Original post
Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Australia—Paris to Melbourne.
I’m flying with Etihad and have a 1-hour connection in Abu Dhabi.
Does that seem doable to you?
Thanks for your feedback and experiences!
Connection time in Abu Dhabi
by Letizef
Translated into English.
Hello,
In theory, if Etihad offers it for sale on their website, it means it's doable (they run calculations, and connections that aren't feasible aren't offered). But in reality, it's stressful because if there's a slight delay on the first flight, you might miss the second one. (Though if it's all on one ticket, the airline should find you a solution, it's still a hassle.) The other risk is that even if you make the second flight, your luggage might not. (That just happened to us with a 1h20 connection in Paris—we made it, but our bags didn’t.) And finally, between two long flights, it’s actually nice to have 2 or 3 hours to walk around. So I’d say if you can get a longer connection, it’s better! !
Claire - En Australie depuis 2012 - https://www.parallele23.com/
Hi there,
The issue is that if the first flight segment has even the slightest delay, you’ll miss your connection. In this case, the airline must re-route you free of charge via another flight and provide (or reimburse) meals (and accommodation if you have to stay overnight) while you wait for the re-routing, plus compensation of 600 € per paying passenger. https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2021/03/02/remboursement-frais-en-attente-du-vol-retarde-ou-de-reacheminement/ https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2022/04/18/retard-premier-vol-correspondance-manquee/
To do: If this happens, as soon as you get off the first flight, check https://www.google.com/travel/flights?hl=fr to see what the "earliest possible" re-routing is—whether with the same airline or another. Start the booking process but stop just before paying, taking screenshots. If the airline offers a later re-routing when you can PROVE there was an available seat on an earlier flight, they can’t use any excuse to deny your compensation. Keep your final destination hotel’s phone number or email handy to notify them of the delay. https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2023/09/29/indemnisation-meme-si-circonstance-extraordinaire-droit-reacheminement-dans-les-meilleurs-delais/ and an example procedure: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/
The second issue with a very short layover is that checked baggage won’t make it. Your checked bag will be delivered later to your hotel.
To do: Pack essentials in your carry-on, including a change of clothes for 48 hours. At your final destination, don’t leave the baggage claim area until you’ve obtained a P.I.R. (Property Irregularity Report). For long-haul flights, expect around 48 hours due to the heavy administrative procedures for transporting luggage without its owner.
What not to do: Don’t waste money on phone calls to the airline—it’ll be at your expense and completely unnecessary since everything needed is done once you have the P.I.R. They won’t send a private jet for your suitcase.
Best regards
The issue is that if the first flight segment has even the slightest delay, you’ll miss your connection. In this case, the airline must re-route you free of charge via another flight and provide (or reimburse) meals (and accommodation if you have to stay overnight) while you wait for the re-routing, plus compensation of 600 € per paying passenger. https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2021/03/02/remboursement-frais-en-attente-du-vol-retarde-ou-de-reacheminement/ https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2022/04/18/retard-premier-vol-correspondance-manquee/
To do: If this happens, as soon as you get off the first flight, check https://www.google.com/travel/flights?hl=fr to see what the "earliest possible" re-routing is—whether with the same airline or another. Start the booking process but stop just before paying, taking screenshots. If the airline offers a later re-routing when you can PROVE there was an available seat on an earlier flight, they can’t use any excuse to deny your compensation. Keep your final destination hotel’s phone number or email handy to notify them of the delay. https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2023/09/29/indemnisation-meme-si-circonstance-extraordinaire-droit-reacheminement-dans-les-meilleurs-delais/ and an example procedure: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/
The second issue with a very short layover is that checked baggage won’t make it. Your checked bag will be delivered later to your hotel.
To do: Pack essentials in your carry-on, including a change of clothes for 48 hours. At your final destination, don’t leave the baggage claim area until you’ve obtained a P.I.R. (Property Irregularity Report). For long-haul flights, expect around 48 hours due to the heavy administrative procedures for transporting luggage without its owner.
What not to do: Don’t waste money on phone calls to the airline—it’ll be at your expense and completely unnecessary since everything needed is done once you have the P.I.R. They won’t send a private jet for your suitcase.
Best regards
Hello,
I’m planning a trip to Australia: Paris to Melbourne.
I’m flying with Etihad with a 1-hour connection in Abu Dhabi.
Does this connection time seem doable to you?
Thanks for your feedback.
1 hour—knowing that the boarding gates close 40 minutes before departure—I wouldn’t risk it, even if the airline offers it. Any hassles will be on you.
1 hour—knowing that the boarding gates close 40 minutes before departure—I wouldn’t risk it, even if the airline offers it. Any hassles will be on you.
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Hi,
If the airline sells it that way, it means it works out in at least 90% of cases. For the rest, just know you’ll be rebooked—nothing critical, just make sure you don’t have any obligations at your destination within, say, 24 to 36 hours after your scheduled arrival.
Personally, I always try to avoid these kinds of plans since they quickly ramp up the stress as soon as you board the first flight. I don’t know who’s saying the gates close 40 minutes before the scheduled departure, but I don’t buy it—it’s usually about a quarter of an hour, pretty much everywhere.
Michel
If the airline sells it that way, it means it works out in at least 90% of cases. For the rest, just know you’ll be rebooked—nothing critical, just make sure you don’t have any obligations at your destination within, say, 24 to 36 hours after your scheduled arrival.
Personally, I always try to avoid these kinds of plans since they quickly ramp up the stress as soon as you board the first flight. I don’t know who’s saying the gates close 40 minutes before the scheduled departure, but I don’t buy it—it’s usually about a quarter of an hour, pretty much everywhere.
Michel
Hello,
If the airline sells it that way, it means it’s allowed,
Michel
Hello,
Back when I was unaware of air passenger rights, another airline (Iberia) sold me a connection in Madrid that was a few minutes shorter than the MCT in the past. As a result, my connection was canceled, and I was rebooked on a later flight (over 3 hours later), even though I was still in the air on the first leg, which had no delay.
So, you can’t just say, "If the airline sells it that way, it’s allowed."
Iberia ended up having to compensate me because they initially refused to do anything.
Best regards,
If the airline sells it that way, it means it’s allowed,
Michel
Hello,
Back when I was unaware of air passenger rights, another airline (Iberia) sold me a connection in Madrid that was a few minutes shorter than the MCT in the past. As a result, my connection was canceled, and I was rebooked on a later flight (over 3 hours later), even though I was still in the air on the first leg, which had no delay.
So, you can’t just say, "If the airline sells it that way, it’s allowed."
Iberia ended up having to compensate me because they initially refused to do anything.
Best regards,
In this case, the MCT, as you call it, is 60 minutes.
So, my connection was canceled, with re-routing on a later flight (more than 3 hours later), while I was still in the air on the first flight segment, which had no delay.
"So" isn’t the right word—there’s no causality here.
So, you can’t say "If the airline sells it this way, it must work out."
Re-routings usually don’t thrill them all that much.
I know your quasi-profession here seems to be suing the whole world for a few dozen euros or a procedural point that gives you this or that right, but in my view, most travelers value their time and freedom more and stay pragmatic.
Michel
So, my connection was canceled, with re-routing on a later flight (more than 3 hours later), while I was still in the air on the first flight segment, which had no delay.
"So" isn’t the right word—there’s no causality here.
So, you can’t say "If the airline sells it this way, it must work out."
Re-routings usually don’t thrill them all that much.
I know your quasi-profession here seems to be suing the whole world for a few dozen euros or a procedural point that gives you this or that right, but in my view, most travelers value their time and freedom more and stay pragmatic.
Michel
Hello,
In this case, the MCT, as you say, is 60 minutes.
In Madrid, the MCT between terminals T4 and T4S was, at that time, 65 minutes. Then it was reduced to 55 minutes.
"So" isn’t the right word—there’s no causality.
??? My connection was canceled because it was shorter than the MCT.
I know that your quasi-profession here consists of suing the whole world for a few dozen euros or a procedural point that gives you this or that right.
Michel
What you call a "quasi-profession" is the fact that I don’t tolerate airlines (not the "whole world"!!!) believing, and what’s more, habitually, that they’re above the law.
It’s not about the "whole world" (sic!), and even less about "a few dozen euros" (!!!). Finally, a "procedural point" never gives "this or that right." Passenger rights in the European Union regarding air transport aren’t found in "a procedural point" but in Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council and in the case law established under it, primarily by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Best regards
In this case, the MCT, as you say, is 60 minutes.
In Madrid, the MCT between terminals T4 and T4S was, at that time, 65 minutes. Then it was reduced to 55 minutes.
"So" isn’t the right word—there’s no causality.
??? My connection was canceled because it was shorter than the MCT.
I know that your quasi-profession here consists of suing the whole world for a few dozen euros or a procedural point that gives you this or that right.
Michel
What you call a "quasi-profession" is the fact that I don’t tolerate airlines (not the "whole world"!!!) believing, and what’s more, habitually, that they’re above the law.
It’s not about the "whole world" (sic!), and even less about "a few dozen euros" (!!!). Finally, a "procedural point" never gives "this or that right." Passenger rights in the European Union regarding air transport aren’t found in "a procedural point" but in Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council and in the case law established under it, primarily by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Best regards
I don’t know who’s saying that boarding closes 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time, but I don’t buy it—it’s more like a good fifteen minutes, pretty much everywhere.
Michel
Hi,
Just as a simple example, Air Caraïbes:
Best regards,
Michel
Hi,
Just as a simple example, Air Caraïbes:
Best regards,
It's still 30 and not 40....
30 is the maximum I've seen, knowing that Turkish, Lufthansa, KLM, Cathay, Emirates, ANA, JAL, and the American airlines are around 20 minutes.
And in reality, you’ve seen plenty of passengers boarding well after that.
Michel
Michel
My connection was canceled because it was shorter than the MCT
Well, no, it was canceled because they had closed the gates before you could reach them.
I know your long legal texts by heart, which I’ve often skimmed before giving up. That’s great, it’s your thing, but the hassle and time we spend on it also have a cost, and you consider it negligible. To get me to write or even receive registered letters, I really need to be *very* motivated 🙂.
Michel
Well, no, it was canceled because they had closed the gates before you could reach them.
I know your long legal texts by heart, which I’ve often skimmed before giving up. That’s great, it’s your thing, but the hassle and time we spend on it also have a cost, and you consider it negligible. To get me to write or even receive registered letters, I really need to be *very* motivated 🙂.
Michel
I don’t know who’s saying that the gate closes 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time, but I don’t buy it—it’s about a good quarter of an hour, pretty much everywhere.
