Looking for some input from experienced travelers
Question:
>> I think that 5.5 hrs limitation means the only obvious choice is Air > Canada. I think the Iceland-Boston flight is over 6 hours. > Iceland to Boston is not more than 5 hours.
According to Icelandair you’re both wrong, the scheduled time is 5 hr 50 min. Regards David Bennetts Australia
Response:
> >> I think that 5.5 hrs limitation means the only obvious choice is Air >> Canada. I think the Iceland-Boston flight is over 6 hours. > Iceland to Boston is not more than 5 hours. > According to Icelandair you’re both wrong, the scheduled time is 5 hr 50 > min.
Only one leg, on some days. The return leg is 5 hours.
Response:
> > >> I think that 5.5 hrs limitation means the only obvious choice is > Air > >> Canada. I think the Iceland-Boston flight is over 6 hours. > > Iceland to Boston is not more than 5 hours. > According to Icelandair you’re both wrong, the scheduled time is 5 hr > 50 > min. > Only one leg, on some days. The return leg is 5 hours.
The OP said 5:30 max on any leg. Iain
Response:
>>someone writes: >> AC861: LHR – YHT (St Johns Newfoundland) Dep 11:30 Arr 13:30 (Dur 5:35) >> AC631: YHT – YYZ (Toronto) Dep 16:30 Arr 18:41 (Dur 3:41) >> AC793: YYZ – LAX Dep 20:15 Arr 22:44 (Dur 5:29) > The only potential problem is that the elderly relative will then need to > clear customs in Canada, and then again in LAX. >On a flight from Toronto to LAX? US customs would be handled in Toronto.
That would mean that both stops have an increased risk of misconnection due to delays at customs and immigration (including collecting luggage, rechecking luggage, and security screening). — Timothy J. Lee Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome. No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.
Response:
>> AC861: LHR – YHT (St Johns Newfoundland) Dep 11:30 Arr 13:30 (Dur 5:35) > AC631: YHT – YYZ (Toronto) Dep 16:30 Arr 18:41 (Dur 3:41) > AC793: YYZ – LAX Dep 20:15 Arr 22:44 (Dur 5:29) > The only potential problem is that the elderly relative will then need to > clear customs in Canada, and then again in LAX.
On a flight from Toronto to LAX? US customs would be handled in Toronto. miguel — Hit The Road! Photos from 35 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu Latest photos: Malaysia, Israel, Palestine, Austria, Thailand
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will > simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two > (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > I think that 5.5 hrs limitation means the only obvious choice is Air > Canada. I think the Iceland-Boston flight is over 6 hours.
Iceland to Boston is not more than 5 hours.
Response:
<Some explanation may be in order – the reason for the flight length <restriction is on medical advice, due to the person being at high risk of <DVT. My wife AND I both have had compression stockings made for us because of the large number of long flights we used to make and the danger of DVT even though we have never been diagnosed by a doctor for this condition. However, my father died of it. Does your traveller have these? George
Response:
says… > What about London (LHR) – Rejkavik (KEF) – Minneapolis (MSP) – LAX – The > longest flight (KEF-MSP) is about 6 hours.
KEF-MSP is timed at 6hrs 40 mins. Even KEF-BOS is 5 hrs 50. Iain
Response:
> Some explanation may be in order – the reason for the flight length > restriction is on medical advice, due to the person being at high risk of > DVT. She has be councilled by a number of medical practitioners not to fly > long haul, but been told 3-5 hours should be okay, hence the need to break > the flight up.
I think that you should simply take a direct flight but put your relative in an aisle seat. Get her doc to write a letter saying that she requires an aisle seat so that she can exercise during the flight. Follow the advice given at http://www.dvt.net/pdf/InFlightFitness.pdf which suggests walking for half an hour before boarding, and then get up and walk every hour or half hour as well as doing all the stretches, etc. If your relative is too frail to do that, perhaps you should consider some other mode of travel, like taking the Queen Mary II across. I flew LHR-SEA last year, and there were many folks walking laps in the aisle and moving about every half hour or so to stay limber and stretched, myself included. I unfortunately was unable to get my usual aisle seat, and had seatmates that both wanted the armrests down, which meant that I was only able to nap for a short while in BA’s cramped "World Traveller" cabin. If you’re going to fly, business class at least has *some* room to stretch.
Response:
> Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will > simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two > (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours).
