<p>First, I wanted to thank all of you parents for helping me last time! I convinced my parents with your help, and I’m going to be able to go to the University of Rochester for a scholarship interview after all. :]</p>
<p>Now, everyone suggested that I definitely have at least an hour between flights. Going to Rochester, I have 1.5 hours between my first flight and connecting flight (Washington/Dulles in D.C. connecting to Rochester, NY). However, and here is is the problem, my second flight, has exactly 30 minutes (605 PM to 640 PM in Chicago/Ohare) connecting time. I tried to find one with out, but this was the best option, and my parents said to take it. </p>
<p>I’m flying United all the way, so I’ll be in the same terminal, but it is a short amount of time and I’ve never been to Chicago/OHARE.</p>
<p>Anyways, **I’m asking for three things:
advice on how to make sure I make it to my next flight on time
any insight into those airports - particularly Chicago/Ohare
advice regarding luggage. Since I will only be at Rochester for 1 day, I assume I’ll need pajamas, toiletries, and a suit-type of thing to change into for the interview. Other than that, I can wear the clothes on my back. Considering I’ll have 35 minutes to transfer on my way back, I figure it is best to have a carry on and nothing else. Know anything about these? Like anything weird I can’t carry on? (ex. toothpaste, hair brush, etc essentials besides like razors). **</p>
<p>Biggest piece of advice I can give you when you’ve got short time-window transfers is to sit as far to the front of the airplane as possible. Then you won’t have to wait for 15 minutes while everyone else funnels off the plane because you’ll be first off.</p>
<p>I can just ask someone if they will switch seats with me so I can sit near the front, right? I’m assuming someone will be nice enough to allow me to do so (hopefully).</p>
<p>Unless you specified your seat when you purchased your ticket, when you check in you’ll get to choose where you want to sit on the airplane (every airline does it a little different, I forget how US Air runs theirs).</p>
<p>If possible, do online check in as close to 24 hours before your departure time as possible. That way, if they do assign seats like I said, you’ll get to have one of the first picks.</p>
<p>Any liquids/gels in your carry on need to fit in a clear 1 quart ziplock bag and each container must be 3 ounces or less. You can get travel size toothpaste and other essentials. Or buy travel bottles (places like walgreens sell them) and decant stuff into them).</p>
<p>If you don’t already have a seat assignment, you may be able to get on online depending on how soon your flight is and how full it is.</p>
<p>It will be a tight connection - I’m a little surprised United scheduled the timing but since they did they will assist you if you miss it. United actually has two concourses at its terminal - one is at the main building and the other is connected by an underground tunnel. If both flights are in the same concourse that will help considerably. And then of course it depends on whether or not either flight is delayed. Here’s the map of the terminal to show what I mean: <a href=“http://www.flychicago.com/ohare/concessionsohare/pdf/T1B.pdf[/url]”>http://www.flychicago.com/ohare/concessionsohare/pdf/T1B.pdf</a> Although there’s no guarantee of where your flights will arrive and depart, you can check the same flights on other days to see what gates they were assigned. If they’re always in the same terminal that will help although the distance from one end to the other is pretty long!</p>
<p>Make sure the flight attendant knows that you have a tight connection - if they know about it they may request passengers let you off first (I have seen this happen!). The attendants on your flight can also notify your connecting flight when you land so they know you’re on your way. You can get an idea of whether or not your connecting flight is delayed before you leave Rochester - just ask any gate attendant to check. Maybe you’ll be lucky and the first flight will be on time and the second one delayed! If it’s the other way around then work with the agent in Rochester to help reschedule.</p>
<p>In terms of toiletries remember the 3-1-1 rule and get some travel sizes:<br>
</p>
<p>It is in United’s best interest to help you make the connection - especially once they know you’re a polite, smart, nervous, friendly student. In other words, get them want to help you!</p>
<p>FYI just checked today’s flights: ROC-ORD landed at gate C31 and ORD-LAX left from gate C27 so that’s pretty good - only two gates apart! About one minute to get from one to the other.</p>
<p>HAT, flying United, at O’Hare at age 16 my daughter managed to get her baggage, clear customs with 2 huge suitcases, recheck her luggage, and make it from the international terminal to the domestic terminal all on her own and catch her flight with only about a 40 minute time window – so anything is possible. </p>
<p>If you miss your flight, United will get you on the next one. Not to worry – you are generally fine as long as you are on one airline and the reservations were made via them. They are well aware via their own computer/booking systems of which of their passengers need to make connecting flights.</p>
<p>FYI, and this is coming from a high school senior who’s traveled alone numerous times - being a young adult, I’ve noticed I have more people looking out for me. What I mean is, the airline stewards tend to be more helpful and friendly towards younger people (in my experience). If you’re worried about it, tell the steward on the plane that you’re worried about making your flight and often times they’ll call ahead and ensure that the plane doesn’t leave without you.</p>
<p>I once was flying from Orlando airport through O’Hare and my flight was about 35 minutes late - and they held the plane for me! (Granted everyone else was probably pretty angry, but it was out of my hands…)</p>