Michel
Hi,
Just as a simple example, Air Caraïbes:
Best regards
Thanks for the fact-checking, but I didn’t react because of the condescending tone in the message and the poster’s tendency to always want the last word. Proof is in their latest reply: “It’s 30, not 40, nanana” 😅.
Michel
Hi,
Just as a simple example, Air Caraïbes:
Best regards
Thanks for the fact-checking, but I didn’t react because of the condescending tone in the message and the poster’s tendency to always want the last word. Proof is in their latest reply: “It’s 30, not 40, nanana” 😅.
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Good evening,
Even if circumstances have mostly led you to experience some of the worst airlines in this regard, you can also be open to listening to others 🙂. 40 minutes—I’d never seen that before, and even ChatGPT can’t find evidence of this practice beyond a few isolated, documented cases that stand out precisely because they’re unusual. For Etihad at its hub, the consensus in the literature is 20 minutes.
People are often scared on this site (and others, for that matter). Confidence is undermined by constantly highlighting the negatives, the risks, the dangers—everything that *might*, *could*, or *occasionally* go wrong. I find this mindset really off-putting.
Michel
Even if circumstances have mostly led you to experience some of the worst airlines in this regard, you can also be open to listening to others 🙂. 40 minutes—I’d never seen that before, and even ChatGPT can’t find evidence of this practice beyond a few isolated, documented cases that stand out precisely because they’re unusual. For Etihad at its hub, the consensus in the literature is 20 minutes.
People are often scared on this site (and others, for that matter). Confidence is undermined by constantly highlighting the negatives, the risks, the dangers—everything that *might*, *could*, or *occasionally* go wrong. I find this mindset really off-putting.
Michel
Even if circumstances have mostly made you deal with some of the worst airlines in this regard, you can still listen to others 🙂.
40 minutes—I’d never seen that before, and even ChatGPT can’t find any record of this practice beyond a few isolated, documented cases that stand out precisely because they’re so unusual.
For Etihad at its hub, the consensus is 20 minutes.
I’ve often played with connections, sometimes knowingly to get a paid stopover (which didn’t work out often). But never with just an hour, and certainly not in Abu Dhabi, given the size of the hub.
Whether it’s 20 or 40 minutes, what bothered me was your tone—“I don’t know who’s saying this” when you *do* know. Condescension or contempt, you’re not the teacher, and I’m not the student.
People are scared a lot on this site—and on others too, for that matter. We undermine their confidence by always highlighting the negatives, the risks, the dangers, everything that *might*, *could*, *perhaps* go wrong. I find that mindset unpleasant. Michel
I could agree with you on that. But if the original poster is asking the question, it’s because they have doubts. And in this case, with just an hour, I wouldn’t take the risk. That’s all I said.
PS: If there’s one medium (but is it even one?) that doesn’t have my ear, it’s definitely AI 😅
Have a good evening
I’ve often played with connections, sometimes knowingly to get a paid stopover (which didn’t work out often). But never with just an hour, and certainly not in Abu Dhabi, given the size of the hub.
Whether it’s 20 or 40 minutes, what bothered me was your tone—“I don’t know who’s saying this” when you *do* know. Condescension or contempt, you’re not the teacher, and I’m not the student.
People are scared a lot on this site—and on others too, for that matter. We undermine their confidence by always highlighting the negatives, the risks, the dangers, everything that *might*, *could*, *perhaps* go wrong. I find that mindset unpleasant. Michel
I could agree with you on that. But if the original poster is asking the question, it’s because they have doubts. And in this case, with just an hour, I wouldn’t take the risk. That’s all I said.
PS: If there’s one medium (but is it even one?) that doesn’t have my ear, it’s definitely AI 😅
Have a good evening
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
A lot of fear-mongering happens on this site, and others too for that matter. We undermine people’s confidence by systematically highlighting the negatives, the risks, the dangers—everything that *might*, *could*, or *occasionally* go wrong.
I disagree.
We’re not scaring people or undermining their confidence—we’re giving them objective information!
It’s honestly not helpful to promise them the moon when the path to get there isn’t guaranteed.
For some, a trip is a major investment—their savings from months or even years. It’s also limited time; not everyone is retired or financially independent. Five weeks of paid leave isn’t much if unexpected obstacles disrupt the journey.
Travelers dream for months before departure, so it’s only fair to help ensure that dream goes as smoothly as possible by avoiding the most obvious pitfalls.
The pitfalls with flights? Delays, cancellations, or missed connections. It’s also about the airline or the third-party seller where the ticket was bought.
Here’s my advice:
- Always buy your ticket directly from the airline’s website - If booking separate flights, allow at least a 24-hour buffer during layovers - Avoid tight connections, especially on the outbound trip - Never schedule anything non-refundable or expensive in the first two days - Don’t return the day before an important event (job interview, exam, etc.) - If traveling with others, split everyone’s belongings across different suitcases - Pack a change of clothes and essentials in your carry-on - Never book a low-cost airline if you can’t afford a last-minute return ticket in case of cancellation (or handle unexpected changes on your own)
It’s just common sense.
I disagree.
We’re not scaring people or undermining their confidence—we’re giving them objective information!
It’s honestly not helpful to promise them the moon when the path to get there isn’t guaranteed.
For some, a trip is a major investment—their savings from months or even years. It’s also limited time; not everyone is retired or financially independent. Five weeks of paid leave isn’t much if unexpected obstacles disrupt the journey.
Travelers dream for months before departure, so it’s only fair to help ensure that dream goes as smoothly as possible by avoiding the most obvious pitfalls.
The pitfalls with flights? Delays, cancellations, or missed connections. It’s also about the airline or the third-party seller where the ticket was bought.
Here’s my advice:
- Always buy your ticket directly from the airline’s website - If booking separate flights, allow at least a 24-hour buffer during layovers - Avoid tight connections, especially on the outbound trip - Never schedule anything non-refundable or expensive in the first two days - Don’t return the day before an important event (job interview, exam, etc.) - If traveling with others, split everyone’s belongings across different suitcases - Pack a change of clothes and essentials in your carry-on - Never book a low-cost airline if you can’t afford a last-minute return ticket in case of cancellation (or handle unexpected changes on your own)
It’s just common sense.
La rue comme gagne-pain : concours de photos amical de septembre 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
We’re not here to scare, we’re not here to undermine confidence—we’re just sharing information objectively!
It’s really not doing anyone any favors to promise them the moon when the path to get there isn’t guaranteed.
I’m not talking about making any promises here. This whole Etihad connection issue is just representative of a certain mindset. Objectively, since that’s the word you like, objectively, if it’s on the airline’s schedule, if it’s being sold, on routes that are sold and flown every day, then it works out fine in the vast, vast majority of cases. So, 90–95% of the time, there’s objectively no problem. Then there’s the mix of fears and the rather perverse effect of too much information. I’m often a victim of it myself: too informed to be well-informed, I end up creating problems for myself, imagining things, speculating about possible, probable, or likely situations with factors I can’t even measure. That famous "precautionary principle" has really worn down our minds and done a lot of damage to our European civilization. I agree with your list of cautious tips, but the risk itself might be acceptable—you just have to own it.
Michel
I’m not talking about making any promises here. This whole Etihad connection issue is just representative of a certain mindset. Objectively, since that’s the word you like, objectively, if it’s on the airline’s schedule, if it’s being sold, on routes that are sold and flown every day, then it works out fine in the vast, vast majority of cases. So, 90–95% of the time, there’s objectively no problem. Then there’s the mix of fears and the rather perverse effect of too much information. I’m often a victim of it myself: too informed to be well-informed, I end up creating problems for myself, imagining things, speculating about possible, probable, or likely situations with factors I can’t even measure. That famous "precautionary principle" has really worn down our minds and done a lot of damage to our European civilization. I agree with your list of cautious tips, but the risk itself might be acceptable—you just have to own it.
Michel
Whether it's 20 or 40 minutes, it was your tone that bothered me, saying "I don’t know who said that" when you know perfectly well. Condescension or contempt—you’re not the teacher, and I’m not the student.
No, I knew I had read it in the discussion, but I was replying to someone else and couldn’t remember who had written it.
And yeah, I was too lazy to open another window to display the whole discussion in one and the reply I’d already almost finished in the other.
Have a good evening. Michel
No, I knew I had read it in the discussion, but I was replying to someone else and couldn’t remember who had written it.
And yeah, I was too lazy to open another window to display the whole discussion in one and the reply I’d already almost finished in the other.
Have a good evening. Michel
So, at 90-95%, there’s *objectively* no problem.
That’s not enough to be reassuring.
Someone who’s heading off with time to spare and a carefree attitude can take that option.
Best case, their flight goes as planned. Worst case, they lose a day on arrival and gain 600 €.
But someone who’s only going for 15 days and has their trip all planned out can’t afford to lose a day.
I’ve dealt with too many delays and cancellations that ruined part of my trip to settle for your statistic.
That’s not enough to be reassuring.
Someone who’s heading off with time to spare and a carefree attitude can take that option.
Best case, their flight goes as planned. Worst case, they lose a day on arrival and gain 600 €.
But someone who’s only going for 15 days and has their trip all planned out can’t afford to lose a day.
I’ve dealt with too many delays and cancellations that ruined part of my trip to settle for your statistic.
La rue comme gagne-pain : concours de photos amical de septembre 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I’ll also add that not everyone has the physical ability to sprint through an airport...
La rue comme gagne-pain : concours de photos amical de septembre 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Hello,
We don’t scare people, we don’t undermine confidence—we provide objective information!
It’s really not doing anyone a favor to promise them the moon when the path to get there isn’t guaranteed.
For some, a trip is a major investment—the savings of a few months or even years. It’s also limited time; not everyone is retired or financially independent. Five weeks of paid leave isn’t much if unexpected obstacles disrupt the trip.
Travelers dream for months before departure, so it’s best to ensure that dream goes as smoothly as possible by avoiding the most obvious pitfalls.
When it comes to flying, the pitfalls are delays, cancellations, or missed connections. It’s also about the airline or the third-party seller where the ticket was purchased.
For my part, I recommend:
- Always buying your ticket directly from the airline’s website - Avoiding separate tickets without allowing a 24-hour buffer during layovers - Forgetting about tight connections, especially on the outbound flight - Never planning anything non-refundable or expensive in the first two days - Never returning the day before an important event (job interview, exam, etc.) - Mixing everyone’s belongings across different suitcases if traveling in a group - Packing a change of clothes and essentials in your carry-on - Never booking a low-cost flight if you can’t afford a last-minute return ticket in case of cancellation (or don’t have the ability to adapt on your own)
It’s just common sense.
