Few things in travel test your athletic ability and mental stability more than a five-minute sprint across an airport to catch a plane that leaves in 15 minutes. Maybe I should have left more time, you think. Maybe other people need to learn how not to stand on the left side of the people mover. But it doesn’t matter now. All you can do? Follow these expert-approved suggestions—and run.
COZY UP TO YOUR FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Flight attendants receive a list of passengers who are headed for connections upon landing, says Heather Harrison, a gate agent who works with multiple major airlines. But alert them of your situation anyway. “If you’re transferring to another airline, the flight attendants may not know it,” she says.
A flight attendant who’s aware of your scenario may let you deplane first, which can prove crucial if you’re stuck at the back of the plane. No such luck? Ask the people around you nicely (and explain why you're asking), suggests luxury travel consultant Lindsey Epperly, owner of Epperly Travel. As long as you're courteous, people likely won't mind letting you pass, she says.
DOWNLOAD THE AIRLINE’S APP
The best strategy for a tight connection is making sure you have the most accurate gate information, says Brett Snyder, travel specialist and president of Cranky Concierge. For that, go to the source: the airline’s app, he says. Many let you set flight status alerts, too, which keep you updated on changes.
KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING
“I've seen lots of people miss flights because they literally got lost in the airport,” says Harrison. Meet the app Gate Guru and the site ifly.com, both of which provide detailed airport maps. Study them on the flight, and once you know your gate, consider how you’ll get there, too. “Many people don't know they have to take a tram between terminals at certain airports,” says Harrison.
TOUCH BASE WITH THE GATE AGENT
Airline reservation systems do note connections: If you made your first flight, the airline will note that you're coming in and planning to connect, says Lisa Thompson, an in-flight supervisor with Southwest. The gate agent has access to that information and should pass it along. But stopping before you sprint and asking an agent, “Could you please notify the next gate that I’m on my way?” can’t hurt, says Harrison. “At every airline I’ve worked, we all have radios. So if you’re running gate to gate, one gate agent will inform the next that you’re on your way.” Again, your odds of pulling this off are better if your connections are on the same airline.
The bottom line? No matter what happens or how much time you have, just be nice. “We get so many people who are just nasty to us,” says Harrison. “I understand the frustration, but I guarantee if a passenger is nice to us, every gate agent I know will be more than willing to do everything we can to assure they make their flight.”