<p>Marilyn beat me to it - I was going to suggest you check on United’s website to determine the gate numbers at O’Hare to get an idea of how far apart they are. Like she said, when the gates are only a couple apart from each other it takes only a minute to get between them. If you’re coming back through the same route, you should check on that as well. O’Hare otherwise can be pretty hectic - very crowded with people bustling here and there. </p>
<p>Remember though that even if the gates are right next to each other 30 minutes is cutting it very close because it’s not unusual at all for flights into O’Hare to be delayed so that 30 minutes could end up to be 20 minutes, 10 minutes, or negative minutes.</p>
<p>If you find your reserved seat is towards the back of the plane, check with the ticket counter at your starting point and request a change towards the front of the plane. United, American, and many other airlines usually ‘hold-back’ a certain number of seats until airport check-in so even if the online seating chart showed no seats you might still be able to move up - especially if you tell them of the short connection time. </p>
<p>Definitely just do a carry-on if you can. Use the smallest suitcase/backpack that will fit your stuff. A backpack should be more than adequate for one or two nights. </p>
<p>I flew to Paris on my own at 16, and fly to the UK multiple times a year by myself. I was really freaked out about flying to Paris, it was the first time I’d ever flown without my parents and I had to do it all alone, like you. I actually had to change planes in Denmark, which really scared me! </p>
<p>Its no where near as difficult as it seems. Airports are very well labeled, I think its fairly difficult to really get lost. Just make sure you’re comfortable asking for help if you need it. The first time I had to make a connection in London, I was fortunate to have gotten to know the people sitting next to me who were making the same connection, so I just tagged along with them (older couple), because they knew the airport better than I did. You’ll be fine, although 30 minutes is cutting it close…</p>
<p>If you’re really worried, go online and look up a map of O’hare…figure out which terminal you’ll arrive in and where you need to get to ahead of time, that may help a bit as well.</p>
<p>HandsAcrossTime: a close friend is a senior flight attendant for United. She suggests that you let the senior attendant on your flight know that you have a connection within 30 minutes of scheduled landing. She said they have the ability to contact the connecting flight and let them know they have passengers on the way in. If it’s within 15 minutes of the outbound flight, they will hold it until you (and possibly others on your flight) get there, and will get you to the connecting flight on time.</p>
<p>Lots of good advice here! Here’s one that is particularly relevant to O’Hare: they pad the arrival times to improve their on-time performance. The trip is actually 5-10 minutes less than two hours.</p>
<p>Be sure to print out your boarding passes before you leave for the airport. You need two boarding passes, one for each leg of the trip. Don’t forget your picture ID - a driver’s license or a passport. If you charged your tickets on your parents credit card, ask if you can take it with you for the trip.</p>
<p>Even though O’Hare is a huge airport, it has four buildings, and you will only see a part of one of them. It’s very manageable.</p>
<p>You can also find a MAP of O’Hare online. (Sorry, I don’t have a link. Google is a wonderous thing.) Print it out and then you can check where your gates are relative to each other. United has a very large presence at O’Hare and I believe takes up more than one terminal. I like to check the flight info for my flights including gates for several days before, but they don’t always use the same gates for the same flights, although it’s usually a good bet.</p>
<p>The flight attendants are good sources of information and can help you out a lot also.</p>
<p>Another word of encouragement - we have had these short connections and been lucky every time. So our fingers will be crossed for you.</p>
<p>Lots of good advice above. Only things I will add (sorry if I missed it already): </p>
<ol>
<li><p>In addition to letting the flight attendants know of your tight connection (because they can try to get you off first or move your seat forward with the help of a cooperating passenger), also let the gate agent know when you get to the boarding gate for your first flight. They may be able to move your seat forward for you if you don’t already have a forward one.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure that your carryon is a rolling one or VERY LIGHT, so you can RUN. There have been times when we have had to, literally, run between connections. Easier if you don’t have a huge floppy purse, jacket, non-rolling duffel etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Check the video screens for your second flight as soon as you deplane from the first. Sometimes gates have changed, so your bestlaid plans based on web info could be derailed. Sometimes there is a gate agent specially posted to help people with connections, but this is not so common anymore.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Enjoy! Soon enough, you will be an expert airline passenger yourself.</p>
<p>You may be able to change your seat assignment online now. We have done so. Just go to the airline website. There should be something about that in the area that deals with your itineraries. Once you click onto your itinerary, you should find an option for switching seats. Barring that…do it at the gate when you check in. I second the motion for a small, easy to transport piece of carryon baggage. Since you won’t be there very long, maybe a backpack would work.</p>