I 100% agree with every word you said. I’d add a few examples:
- SmartTags on checked luggage—those have already come in handy for me. - Spending at least one night in the city of your return flight to avoid a long trip and any potential issues (traffic jams, mechanical problems, etc.) - Booking a first hotel that’s cancelable without fees up to the last minute in case of flight-related surprises.
We don’t scare people, we don’t undermine confidence—we provide objective information!
It’s really not doing anyone a favor to promise them the moon when the path to get there isn’t guaranteed.
For some, a trip is a major investment—the savings of a few months or even years. It’s also limited time; not everyone is retired or financially independent. Five weeks of paid leave isn’t much if unexpected obstacles disrupt the trip.
Travelers dream for months before departure, so it’s best to ensure that dream goes as smoothly as possible by avoiding the most obvious pitfalls.
When it comes to flying, the pitfalls are delays, cancellations, or missed connections. It’s also about the airline or the third-party seller where the ticket was purchased.
For my part, I recommend:
- Always buying your ticket directly from the airline’s website - Avoiding separate tickets without allowing a 24-hour buffer during layovers - Forgetting about tight connections, especially on the outbound flight - Never planning anything non-refundable or expensive in the first two days - Never returning the day before an important event (job interview, exam, etc.) - Mixing everyone’s belongings across different suitcases if traveling in a group - Packing a change of clothes and essentials in your carry-on - Never booking a low-cost flight if you can’t afford a last-minute return ticket in case of cancellation (or don’t have the ability to adapt on your own)
It’s just common sense.
I 100% agree with every word you said. I’d add a few examples:
- SmartTags on checked luggage—those have already come in handy for me. - Spending at least one night in the city of your return flight to avoid a long trip and any potential issues (traffic jams, mechanical problems, etc.) - Booking a first hotel that’s cancelable without fees up to the last minute in case of flight-related surprises.
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit"
"Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
Hello,
A 1-hour connection anywhere means you’ve got to be a bit of a gambler. And when you gamble, you’ve got to accept some constraints sometimes. It all depends on a few factors:
If you miss your Etihad connection, they’ll put you on the next available flight, which could be the next day, with another airline, or via another city. In that case, the airline covers accommodation, meals, and transfers. Would you be okay losing a day, or is your schedule tight?
Don’t plan anything important within 48 hours of your theoretical arrival time.
Sometimes, you might catch your connection thanks to dedicated staff waiting for you when you get off your first flight. However, your checked baggage might not make it and could arrive 24 or 48 hours later.
If you’re okay with these three points, then go for it. As a safety net, pre-book (even if it costs a bit more) a seat as far forward as possible on your first flight. That’ll save you time when disembarking.
I’m also heading to Australia in a few months, and I’ve opted for a 4-hour layover in Qatar. That way, I can handle a potential 2.5-hour delay on my first flight. And most importantly, no stress. I’m not a gambler, and my time is precious.
You can make a mistake with a hotel where you’re only staying a few nights—it’s not the end of the world. But air travel and car rentals are two *very* important things you shouldn’t overlook.
Airlines try to set the MCT (Minimum Connecting Time) as short as possible because professional booking systems are configured that way. On most websites, you can usually filter by trip duration, price, and departure or arrival time. The shorter the trip, the higher it’ll appear in the results—where people tend to click first. This can be misleading because the MCT is purely theoretical and only works when *everything* goes perfectly. Airports like Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna, for example, have *very* short MCTs that can be tricky at the slightest hiccup.
Make the right choice.
A 1-hour connection anywhere means you’ve got to be a bit of a gambler. And when you gamble, you’ve got to accept some constraints sometimes. It all depends on a few factors:
If you miss your Etihad connection, they’ll put you on the next available flight, which could be the next day, with another airline, or via another city. In that case, the airline covers accommodation, meals, and transfers. Would you be okay losing a day, or is your schedule tight?
Don’t plan anything important within 48 hours of your theoretical arrival time.
Sometimes, you might catch your connection thanks to dedicated staff waiting for you when you get off your first flight. However, your checked baggage might not make it and could arrive 24 or 48 hours later.
If you’re okay with these three points, then go for it. As a safety net, pre-book (even if it costs a bit more) a seat as far forward as possible on your first flight. That’ll save you time when disembarking.
I’m also heading to Australia in a few months, and I’ve opted for a 4-hour layover in Qatar. That way, I can handle a potential 2.5-hour delay on my first flight. And most importantly, no stress. I’m not a gambler, and my time is precious.
You can make a mistake with a hotel where you’re only staying a few nights—it’s not the end of the world. But air travel and car rentals are two *very* important things you shouldn’t overlook.
Airlines try to set the MCT (Minimum Connecting Time) as short as possible because professional booking systems are configured that way. On most websites, you can usually filter by trip duration, price, and departure or arrival time. The shorter the trip, the higher it’ll appear in the results—where people tend to click first. This can be misleading because the MCT is purely theoretical and only works when *everything* goes perfectly. Airports like Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna, for example, have *very* short MCTs that can be tricky at the slightest hiccup.
Make the right choice.
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit"
"Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
My connection was canceled because it was below the MCT
Well, no, it was canceled because they had closed the gates before you could reach them.
l
Hello,
It seemed to me that I had expressed myself clearly (I quote):
"So, my connection was canceled, with re-routing on a later flight (+ over 3 hours later), even though I was still in the air on the first flight segment, which had no delay."
To be even clearer, when I disembarked from the first flight segment, I already had a message from Iberia on my smartphone canceling my connection and informing me of the re-routing to Paris a few hours later.
Anyone with an Iberia connection in Madrid knows that Iberia sends every connecting passenger a message on their smartphone indicating the next steps as soon as they’re known. This could be a cancellation message as soon as the connection is canceled (possibly, as in my case, before the first flight segment lands, since the connection time was below the MCT), or it could be the terminal and boarding gate for the next flight segment as soon as that’s known.
I’ll come back to your "few dozen euros." For a couple with one child on a long-haul flight, that’s 1,800 € in compensation. Are you that wealthy to consider 1,800 € as "just a few dozen euros"?
Just to clarify, I’m a frequent traveler, and most of the time, I travel alone. For me personally, those "few dozen euros" are:
- August 2025, Swiss International Air Lines, 1,300 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter (one page), then filling out a form with the arguments I drafted during my long wait for the re-routing flight (several days), then a simple one-page letter, then another form for the court with nearly the same arguments. The biggest time commitment, aside from drafting the arguments (which actually helped pass the time during my long wait), was attending a hearing a few kilometers from my home—so, a morning. Roughly, all in all, about one day after my return.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/
August and September 2025 (payment split into three parts because the airline was stubborn) Lufthansa, ordered to pay me 807.89 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter, then filling out a form with a few pages of arguments. No court appearance ("European Small Claims Procedure"). But I had to go to a bailiff a few kilometers from my home because the airline didn’t comply with the court decision, then 3 very brief emails to Lufthansa’s lawyer, showing a bit of firmness, to get the full 807.89 € + 80 € in bailiff fees. Roughly, all in all, about a day and a half.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/10/23/lufthansa-championne-du-refus-des-droits-des-passagers/
- October 2025, Air Caraïbes, 600 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter, then filling out a form with a short one-page argument, then a brief email to Air Caraïbes, and that’s it. Roughly, exaggerating a bit, half a day.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2025/06/13/vol-air-caraibes-saint-domingue-paris-12-06-2025-annule/
In total, counting generously, 2 days for 3 cases (and a lot of patience) for a total of 2,707.89 € (not counting the 80 € in advanced and reimbursed fees), from which you’d subtract the few costs for registered letters and some metro tickets. And above all, the immense satisfaction that airlines can’t always consider themselves above the law, disregarding passengers.
Are you that wealthy, earning over 1,350 € per day, to think that 2,700 € isn’t worth 2 days of work?
Best regards,
Well, no, it was canceled because they had closed the gates before you could reach them.
l
Hello,
It seemed to me that I had expressed myself clearly (I quote):
"So, my connection was canceled, with re-routing on a later flight (+ over 3 hours later), even though I was still in the air on the first flight segment, which had no delay."
To be even clearer, when I disembarked from the first flight segment, I already had a message from Iberia on my smartphone canceling my connection and informing me of the re-routing to Paris a few hours later.
Anyone with an Iberia connection in Madrid knows that Iberia sends every connecting passenger a message on their smartphone indicating the next steps as soon as they’re known. This could be a cancellation message as soon as the connection is canceled (possibly, as in my case, before the first flight segment lands, since the connection time was below the MCT), or it could be the terminal and boarding gate for the next flight segment as soon as that’s known.
I’ll come back to your "few dozen euros." For a couple with one child on a long-haul flight, that’s 1,800 € in compensation. Are you that wealthy to consider 1,800 € as "just a few dozen euros"?
Just to clarify, I’m a frequent traveler, and most of the time, I travel alone. For me personally, those "few dozen euros" are:
- August 2025, Swiss International Air Lines, 1,300 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter (one page), then filling out a form with the arguments I drafted during my long wait for the re-routing flight (several days), then a simple one-page letter, then another form for the court with nearly the same arguments. The biggest time commitment, aside from drafting the arguments (which actually helped pass the time during my long wait), was attending a hearing a few kilometers from my home—so, a morning. Roughly, all in all, about one day after my return.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/
August and September 2025 (payment split into three parts because the airline was stubborn) Lufthansa, ordered to pay me 807.89 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter, then filling out a form with a few pages of arguments. No court appearance ("European Small Claims Procedure"). But I had to go to a bailiff a few kilometers from my home because the airline didn’t comply with the court decision, then 3 very brief emails to Lufthansa’s lawyer, showing a bit of firmness, to get the full 807.89 € + 80 € in bailiff fees. Roughly, all in all, about a day and a half.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/10/23/lufthansa-championne-du-refus-des-droits-des-passagers/
- October 2025, Air Caraïbes, 600 €. Time spent: 1 registered letter, then filling out a form with a short one-page argument, then a brief email to Air Caraïbes, and that’s it. Roughly, exaggerating a bit, half a day.
https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2025/06/13/vol-air-caraibes-saint-domingue-paris-12-06-2025-annule/
In total, counting generously, 2 days for 3 cases (and a lot of patience) for a total of 2,707.89 € (not counting the 80 € in advanced and reimbursed fees), from which you’d subtract the few costs for registered letters and some metro tickets. And above all, the immense satisfaction that airlines can’t always consider themselves above the law, disregarding passengers.
