is called a layover, and it is intended to allow passengersto make their way through the airport to the new flight’s boarding gate. Alayover can last for just a few minutes or several hours, depending on theflight itinerary. So this might put you at the risk of missing your connection.You can never completely eliminate that risk; you can at least minimize it.Here are some tips for you.      

1. Know the minimum connection time required at your airport

Each airline setsstandard minimum connecting time ateach hub it serves. With anyconnecting flights you book as a single itinerary, through either an airline’swebsite or a travel agency, the airline's system automatically adjusts forminimum time at your connecting point. If you miss your ongoing flight, theairline is obligated to put you on the next available flight with no additionalcharges.

2. Fly on a single ticket when you need to connect flights

Typically, anyconnecting itinerary you arrange on a single ticket conforms to whateverconnecting time applies. That's true even on tickets that involve two airlines,as long as those airlines have interlineagreements. The booking systems automatically incorporate enough time. And single tickets usually provide forchecking baggage from starting point to destination, including interlinetransfers.If you made separate purchases for the two flights, you'llusually have to pick up your luggage during the connection.

3. Stick to one airline or alliance on a connection

Where possible, bookconnecting flights on a single airline or on airlines that are partners in an alliance. Typically, at big hubairports, airlines try to make sure that their gates and partner gates areclose together.

4. Avoid the last connection

Avoid booking the lastflight of the day out of your connecting airport.Theairline has to put you on its next flight, but if your original connectingflight is the last of the day, the next flight will obviously require anovernight stay at the connecting hub and arrival a day late.

5. Come up with a baggage plan for your connecting flight

 Checked baggage can miss a tight connection oreven go astray for a few days, but dragging a carry-on bag from one end of ahuge terminal to another, even a carry-on bag with wheels, can slow you downand tire you. Decide for yourself which approach fits you better.

6. Where you sit on the plane matters when you have a tightconnection

With a tightconnection, try to get a seat toward the front of the cabin on your firstflight. Even if you have to pay, being near the exit door can shave 5-10minutes off your deplaning time. Download one or more apps that can help youwith the connection process by tracking delays and posting up-to-dateinformation on departure gate

                    New Words and Expressions

intermediate [ˌɪntəˈmi:diət]            adj. 中间的

transition [trænˈzɪʃn]                 n.过渡，转换

itinerary [aɪˈtɪnərəri]                  n. 旅程，路线

minimum [ˈmɪnɪməm]                adj.最小的，最低的

hub [hʌb]                          n.中心

interlineagreement                     互运协议                       

incorporate [ɪnˈkɔ:pəreɪt]              v. 包含

alliance [əˈlaɪəns]                    n. 联盟

 

Talk about the following questions after reading the material anddo some extended discussion.

1.     How do you define connecting flight?

2.     What are tips for minimizing the risk of missing a connectingflight? Which one do you think is the most useful?

 

Learn more professional terms for your further study.

single journey                    n.单程               

take off                         v.起飞

land [lænd]                      v.降落

tour package                      旅游包价

full fare                          全票价                     

off-peak fare                     淡季票价

peak seasonfare                          旺季票价

grouptour                        组团旅游

chartedflight fare                 包机机票