Missing your flight home

[pattimow]

So I took a closer look at my NCL 2 for 1 flights. They have me changing airlines in Heathrow with a 1hr 45min layover. Concerning to say the least.

NCL says they only need to give us 90mins and are refusing to help us.

I called WestJet our second leg airline and they agree we won’t make that connection in that airport but say they can’t change it.

We are now considering traveling with only carry on (bummer) but if we still miss that flight will NCL cover the extra fare to get us home?? Westjet says it’s not on them as it wasn’t book through them directly and we wouldn’t be enroute with them yet. I have always heard NCL will

make sure you get to your cruise if you book airfare with them, so they also make sure you get home??
I really just want to spend the night in London and have peace of mind. We sail out in 27days. 

[HuliHuli]

We missed our connection at LHR on our recent cruise when our first flight took off late.  It cost us nearly 300 Euros for the night with taxis, food and hotel.  We're still trying to collect from the airline, which under European law is responsible.

[fastpitchdad]

Who are you flying into LHR? It isn't impossible to transit in 1:45 even changing terminals. The biggest variable is passport control. 

[pattimow]

We fly in on Sky Express and out on Westjet. Terminal 2 to terminal 3. 

[fastpitchdad]

9 minutes ago, pattimow said:

We fly in on Sky Express and out on Westjet. Terminal 2 to terminal 3. 

 

Unless passport control is really crowded I think you should make it if your flight is on time. You can walk pretty quickly from T2 to T3 (or get a ride in a golf cart) but you will have also to re-clear security. I am not sure how Westjet luggage works (if you need to check them as new or just drop them after interline checking all the way through at origin) going home I honestly don't care if my checked bags make it, they will find me eventually or I will get a nice compensation check :). 

 

I once overslept and woke up at the LHR Hilton at 12pm for a 12:50 flight and somehow made it :). 

[grozzy1]

Normally if you're booked A to C via B on the one ticket the airline will look after you if you miss the connection. If you were given seperate tickets on seperate airlines I would be worried about having a backup plan.

[pattimow]

That’s the problem, NCL booked us on two separate airlines, which issued two separate tickets. Are they on the hook if we miss? I feel like they should be….I have asked them to change our second leg to the next day and we would overnight in London but they are refusing. It’s frustrating, and I don’t want to be the one purchasing a overpriced ticket home. 

[fastpitchdad]

39 minutes ago, pattimow said:

That’s the problem, NCL booked us on two separate airlines, which issued two separate tickets. Are they on the hook if we miss? I feel like they should be….I have asked them to change our second leg to the next day and we would overnight in London but they are refusing. It’s frustrating, and I don’t want to be the one purchasing a overpriced ticket home. 

 

Are you booked as a single flight with a stop or two completely separate reservations? If it is a single flight then someone will have to step up and get you home. If not then if the first flight isn't delayed I am not sure what recourse you have other than NCL which I have read is completely unhelpful even if trying to embark on a cruise. 

 

Again, fingers crossed that you are on time and nothing crazy happens during transit because you should make your flight. 

[Traveling Fools]

Read the fine print regarding NCL's obligations. Document your correspondence with NCL and West Jet.  Document who you were talking to/corresponding with.  Consider a cut and paste to NCL containing West Jet's response to you that you won't make the connection.  Document the time you land in LHR and the amount of time it takes to clear formalities, transit to the other terminal, go through formalities there, etc. If you don't make the connection for any reason other than your human error, your documentation will out them in the box.  If they refuse to pay for any extra cost to you even after you submit your documentation, that puts you back into the box.  Will you just suck it up, or to make your point will you seek legal help?!?

Edited October 4, 2022 by Traveling Fools