Are you that wealthy, earning over 1,350 € per day, to think that 2,700 € isn’t worth 2 days of work?
Best regards,
Hey,
Just a few quick questions that matter for your "layover":
Do you have a SINGLE ticket from Paris to Melbourne?
Did you buy that ticket DIRECTLY from the airline’s website?
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
It’s not enough to be reassuring.
Someone who’s heading off with time to spare and a carefree attitude might go for this option.
At best, their flight will go as planned. At worst, they’ll lose a day upon arrival and gain 600 €.
But someone who’s only going for 15 days and has planned their trip carefully can’t afford to lose a day.
You know, I sometimes fly out of Rennes, and occasionally from Brest too. In Rennes, it’s KLM—they use an Embraer 170. If there’s over 30 knots of crosswind, especially from the south, the flight likely won’t come, and rebooking gets complicated. If things go wrong, I either lose the trip or have to jump in the car, race to Paris, and try to salvage the plan. I’ve done it before—once, a flight from Brest was canceled with no serious rebooking options because the staff needed to repair lightning damage were unavailable over the weekend.
When I say it’s a question of mindset, I mean you always have to accept some risk, even if that’s not really in our culture anymore.
Missing the connection in Abu Dhabi feels like a pretty low risk to me—just a few percent. There are other risks along the way that travelers, thankfully, don’t even think about.
I’ve experienced too many delays and cancellations that ruined part of my trip to settle for your statistics.
To me, that’s a common attitude in our aging world, but it’s not reasonable. No matter which flight you take or what connection you have, there’s always some risk—usually around 3%—that things won’t work out. The rules already protect you well in terms of refunds and rebooking, and I don’t see what more you need.
Michel
Someone who’s heading off with time to spare and a carefree attitude might go for this option.
At best, their flight will go as planned. At worst, they’ll lose a day upon arrival and gain 600 €.
But someone who’s only going for 15 days and has planned their trip carefully can’t afford to lose a day.
You know, I sometimes fly out of Rennes, and occasionally from Brest too. In Rennes, it’s KLM—they use an Embraer 170. If there’s over 30 knots of crosswind, especially from the south, the flight likely won’t come, and rebooking gets complicated. If things go wrong, I either lose the trip or have to jump in the car, race to Paris, and try to salvage the plan. I’ve done it before—once, a flight from Brest was canceled with no serious rebooking options because the staff needed to repair lightning damage were unavailable over the weekend.
When I say it’s a question of mindset, I mean you always have to accept some risk, even if that’s not really in our culture anymore.
Missing the connection in Abu Dhabi feels like a pretty low risk to me—just a few percent. There are other risks along the way that travelers, thankfully, don’t even think about.
I’ve experienced too many delays and cancellations that ruined part of my trip to settle for your statistics.
To me, that’s a common attitude in our aging world, but it’s not reasonable. No matter which flight you take or what connection you have, there’s always some risk—usually around 3%—that things won’t work out. The rules already protect you well in terms of refunds and rebooking, and I don’t see what more you need.
Michel
You know, I sometimes fly from Rennes, and rarely from Brest. In Rennes, it's KLM—they use an Embraer 170.
I rarely fly from Clermont-Ferrand—I don’t want to miss my connection. Even less so by train, actually... I prefer pre-traveling by car—it’s way more reliable. Or spending a night near the layover airport. As a Breton, I’d leave from Nantes or make my way to Paris by car or train (those routes are much more reliable than Paris-Clermont...).
No matter the connection, there’s always some risk.
True, but you can *greatly* reduce that risk by taking the precautions I mentioned in another post. Then it just becomes bad luck. That’s different.
To me, it’s a common attitude in our aging world, but not a reasonable one.
Like Jojoone1, you’re equating getting older with becoming set in one’s ways. But gaining years means gaining wisdom and learning from mistakes.
No need to take avoidable risks!
I rarely fly from Clermont-Ferrand—I don’t want to miss my connection. Even less so by train, actually... I prefer pre-traveling by car—it’s way more reliable. Or spending a night near the layover airport. As a Breton, I’d leave from Nantes or make my way to Paris by car or train (those routes are much more reliable than Paris-Clermont...).
No matter the connection, there’s always some risk.
True, but you can *greatly* reduce that risk by taking the precautions I mentioned in another post. Then it just becomes bad luck. That’s different.
To me, it’s a common attitude in our aging world, but not a reasonable one.
Like Jojoone1, you’re equating getting older with becoming set in one’s ways. But gaining years means gaining wisdom and learning from mistakes.
No need to take avoidable risks!
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The main thing is this: you have a single ticket.
The airline will sort things out if you miss your connection.
Just make sure to book something cancellable for the first two days and pack some extra clothes.
Also, don’t plan any new travel to another destination in Australia within the first 2 days.
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Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I think you might’ve sent this to the wrong person. 😉
La rue comme gagne-pain : concours de photos amical de septembre 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I rarely leave from Clermont-Ferrand; I don’t want to miss my connection.
Not to mention by train, even less so...
I prefer pre-routing by car—it’s much more reliable.
Yeah, me too, most of the time, but that means 550 km to Paris or 950 to Amsterdam. At some point, it still adds up heavily on the car’s annual mileage.
Breton here, I’d leave from Nantes or get to Paris by car or train (those lines are way more reliable than Paris-Clermont...)
Nantes is pointless—it’s basically a charter airport, packed and with no services, mostly low-cost flights. The parking is super expensive too. Bad deal.
Tomorrow I’m doing Tbilisi-Istanbul-Warsaw, arriving at 8 PM and leaving on another flight the next day at 11 AM. There’s a risk. I’ll take it. Besides, I’ve got an even tighter connection a few days later. This generation wants everything risk-free; they’ve pushed for zero risk, the precautionary principle, mandatory insurance. Let me see that as a certain weakness—one that also shows in our global standing, something you really notice when traveling. Don’t you agree?
Michel
Yeah, me too, most of the time, but that means 550 km to Paris or 950 to Amsterdam. At some point, it still adds up heavily on the car’s annual mileage.
Breton here, I’d leave from Nantes or get to Paris by car or train (those lines are way more reliable than Paris-Clermont...)
Nantes is pointless—it’s basically a charter airport, packed and with no services, mostly low-cost flights. The parking is super expensive too. Bad deal.
Tomorrow I’m doing Tbilisi-Istanbul-Warsaw, arriving at 8 PM and leaving on another flight the next day at 11 AM. There’s a risk. I’ll take it. Besides, I’ve got an even tighter connection a few days later. This generation wants everything risk-free; they’ve pushed for zero risk, the precautionary principle, mandatory insurance. Let me see that as a certain weakness—one that also shows in our global standing, something you really notice when traveling. Don’t you agree?
Michel
Like Jojoone1, you equate getting older with becoming set in your ways.
But gaining years means gaining wisdom and learning from your mistakes.
No need to take avoidable risks!
Absolutely. That’s also called experience 😉
No need to take avoidable risks!
Absolutely. That’s also called experience 😉
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit"
"Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
Hello,
Yes, full Paris–Melbourne ticket booked through a travel agency.
Best regards
If the ticket’s already booked, it’s a bit late to ask your initial question. Stack the odds in your favor with the info and tips shared in the other replies.
If the ticket’s already booked, it’s a bit late to ask your initial question. Stack the odds in your favor with the info and tips shared in the other replies.
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit"
"Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
I think you sent that to the wrong person.😉
The problem when you read on your smartphone 😅 I deleted the message 😉
The problem when you read on your smartphone 😅 I deleted the message 😉
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Good evening Jérôme,
Absolutely. That’s also called experience
That seems a bit simplistic to me; experience also means understanding that we’ll never think of everything, and that our precautions depend on our own priorities. For the textbook case we’re discussing here, I’m optimistic, and I think I would’ve taken the risk—unless I wanted to visit the hub lounge and enjoy it a bit, or make a stopover. It’s possible that at Etihad’s hub, there’s also a bypass that lets passengers with very short connections skip security. There might be something like that behind this tight connection. I also learned since that Abu Dhabi’s MCT is 45 minutes.
Michel
Absolutely. That’s also called experience
That seems a bit simplistic to me; experience also means understanding that we’ll never think of everything, and that our precautions depend on our own priorities. For the textbook case we’re discussing here, I’m optimistic, and I think I would’ve taken the risk—unless I wanted to visit the hub lounge and enjoy it a bit, or make a stopover. It’s possible that at Etihad’s hub, there’s also a bypass that lets passengers with very short connections skip security. There might be something like that behind this tight connection. I also learned since that Abu Dhabi’s MCT is 45 minutes.
Michel
Hello Michel,
That does seem a bit simplistic; experience is also about understanding that we’ll never think of everything, and our precautions depend on our own priorities.
We all have different priorities.
For the textbook case we’re discussing here, I’m optimistic, and I think I would have taken the risk
Yes, me too—but only if I accepted the three conditions I mentioned in my post #25. That’s not my case right now. So personally, I try to stack the odds in my favor, even though something unexpected can always happen.
, unless you feel like visiting the hub lounge and enjoying it a bit, or making a stopover.
A lounge visit and a shower between two flights are always nice. A stopover is also a great solution to quickly discover a city you hadn’t necessarily planned to visit. It’s just a matter of time.
It’s possible that at Etihad’s hub, there’s also a bypass that allows passengers with very short connections to skip the security screening. Maybe there’s something like that behind this short connection.
Security screening isn’t always required between two flights, depending on the airport’s layout. Since I haven’t been to Abu Dhabi in years, I don’t know how it works now.
I also learned since that the MCT in Abu Dhabi is 45 minutes.
As I mentioned in my post #25, the MCT is theoretical, and everything has to go perfectly. Does Etihad offer an escort for short connections? That’s an interesting question to ask them. It would be very reassuring.
I just checked out of curiosity, picking a random date—November 19th, in this case.
In this case, EY is using an A380 for the first flight. If the flight is full and you’re seated at the back, it takes a while to disembark. That’s why I recommend pre-reserving a seat as close to the front as possible. If the flight is full, it’s a real time-saver.
That does seem a bit simplistic; experience is also about understanding that we’ll never think of everything, and our precautions depend on our own priorities.
We all have different priorities.
For the textbook case we’re discussing here, I’m optimistic, and I think I would have taken the risk
Yes, me too—but only if I accepted the three conditions I mentioned in my post #25. That’s not my case right now. So personally, I try to stack the odds in my favor, even though something unexpected can always happen.
, unless you feel like visiting the hub lounge and enjoying it a bit, or making a stopover.
A lounge visit and a shower between two flights are always nice. A stopover is also a great solution to quickly discover a city you hadn’t necessarily planned to visit. It’s just a matter of time.
It’s possible that at Etihad’s hub, there’s also a bypass that allows passengers with very short connections to skip the security screening. Maybe there’s something like that behind this short connection.
Security screening isn’t always required between two flights, depending on the airport’s layout. Since I haven’t been to Abu Dhabi in years, I don’t know how it works now.
I also learned since that the MCT in Abu Dhabi is 45 minutes.
As I mentioned in my post #25, the MCT is theoretical, and everything has to go perfectly. Does Etihad offer an escort for short connections? That’s an interesting question to ask them. It would be very reassuring.
I just checked out of curiosity, picking a random date—November 19th, in this case.
In this case, EY is using an A380 for the first flight. If the flight is full and you’re seated at the back, it takes a while to disembark. That’s why I recommend pre-reserving a seat as close to the front as possible. If the flight is full, it’s a real time-saver.
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit"
"Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
This generation wants everything without risk; they’ve promoted zero risk, the precautionary principle, mandatory mutual insurance.
Which generation are you talking about?
(So many generalizations in just a few words...)
Zero risk doesn’t exist. It’s up to each person to know which risks they’re willing to take with full awareness.
What’s annoying, in my opinion, are the people who come complaining because they played and lost even though they knew they were taking a risk. If you say okay to the risk, you own it.
Not those who try to avoid trouble.
Which generation are you talking about?
(So many generalizations in just a few words...)
Zero risk doesn’t exist. It’s up to each person to know which risks they’re willing to take with full awareness.
What’s annoying, in my opinion, are the people who come complaining because they played and lost even though they knew they were taking a risk. If you say okay to the risk, you own it.
Not those who try to avoid trouble.
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Hi,
all the better, so if there’s ever an issue in Abu Dhabi you’ll be rebooked on another flight (I see from a quick search there’s a possible “option” via Sydney).
Still, picking a seat on the Paris–Abu Dhabi leg (as another VF member suggested) might be a smart move!!
Safe travels
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
Good evening,
Just now, the last two passengers boarded one minute before the official departure time, which was respected as the jet bridge was closed and retracted immediately after. And this is something I’ve seen often. I thought of you when I saw that 😄. TK1263 Maybe we just don’t have experience with the same airlines.
Michel
Just now, the last two passengers boarded one minute before the official departure time, which was respected as the jet bridge was closed and retracted immediately after. And this is something I’ve seen often. I thought of you when I saw that 😄. TK1263 Maybe we just don’t have experience with the same airlines.
Michel
Good evening,
Just now, two last passengers boarded one minute before the official departure time, which was respected as the jet bridge was closed and retracted right after. And this is something I’ve seen often. I thought of you when I saw that 😄. TK1263 Maybe we just don’t have experience with the same airlines.
Michel
Hello,
This isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Here’s my own experience:
After successfully claiming compensation from Iberia for three delayed flights (three hours or more to final destination), I took another connecting flight with Iberia.
Before departure, I checked the schedule. There had been a slight change, making the layover in Madrid just under the Minimum Connecting Time (MCT). I arrived in Madrid and noticed the schedule had been adjusted again (not delayed, but actually changed). I was no longer below the MCT.
I reached the gate for the second leg of the flight. Someone called out to me from a distance: "Paris?" From just as far, I replied "yes." They checked my documents, I boarded the plane, and the door closed behind me. I took my seat—there was a flight attendant sitting there. I settled in, and the plane took off almost immediately.
Another, more common scenario: A passenger whose checked baggage has already been loaded arrives at the gate after the boarding cutoff. It’s important to know that, unless it’s a case of luggage that didn’t follow its owner from a previous flight, a suitcase can’t travel without its owner on the plane.
The airline has to make a choice:
- If the passenger’s luggage hasn’t been located yet to be offloaded, stop the search and let the passenger board; or - Refuse the passenger and continue searching the hold to offload the luggage.
The choice is quickly made!
Conclusion: Even with an airline that strictly enforces the MCT, there are exceptions.
Best regards
Just now, two last passengers boarded one minute before the official departure time, which was respected as the jet bridge was closed and retracted right after. And this is something I’ve seen often. I thought of you when I saw that 😄. TK1263 Maybe we just don’t have experience with the same airlines.
Michel
Hello,
This isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Here’s my own experience:
After successfully claiming compensation from Iberia for three delayed flights (three hours or more to final destination), I took another connecting flight with Iberia.
Before departure, I checked the schedule. There had been a slight change, making the layover in Madrid just under the Minimum Connecting Time (MCT). I arrived in Madrid and noticed the schedule had been adjusted again (not delayed, but actually changed). I was no longer below the MCT.
I reached the gate for the second leg of the flight. Someone called out to me from a distance: "Paris?" From just as far, I replied "yes." They checked my documents, I boarded the plane, and the door closed behind me. I took my seat—there was a flight attendant sitting there. I settled in, and the plane took off almost immediately.
Another, more common scenario: A passenger whose checked baggage has already been loaded arrives at the gate after the boarding cutoff. It’s important to know that, unless it’s a case of luggage that didn’t follow its owner from a previous flight, a suitcase can’t travel without its owner on the plane.
The airline has to make a choice:
- If the passenger’s luggage hasn’t been located yet to be offloaded, stop the search and let the passenger board; or - Refuse the passenger and continue searching the hold to offload the luggage.
The choice is quickly made!
Conclusion: Even with an airline that strictly enforces the MCT, there are exceptions.
Best regards
Conclusion: Even with an airline that strictly enforces the MCT, there are exceptions.
Yes, of course. In the vast majority of cases, passengers make their connection—no airline wants the hassle of putting passengers up for the night unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. I love Turkish Airlines, and most of my flights are with them because they’re pragmatic, professional, and genuinely attentive to passengers. That’s why I trust them.
Michel
Yes, of course. In the vast majority of cases, passengers make their connection—no airline wants the hassle of putting passengers up for the night unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. I love Turkish Airlines, and most of my flights are with them because they’re pragmatic, professional, and genuinely attentive to passengers. That’s why I trust them.
Michel
At Etihad’s hub, there might also be a bypass that allows passengers with very short connections to skip the security checkpoint. There could be something like that behind this short connection.
I’ve also learned since that Abu Dhabi’s MCT is 45 minutes.
Michel
Question about these short connections: back in the day, there used to be agents waiting at the end of the jet bridge with a sign showing a flight number and destination, shouting "Tokyo?", "Paris?", and then running off as soon as they’d gathered all their passengers to the right boarding gate.
That doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s been replaced by "bypass" systems… maybe one day they’ll be paid services for those who get anxious about short connections?
Michel
Question about these short connections: back in the day, there used to be agents waiting at the end of the jet bridge with a sign showing a flight number and destination, shouting "Tokyo?", "Paris?", and then running off as soon as they’d gathered all their passengers to the right boarding gate.
That doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s been replaced by "bypass" systems… maybe one day they’ll be paid services for those who get anxious about short connections?
Good evening,
It no longer exists, and has therefore been replaced by "by-pass" formulas... and might one day be chargeable for those anxious about short connections?
It still exists, but it's become rarer. I can mainly speak for Istanbul, which I know best; signage there allows you to bypass the security checkpoint if you have a connection under 90 minutes. That said, the other day, all connecting passengers—including me—were directed straight to the main hall without any further formalities or screening.
It’s also increasingly common for the connection option to be explicitly announced in the cabin before landing, with gate numbers and reassuring words.
Michel
It no longer exists, and has therefore been replaced by "by-pass" formulas... and might one day be chargeable for those anxious about short connections?
It still exists, but it's become rarer. I can mainly speak for Istanbul, which I know best; signage there allows you to bypass the security checkpoint if you have a connection under 90 minutes. That said, the other day, all connecting passengers—including me—were directed straight to the main hall without any further formalities or screening.
It’s also increasingly common for the connection option to be explicitly announced in the cabin before landing, with gate numbers and reassuring words.
Michel
Hey,
Has the trip already happened??
If so, it’d be great if you could tell us about the layover!! Hoping you made your second flight without any issues!!
Anyway, is a one-hour connection at Etihad’s hub doable?!
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
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Hi there,
I’m planning a winter trip across India. Departing in early December and returning to France in mid-April.
My main concern is finding an airline that offers this round-trip with the fewest hassles regarding cancellations or flight schedule changes. The unstable geopolitical situation in the Middle East isn’t making this search any easier—recent reviews online about airlines from Gulf states describe quite a few struggles over the past few months.
The direct Paris-Delhi round-trip flights offered by Air France or Air India are probably the safest options, but not the cheapest!
Given this uncertainty, I’m still holding off on finalizing my ticket purchase... Maybe some of you India lovers on VoyageForum have tips or experiences to share?
Thanks, and happy travels to all.
Hi everyone,
Next January, I’m heading to India.
My outbound flight is with Emirates from Paris to Dubai, then another Emirates flight from Dubai to Calcutta.
Could anyone tell me how the connection works? I’ve heard there’s a dedicated Emirates zone, but how does it actually work in practice—I’ve got a 2-hour layover.
Thanks so much!
Take care.
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to Madagascar in early October to cycle from Tana to Diego along the east coast.
I really want to visit the Masoala Peninsula and its primary forest. If anyone’s interested, I’m open to company.
Maybe see you soon!
Hi,
I’m thinking of heading to Malaysia soon.
I’ve seen some great prices and direct flights from Paris with Malaysia Airlines.
Is it a reliable airline?
Thanks for your feedback!
Hello,
Back in February, I booked a flight with Air France-KLM from Lyon to San Diego with a layover in Amsterdam (flights operated by KLM). The flight is scheduled for late August. My Lyon→Amsterdam flight was canceled by KLM in June, and a replacement flight the evening before was booked for me. So, I’ll end up spending the night at Amsterdam Airport to catch my flight to San Diego the next morning.
Since the cancellation happened more than 14 days before departure, I know I’m not entitled to financial compensation (EU Regulation 261/2004). But am I entitled to reimbursement for a hotel night in Amsterdam?
Back in February, I booked a flight with Air France-KLM from Lyon to San Diego with a layover in Amsterdam (flights operated by KLM). The flight is scheduled for late August. My Lyon→Amsterdam flight was canceled by KLM in June, and a replacement flight the evening before was booked for me. So, I’ll end up spending the night at Amsterdam Airport to catch my flight to San Diego the next morning.
Since the cancellation happened more than 14 days before departure, I know I’m not entitled to financial compensation (EU Regulation 261/2004). But am I entitled to reimbursement for a hotel night in Amsterdam?
Hi there,
We had planned a trip to Sicily in August, and due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Etna, my flight was canceled. The airline is refunding the outbound flight, but none of the non-refundable expenses: accommodation booked through Booking, rental car, and the return flight aren’t covered. My SUPER Gold card doesn’t work in this specific case! :( If anyone has been in this situation, could you let me know if you were able to get any recourse and, if so, how?
Thanks in advance
I’ve been traveling regularly for over twenty years,
but this is the first time an airline has treated me as poorly as Air France.
Two trips, two problems. The latest:
Trip from Seoul to Rennes. Last leg from Paris CDG to Rennes with Air France.
I arrive in Paris and go straight to Air France to get my boarding pass to Rennes. They assure me my baggage is continuing to Rennes.
Arriving in Rennes, no baggage—same as five other people.
The Air France office is closed, and the airport staff tell me there’s rarely anyone there.
With the help of the airport staff, I file a claim online, and my baggage is almost immediately located. As a result, I’m told I’ll have it the next day.
Four days later, the baggage is still in the same place at CDG—nothing’s moving.
The problem is Air France has no customer service. What they call customer service is a department that takes an hour to answer and just repeats what’s on the online form. No coordination, no way to get things moving. I guess Air France would rather pay the compensation after 21 days than actually do something.
I’ve had lost baggage on other trips, but this is the first time I’ve seen such indifference and lack of professionalism.
but this is the first time an airline has treated me as poorly as Air France.
Two trips, two problems. The latest:
Trip from Seoul to Rennes. Last leg from Paris CDG to Rennes with Air France.
I arrive in Paris and go straight to Air France to get my boarding pass to Rennes. They assure me my baggage is continuing to Rennes.
Arriving in Rennes, no baggage—same as five other people.
The Air France office is closed, and the airport staff tell me there’s rarely anyone there.
With the help of the airport staff, I file a claim online, and my baggage is almost immediately located. As a result, I’m told I’ll have it the next day.
Four days later, the baggage is still in the same place at CDG—nothing’s moving.
The problem is Air France has no customer service. What they call customer service is a department that takes an hour to answer and just repeats what’s on the online form. No coordination, no way to get things moving. I guess Air France would rather pay the compensation after 21 days than actually do something.
I’ve had lost baggage on other trips, but this is the first time I’ve seen such indifference and lack of professionalism.
Hi,
Air Cairo offers good prices on domestic flights and schedules that work for us, but is this airline reliable?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Hi,
I booked an Etihad ticket on their website for Dusseldorf-Abu Dhabi. In the first name field, I entered all my first names (something I never do and I regret it, but the site was confusing). Everything is spelled correctly, but the problem is that I just received my new passport and only my first two first names and the first letter of the third appear—there’s no trace of the last one.
I called Etihad, and of course, they tried to charge me $100 USD to remove that last first name. But I’m hesitant because usually, I only put my first first name and not the others, and I’ve never had an issue... So I’m wondering if having that extra first name, which isn’t on my passport, could get me denied at check-in. Thanks for your feedback!
I called Etihad, and of course, they tried to charge me $100 USD to remove that last first name. But I’m hesitant because usually, I only put my first first name and not the others, and I’ve never had an issue... So I’m wondering if having that extra first name, which isn’t on my passport, could get me denied at check-in. Thanks for your feedback!
Hi there,
I’d like to fly to Malta from Lyon. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about KM MALTA, especially regarding baggage fees at the airport. Of course, I don’t want to book through third parties (like SkyScanner, Opodo…). AIR FRANCE offers tickets to MALTA in partnership, if I understood correctly. On AIR FRANCE, the tickets include everything (checked baggage, cabin bag, small personal item, seat), whereas with KM MALTA, everything is extra and the final price is almost double! In this case, is AIR FRANCE considered the same as sites like Opodo or others? Given the price difference, I’m hesitant… Have any of you booked with AIR FRANCE for this destination? How did it go? Thanks, HERVE
I’d like to fly to Malta from Lyon. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about KM MALTA, especially regarding baggage fees at the airport. Of course, I don’t want to book through third parties (like SkyScanner, Opodo…). AIR FRANCE offers tickets to MALTA in partnership, if I understood correctly. On AIR FRANCE, the tickets include everything (checked baggage, cabin bag, small personal item, seat), whereas with KM MALTA, everything is extra and the final price is almost double! In this case, is AIR FRANCE considered the same as sites like Opodo or others? Given the price difference, I’m hesitant… Have any of you booked with AIR FRANCE for this destination? How did it go? Thanks, HERVE
Hi everyone, I’ve unfortunately only just noticed that I booked two flight tickets, but I made a mistake on the second first name. Basically, my computer auto-filled and typed my first name twice, so both tickets are in my first name. Only the last names—mine and my friend’s—are correct.
TAP Portugal refuses to make the change because they consider it a change of passenger, even though it’s clearly a typo (plus, my last name isn’t common). I’m leaving in 5 days, and buying a new ticket would cost 3 times the original price. Has anyone been in this situation before? I’d like to try negotiating at the airport, but it’s a gamble… Thanks in advance for any advice!
TAP Portugal refuses to make the change because they consider it a change of passenger, even though it’s clearly a typo (plus, my last name isn’t common). I’m leaving in 5 days, and buying a new ticket would cost 3 times the original price. Has anyone been in this situation before? I’d like to try negotiating at the airport, but it’s a gamble… Thanks in advance for any advice!
Hello,
Since it came into force, Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council, which defines air passenger rights, has faced fierce resistance from airlines, backed by IATA (the association representing almost all passenger airlines).
Beyond the airlines' often abusive—and even frequently bad-faith—resistance to passenger rights, IATA has been lobbying EU institutions for years, with the Council paying close attention for a long time.
As a result, the Council and the Commission have been proposing revisions to Regulation 261/2004 for years that are particularly unfavorable to passengers. The latest attempt nearly eliminated the right to compensation for delays of 3 hours or more upon arrival at the final destination.
However, since this is a regulation of both the European Parliament AND the Council, the two bodies had to agree.
But the European Parliament has always stood firm, consistently responding that passenger rights must be preserved.
After 11 years of struggle, it seems likely that we’re finally nearing the end of the match between the European Commission, the Council (the 27 heads of state or government), and the European Parliament.
Indeed, the Commission and the European Parliament have agreed on a text that will be debated again on Monday, July 6, 2026, with a vote scheduled for July 7, 2026. It’s very likely that this text, which would come into force in a year, will be adopted.
The main changes would be as follows: - Families with children will no longer be forced to pay to sit together on planes; - A flight will be considered canceled (not just delayed) if it departs more than one hour late; - Right to compensation for arrival at the final destination if the delay exceeds 3 hours (no longer "3 hours OR more"). The arrival time will be when the plane, having reached its parking spot, engages its parking brakes (no longer when the aircraft door opens); - Airlines can no longer refuse boarding or charge extra on the return flight for a passenger who didn’t take the outbound flight; - If a flight is canceled, the airline must, at the same time as informing passengers of the event, offer the choice between a refund and re-routing, and inform them of their rights to assistance and, if applicable, compensation; - The airline must, without undue delay, inform passengers of the reason; - In the case of a connecting flight, if the connection is missed and the delay at the final destination entitles the passenger to compensation, the responsible airline will be liable. This is very different from the current situation, where, under the KLM ruling, any airline operating a segment of the flight is liable for compensation. This promises more disputes that the Court of Justice of the European Union will have to resolve if two separate airlines operating segments of a connecting flight are both responsible for the delay. See this case for an example: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2026/04/18/swiss-international-air-lines-la-mauvaise-foi/ Moreover, this case demonstrates in advance another potential dispute: It could be argued that it wasn’t a missed connection since the flight was canceled before the first leg even departed. - Within 96 hours of a flight that could entitle passengers to compensation, the airline must contact them to inform them of their rights and explain the next steps. - Passengers must claim their right to compensation within 9 months. This is very different from the current situation, as Regulation 261/2004 sets no time limit. Currently, national law applies—in France, the limit is 5 years. The airline must respond within 30 days. If the airline refuses compensation on the grounds of "extraordinary circumstances," it must specify which type of case it refers to from the list in the annex of the new regulation. If the case isn’t on the list, the airline must explain what the event was, why it qualifies as extraordinary circumstances with "clear, substantial, and concise" explanations, and why it’s directly linked to the reason given. It must also declare what "reasonable measures" were taken to mitigate the issue. This is, of course, a huge change in the regulation, with the clear goal of preventing airlines from declaring just anything as "extraordinary circumstances" to avoid compensation. - If, within 3 hours of a last-minute canceled or delayed flight, the airline hasn’t offered re-routing under comparable transport conditions and as soon as possible—whether on one of its own flights or another airline’s—the passenger will have the right to arrange their own re-routing and demand a refund for the new ticket, up to 400% of the original ticket price. This is a significant improvement that would have likely prevented the case described here: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/ - If a flight is canceled due to "extraordinary circumstances," the airline will only be required to offer up to 3 nights in a hotel. This is a major change, as there’s currently no limit. Expect disputes if the extraordinary circumstances end while the passenger hasn’t been re-routed. - The price of a flight, as first displayed, must obligatorily include a cabin bag. This doesn’t prevent the airline from offering a price reduction if the passenger waives the cabin bag. This will put an end to abnormal practices, such as (just one example) Condor charging extra for a cabin bag on long-haul flights like Frankfurt (Germany)–Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)–Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)–Frankfurt. - Free correction of a passenger’s name if requested 48 hours before departure. Note: This can’t be used to replace one passenger with another—just to correct a typo, e.g., Dupont instead of Dpont. - Airlines’ websites and apps must include information on how to file a claim.
It’s clear that, despite a few details, these changes are very positive for upholding passenger rights. It remains to be seen whether this text will be definitively adopted on July 7, 2026, as is very likely, and, more importantly, whether IATA will encourage airlines to loyally respect these new rules or persist in their old habits.
Best regards,
Since it came into force, Regulation 261/2004 of the European Parliament and Council, which defines air passenger rights, has faced fierce resistance from airlines, backed by IATA (the association representing almost all passenger airlines).
Beyond the airlines' often abusive—and even frequently bad-faith—resistance to passenger rights, IATA has been lobbying EU institutions for years, with the Council paying close attention for a long time.
As a result, the Council and the Commission have been proposing revisions to Regulation 261/2004 for years that are particularly unfavorable to passengers. The latest attempt nearly eliminated the right to compensation for delays of 3 hours or more upon arrival at the final destination.
However, since this is a regulation of both the European Parliament AND the Council, the two bodies had to agree.
But the European Parliament has always stood firm, consistently responding that passenger rights must be preserved.
After 11 years of struggle, it seems likely that we’re finally nearing the end of the match between the European Commission, the Council (the 27 heads of state or government), and the European Parliament.
Indeed, the Commission and the European Parliament have agreed on a text that will be debated again on Monday, July 6, 2026, with a vote scheduled for July 7, 2026. It’s very likely that this text, which would come into force in a year, will be adopted.
The main changes would be as follows: - Families with children will no longer be forced to pay to sit together on planes; - A flight will be considered canceled (not just delayed) if it departs more than one hour late; - Right to compensation for arrival at the final destination if the delay exceeds 3 hours (no longer "3 hours OR more"). The arrival time will be when the plane, having reached its parking spot, engages its parking brakes (no longer when the aircraft door opens); - Airlines can no longer refuse boarding or charge extra on the return flight for a passenger who didn’t take the outbound flight; - If a flight is canceled, the airline must, at the same time as informing passengers of the event, offer the choice between a refund and re-routing, and inform them of their rights to assistance and, if applicable, compensation; - The airline must, without undue delay, inform passengers of the reason; - In the case of a connecting flight, if the connection is missed and the delay at the final destination entitles the passenger to compensation, the responsible airline will be liable. This is very different from the current situation, where, under the KLM ruling, any airline operating a segment of the flight is liable for compensation. This promises more disputes that the Court of Justice of the European Union will have to resolve if two separate airlines operating segments of a connecting flight are both responsible for the delay. See this case for an example: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2026/04/18/swiss-international-air-lines-la-mauvaise-foi/ Moreover, this case demonstrates in advance another potential dispute: It could be argued that it wasn’t a missed connection since the flight was canceled before the first leg even departed. - Within 96 hours of a flight that could entitle passengers to compensation, the airline must contact them to inform them of their rights and explain the next steps. - Passengers must claim their right to compensation within 9 months. This is very different from the current situation, as Regulation 261/2004 sets no time limit. Currently, national law applies—in France, the limit is 5 years. The airline must respond within 30 days. If the airline refuses compensation on the grounds of "extraordinary circumstances," it must specify which type of case it refers to from the list in the annex of the new regulation. If the case isn’t on the list, the airline must explain what the event was, why it qualifies as extraordinary circumstances with "clear, substantial, and concise" explanations, and why it’s directly linked to the reason given. It must also declare what "reasonable measures" were taken to mitigate the issue. This is, of course, a huge change in the regulation, with the clear goal of preventing airlines from declaring just anything as "extraordinary circumstances" to avoid compensation. - If, within 3 hours of a last-minute canceled or delayed flight, the airline hasn’t offered re-routing under comparable transport conditions and as soon as possible—whether on one of its own flights or another airline’s—the passenger will have the right to arrange their own re-routing and demand a refund for the new ticket, up to 400% of the original ticket price. This is a significant improvement that would have likely prevented the case described here: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/ - If a flight is canceled due to "extraordinary circumstances," the airline will only be required to offer up to 3 nights in a hotel. This is a major change, as there’s currently no limit. Expect disputes if the extraordinary circumstances end while the passenger hasn’t been re-routed. - The price of a flight, as first displayed, must obligatorily include a cabin bag. This doesn’t prevent the airline from offering a price reduction if the passenger waives the cabin bag. This will put an end to abnormal practices, such as (just one example) Condor charging extra for a cabin bag on long-haul flights like Frankfurt (Germany)–Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)–Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)–Frankfurt. - Free correction of a passenger’s name if requested 48 hours before departure. Note: This can’t be used to replace one passenger with another—just to correct a typo, e.g., Dupont instead of Dpont. - Airlines’ websites and apps must include information on how to file a claim.
It’s clear that, despite a few details, these changes are very positive for upholding passenger rights. It remains to be seen whether this text will be definitively adopted on July 7, 2026, as is very likely, and, more importantly, whether IATA will encourage airlines to loyally respect these new rules or persist in their old habits.
Best regards,
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Georgia this summer and I’ve been comparing some airlines. I’m not particularly set on flying with Pegasus (though it’s convenient with direct flights from Lyon to Tbilisi), but right off the bat, Pegasus states this:
As of January 1, 2026, all foreign nationals traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes will be required to present valid travel health insurance. Guests who fail to provide the relevant health insurance will not be accepted on our flights to Georgia. Sincerely, Pegasus Airlines
In other words, if you don’t show proof of travel health insurance, you’ll be denied boarding. Personally, my credit card insurance has always been enough for me, and I’d rather not take out extra coverage... Have any of you run into this issue before? If not, what do you think? Why is Pegasus asking for this proof? Other airlines don’t mention it at all.
I’m planning a trip to Georgia this summer and I’ve been comparing some airlines. I’m not particularly set on flying with Pegasus (though it’s convenient with direct flights from Lyon to Tbilisi), but right off the bat, Pegasus states this:
As of January 1, 2026, all foreign nationals traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes will be required to present valid travel health insurance. Guests who fail to provide the relevant health insurance will not be accepted on our flights to Georgia. Sincerely, Pegasus Airlines
In other words, if you don’t show proof of travel health insurance, you’ll be denied boarding. Personally, my credit card insurance has always been enough for me, and I’d rather not take out extra coverage... Have any of you run into this issue before? If not, what do you think? Why is Pegasus asking for this proof? Other airlines don’t mention it at all.
Hi,
I bought my flight ticket with my first (usual) first name, which appears first on my passport. However, I have two first names on my passport, and of course, it’s mentioned in the machine-readable zone at the bottom.
I booked with Turkish Airlines (through an online agency) for a trip to South Korea.
I wanted to know if it would be a problem that I only used my first first name on the ticket, while my passport has two. I had requested through the agency to add the second first name, but the airline refused because it doesn’t meet their general conditions. (They must have seen that the last name and first name were the same, and only the second first name was added.)
So, my ticket has my last name and first first name correctly spelled, and when I check in online, I’ll enter the passport details correctly.
I’ll have a layover in Istanbul on the flight.
Thanks in advance for your replies. Have a great day.
I bought my flight ticket with my first (usual) first name, which appears first on my passport. However, I have two first names on my passport, and of course, it’s mentioned in the machine-readable zone at the bottom.
I booked with Turkish Airlines (through an online agency) for a trip to South Korea.
I wanted to know if it would be a problem that I only used my first first name on the ticket, while my passport has two. I had requested through the agency to add the second first name, but the airline refused because it doesn’t meet their general conditions. (They must have seen that the last name and first name were the same, and only the second first name was added.)
So, my ticket has my last name and first first name correctly spelled, and when I check in online, I’ll enter the passport details correctly.
I’ll have a layover in Istanbul on the flight.
Thanks in advance for your replies. Have a great day.
Hi there,
I traveled in June 2025 with Nouvelair Destinations to Hammamet.
I had one checked bag and one carry-on sized 40x24x30, which I usually take on low-cost flights, and I didn’t have any issues. But I just read on a website that Nouvel Air only accepts carry-ons of 40x20x15. I’m flying back to Djerba in June—what do you think? Especially since that size is impossible to find??????? Thanks
Hi, it's my first time taking a plane and I chose EasyJet for a Geneva -> Barcelona flight.
I booked my ticket.
I received my booking reference by email, but I don’t see the actual ticket (barcode or QR code?).
Then I checked in to get the boarding pass with the flight details, QR code, etc. But does this boarding pass act as the ticket?
Because I’ve seen several times online that the flight ticket and the boarding pass aren’t the same thing.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We're leaving for Albania on June 18th. When I validated the flight tickets with Wizz Air on Booking, I only put my son's first name but forgot to include his other three first names on the ticket. On the passport: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAMES: toto titi tutu tata On the flight ticket: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAME: toto I can't seem to reach anyone at Wizz Air to get an answer. Booking and Wizz Air's chat say I need to modify it, but ChatGPT says it should be fine. I wanted to know if he can fly like this or if I need to change his ticket? (It costs 140 €, I know I shouldn't have made a mistake🙁)
Thanks for your feedback.
We're leaving for Albania on June 18th. When I validated the flight tickets with Wizz Air on Booking, I only put my son's first name but forgot to include his other three first names on the ticket. On the passport: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAMES: toto titi tutu tata On the flight ticket: SURNAME: Dupont, FIRST NAME: toto I can't seem to reach anyone at Wizz Air to get an answer. Booking and Wizz Air's chat say I need to modify it, but ChatGPT says it should be fine. I wanted to know if he can fly like this or if I need to change his ticket? (It costs 140 €, I know I shouldn't have made a mistake🙁)
Thanks for your feedback.
Hi,
A pretty serious issue has come up in the past few weeks for traveling to Tanzania.
What’s the deal with airlines in Tanzania? https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/ce-pays-est-tres-touristique-mais-ses-compagnies-aeriennes-sont-placees-sur-liste-noire-par-l-europe-1515325 https://www.charentelibre.fr/tourisme/la-tanzanie-sur-liste-noire-de-l-europe-des-vols-interieurs-a-haut-risque-pour-100-000-touristes-francais-25002566.php
Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania. The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines. So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers. Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this. Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops. Do any of you have updates? Thanks!
Loïc
A pretty serious issue has come up in the past few weeks for traveling to Tanzania.
What’s the deal with airlines in Tanzania? https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/ce-pays-est-tres-touristique-mais-ses-compagnies-aeriennes-sont-placees-sur-liste-noire-par-l-europe-1515325 https://www.charentelibre.fr/tourisme/la-tanzanie-sur-liste-noire-de-l-europe-des-vols-interieurs-a-haut-risque-pour-100-000-touristes-francais-25002566.php
Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania. The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines. So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers. Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this. Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops. Do any of you have updates? Thanks!
Loïc
Hi,
Right now, with the war raging in Iran and affecting all the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, many airports are completely closed to all traffic.
Several airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and others have almost completely halted their operations.
Whether in the Middle East or Africa, many travelers are stranded—maybe for a long time... A heartfelt thought for them and the struggles this will cause.
Four months ago, I was in Kenya with a flight booked through Qatar Airways... I can’t even imagine how I’d react if I were stuck there now. ??
Wishing all these travelers courage, patience, and success in making it back home.
...
Doha Airport on October 21, 2025:
...
Right now, with the war raging in Iran and affecting all the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, many airports are completely closed to all traffic.
Several airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and others have almost completely halted their operations.
Whether in the Middle East or Africa, many travelers are stranded—maybe for a long time... A heartfelt thought for them and the struggles this will cause.
Four months ago, I was in Kenya with a flight booked through Qatar Airways... I can’t even imagine how I’d react if I were stuck there now. ??
Wishing all these travelers courage, patience, and success in making it back home.
...
Doha Airport on October 21, 2025:
...
Hello, some (potentially) good news for Brazil lovers—GOL airline is launching a route to Europe from Rio, starting in September for Lisbon, then Paris at a later date that hasn’t been announced yet.
They’ll be using their new A330-900 neo.
No prices have been announced so far, but hopefully we’ll find direct flights from GIG at a more interesting fare than AF or Latam…
Hello,
I’m really surprised because in TUI’s new tour packages, the airlines they’re using are of low quality. Before, they used to prioritize major airlines, but now it’s small airlines from small countries—companies with terrible ratings and borderline safety concerns. I even just noticed this note for a Tanzania trip: "We inform you that the domestic flight segment in Tanzania included in your trip is operated by an airline listed on the European Union’s list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the European Union. This ban only applies to European Union airspace, meaning this airline is not permitted to take off, land, or fly over European airspace. However, this airline is authorized to operate in Tanzania."
This means they’re using airlines on the blacklist!! It’s pretty worrying for safety. What do you all think?
I’m really surprised because in TUI’s new tour packages, the airlines they’re using are of low quality. Before, they used to prioritize major airlines, but now it’s small airlines from small countries—companies with terrible ratings and borderline safety concerns. I even just noticed this note for a Tanzania trip: "We inform you that the domestic flight segment in Tanzania included in your trip is operated by an airline listed on the European Union’s list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the European Union. This ban only applies to European Union airspace, meaning this airline is not permitted to take off, land, or fly over European airspace. However, this airline is authorized to operate in Tanzania."
This means they’re using airlines on the blacklist!! It’s pretty worrying for safety. What do you all think?
Hello,
We’re planning a cruise to the UAE/QATAR/OMAN starting from DUBAI, with flights departing from Paris CDG. Which airlines would you recommend for round-trip flights, with or without a layover? We need assistance for check-in and boarding/disembarking (my husband is a mobility-impaired traveler who uses a cane and/or a walker). We’ve done a cruise return from Dubai to Paris CDG before in 2016, with a layover in Istanbul, but we booked the transfer and return flight with COSTA. For our current plan, it would be with Celestyal, which doesn’t offer round-trip flights from Paris to Dubai. Should we book very far in advance, or is a few months before departure enough (4/6 months)? We’re thinking of arriving the day before the ship departs, so we’d need to stay overnight in Dubai—either on the way there or for the return flight, depending on the flight schedules. Could you recommend a hotel not too far from the airport, and how to get to the port from the airport?
Thanks so much for your advice. Have a great Sunday! Mum49
We’re planning a cruise to the UAE/QATAR/OMAN starting from DUBAI, with flights departing from Paris CDG. Which airlines would you recommend for round-trip flights, with or without a layover? We need assistance for check-in and boarding/disembarking (my husband is a mobility-impaired traveler who uses a cane and/or a walker). We’ve done a cruise return from Dubai to Paris CDG before in 2016, with a layover in Istanbul, but we booked the transfer and return flight with COSTA. For our current plan, it would be with Celestyal, which doesn’t offer round-trip flights from Paris to Dubai. Should we book very far in advance, or is a few months before departure enough (4/6 months)? We’re thinking of arriving the day before the ship departs, so we’d need to stay overnight in Dubai—either on the way there or for the return flight, depending on the flight schedules. Could you recommend a hotel not too far from the airport, and how to get to the port from the airport?
Thanks so much for your advice. Have a great Sunday! Mum49
Hi,
It's all in the title—this means nothing's getting through, so no more oil.
In Europe, kerosene reserves are still good, but by the end of April, flights will have to be reduced.
European airports fear running out of kerosene if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened within three weeks
Bluff or not? Stay tuned....
Bluff or not? Stay tuned....
Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out to ask for your help with a bit of a problem:
I booked a flight to Berlin from Orly for April 15th—it’s coming up fast. But I just made an annoying discovery: my passport expired two weeks ago.
From what I understand, in principle, I can still travel within the Schengen Zone with an expired passport as long as it’s been less than five years. However, EasyJet’s website explicitly requires a valid ID (and just to add to the fun, my national ID card has been expired for a while now).
So, I’d love to know: how strict are EasyJet’s ID checks? Do they enforce validity rules strictly and refuse boarding if the ID isn’t valid? Or is it more of a luck-of-the-draw situation?
Basically, should I just write off this trip now, or should I still try my luck—maybe with a little tearful plea? Has anyone here had a similar experience? I can’t be the only one, right!
I’m reaching out to ask for your help with a bit of a problem:
I booked a flight to Berlin from Orly for April 15th—it’s coming up fast. But I just made an annoying discovery: my passport expired two weeks ago.
From what I understand, in principle, I can still travel within the Schengen Zone with an expired passport as long as it’s been less than five years. However, EasyJet’s website explicitly requires a valid ID (and just to add to the fun, my national ID card has been expired for a while now).
So, I’d love to know: how strict are EasyJet’s ID checks? Do they enforce validity rules strictly and refuse boarding if the ID isn’t valid? Or is it more of a luck-of-the-draw situation?
Basically, should I just write off this trip now, or should I still try my luck—maybe with a little tearful plea? Has anyone here had a similar experience? I can’t be the only one, right!
Hi there!
Has anyone taken the direct flight from CDG to Las Vegas with Air France?
Looking forward to your feedback!
Hey everyone,
I booked a flight with RyanAir for next month, with the priority+ option and two cabin bags. So I can take a 10 kg bag with dimensions 55x40x20 in the cabin (plus another smaller one). The problem is that the smallest suitcase I have (which is supposed to be designed specifically for cabin size standards, according to the manual) has the following dimensions: 55x37x21, so it's just 1 cm over (wheels included) on one of the measurements.
I wasn’t too worried at first, but I’ve read dozens of stories about people’s misadventures and the hassles they’ve had with RyanAir.
Since I don’t want my suitcase to end up in the hold (that would waste time picking it up when I’m already arriving late and need to get to the city center), nor do I want to pay an extra fee (apparently 50 €) for the outbound and return flights for just 1 centimeter—especially since I paid for the "priority+" option and I’m not exactly rolling in money—I’d love some advice.
Have any of you been in the same situation? I’ve read that with this airline, they check bags in templates (testing them in different positions) and are completely uncompromising. I tried contacting customer service, who, as luck would have it, "don’t handle this kind of request," and a rep I spoke to wasn’t much help.
I know it’s a low-cost airline, and I don’t expect luxury or even kindness, but come on—just 1 cm on a short flight with the + option... I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything I’ve read...
Just to clarify, since I’m going for 8 days, I can’t just take one bag for my stuff. I’ve done that for shorter trips before, and it was a hassle—I even had to buy an extra bag for the return trip... Luckily, the inspector was nice about it!
Thanks so much! I’m a newbie when it comes to air travel :) Hope I posted this in the right section!
I booked a flight with RyanAir for next month, with the priority+ option and two cabin bags. So I can take a 10 kg bag with dimensions 55x40x20 in the cabin (plus another smaller one). The problem is that the smallest suitcase I have (which is supposed to be designed specifically for cabin size standards, according to the manual) has the following dimensions: 55x37x21, so it's just 1 cm over (wheels included) on one of the measurements.
I wasn’t too worried at first, but I’ve read dozens of stories about people’s misadventures and the hassles they’ve had with RyanAir.
Since I don’t want my suitcase to end up in the hold (that would waste time picking it up when I’m already arriving late and need to get to the city center), nor do I want to pay an extra fee (apparently 50 €) for the outbound and return flights for just 1 centimeter—especially since I paid for the "priority+" option and I’m not exactly rolling in money—I’d love some advice.
Have any of you been in the same situation? I’ve read that with this airline, they check bags in templates (testing them in different positions) and are completely uncompromising. I tried contacting customer service, who, as luck would have it, "don’t handle this kind of request," and a rep I spoke to wasn’t much help.
I know it’s a low-cost airline, and I don’t expect luxury or even kindness, but come on—just 1 cm on a short flight with the + option... I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything I’ve read...
Just to clarify, since I’m going for 8 days, I can’t just take one bag for my stuff. I’ve done that for shorter trips before, and it was a hassle—I even had to buy an extra bag for the return trip... Luckily, the inspector was nice about it!
Thanks so much! I’m a newbie when it comes to air travel :) Hope I posted this in the right section!
Hi there,
When I run searches on Skyscanner, I see that only Lufthansa has flights to Seoul with just one stop. Air France doesn’t show up, even though I thought the French airline served Seoul? I can’t even log into the Air France website—it keeps glitching.
When I run searches on Skyscanner, I see that only Lufthansa has flights to Seoul with just one stop. Air France doesn’t show up, even though I thought the French airline served Seoul? I can’t even log into the Air France website—it keeps glitching.
Hi there,
I’d like to return to Uzbekistan next April for 10 days with my husband to visit our son who lives there. We went last July and I bought the flight tickets (direct flight from Paris on Uzbekistan Airways) about 2 months in advance at very reasonable prices. I’ve been checking for late April for a few weeks now, and the tickets are much more expensive and keep rising. I can’t figure out if the prices are going up because it’s still a bit too early to buy and they’ll likely drop if the planes aren’t full, or if it’s because the period is actually in high demand. For reference, last year I bought my son’s ticket on May 30th for a departure on June 3rd—just 3 days later—at a very low price that didn’t budge at all.
Just in case, does anyone know the pricing trends for this airline and can advise me? Should I wait or not?
Thanks, and feel free to ask if you need any tips about the country!
My wife bought a flight ticket (Lucky Air) under her Thai maiden name and was issued a Chinese visa on her new Thai passport but with her French married name (due to administrative requirements). She was denied boarding by the airline in Bangkok for the flight to Kunming—resulting in the loss of our round-trip flight tickets, including mine since we were traveling together—despite presenting both passports at the airline counter at the same time.
Hi there.
I’m planning a trip to Chile, and the fares from the Colombian airline Avianca are really appealing.
Way cheaper than Air France, for example.
That said, the reviews I’ve seen online aren’t great.
What do you think of this airline?
Have any of you taken long-haul flights with Avianca?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Eric