I think that 5.5 hrs limitation means the only obvious choice is Air Canada. I think the Iceland-Boston flight is over 6 hours. The only way I can see it working is some variation on AC861: LHR – YHT (St Johns Newfoundland) Dep 11:30 Arr 13:30 (Dur 5:35) AC631: YHT – YYZ (Toronto) Dep 16:30 Arr 18:41 (Dur 3:41) AC793: YYZ – LAX Dep 20:15 Arr 22:44 (Dur 5:29) Return obviously similar Iain
Response:
Multi segment and multi airline flights are a nightmare these days especially if it involves anywhere in North America. It is simply not worth the hassle. Your passenger should fly American Airlines non-stop if legroom is the only consideration. If decent inflight service (food, entertainment, drinks and FA attitude) are important then s/he should fly British Airways non-stop. BA seats in economy don’t have as much leg room as those of AA, but they are certainly comfortable to sit on. Tell the passenger to have a glass of wine or two and chill.
Response:
> Can anyone may any suggestions?
Someone already suggested this routing via Air Canada: AC861: LHR – YHT (St Johns Newfoundland) Dep 11:30 Arr 13:30 (Dur 5:35) AC631: YHT – YYZ (Toronto) Dep 16:30 Arr 18:41 (Dur 3:41) AC793: YYZ – LAX Dep 20:15 Arr 22:44 (Dur 5:29) Another "Canadian Option" would be to look at Air Transat – A charter operator that flies non-stop from London Gatwick to Calgary, Alberta, Canada – and then connecting in Calgary to nonstop flight down the coast to LA. The first leg would be a long haul, but AT offers "Club Class" a relatively inexpensive pseudo-business class with much bigger seats, better service, more leg room and lots of chances to walk around. Club Class is good value and VERY popular so it needs to be booked long in advance. <http://www.airtransat.com/en/0_0.asp> Transat doesn’t interline, so the traveller would have to go through go through customs, claim their bags and check in again for their flight to the states, but they’d have to claim their bags again anyway so its not that much more of a hassle. You don’t mention the dates, but here’s a sample routing: Dep LGW: 9:30 am Arr YYC: 11:40 am Dep YYC: 4:05 pm (on WestJet Flight 900) Arr LAX: 6:20 pm (http://www.westjet.com/) When looking at intineraries I would allow at LEAST two hours for the connection, as the traveller will have to clear Canada Customs in Calgary, then clear US customs, again in Calgary. Cheers, Geoff Glave Vancouver, Canada email: geoff at glave dot org
Response:
Couldn’t find that one on BMI, but they did have a flight to Halifax (duration 5 hrs 35 min), which no doubt has similar connections with Air Canada. Regards David Bennetts
Response:
What about London (LHR) – Rejkavik (KEF) – Minneapolis (MSP) – LAX – The longest flight (KEF-MSP) is about 6 hours. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) > will simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into > two (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted > who simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me > well what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical > and economic routings there are. > Can anyone may any suggestions? > Cheers > Deno
Response:
> Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will > simply be too long for him.
> I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two > (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no
> segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours).
Someone else raised a good point. How is the length of time, and the ordeal of getting off a plane, walking through a large airport, getting through customs and immigration, and getting yourself transported to a hotel, and then back again to the airport, much easier for an elderly relative ? Wouldn’t it be far easier to sit in an airplane seat for just a few more hours ? If your relative is too frail to sit in one place for a few more hours, I cannot imagine him/her being able to handle 1-2 layovers.
Response:
|Group: | |I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los |Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will |simply be too long for him. | |I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two |(approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no |segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). | |My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted who |simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me well |what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical and |economic routings there are. | |Can anyone may any suggestions? | |Cheers | |Deno | Apart from Iceland, the shortest are generally out of Shannon, Ireland between 6:45 and 7 hours to Toronto/Montreal or the NE US – BOS, NYC, PHL. However, you’re only going to save a half-hour or so over a London departure, with a significant increase in inconvenience. I’ve looked at the Azores and the flights seem to only go to Lisbon. Similarly, Bermuda seems to connect to Miami and similar, but not Europe. I’m also interested if you find a solution. Cheers, Alan
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) > will simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into > two (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted > who simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me > well what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical > and economic routings there are. > Can anyone may any suggestions?
Honestly, from one who at 65 (still young) travels often on multi-leg trips, the 11 hours to LHR/LAX will be considerably less exhausting than multiple rides to aand from irports, clearing security, various Customs & Immigration, lugging bag(s) to and from hotel(s), dealing with restaurants, or "room service" at whgat always seems to be odd hours, and all the assorted crap associated with flying. Pick a comfortable airline, comfortable clothes, comfortable "slip on" shoes a good book or two (the optimal personal entertainment device, quiet, portable and self selested) and a comfortable seat up there in bidness class, relax and enjoy it. That’s expecially true, LAX to London, departing in time for apertifs and appetizers leading up to a lengthy multi-course (but hardly gourmet dinner) and dozing thru the night (easy when you’re a bit older – Hell, we doze all sorts of places, behind the wheel, in the movies, in front of TV) to wake up to a curious array of breakfast dishes…a sleep mask and some ear plugs can even improve that a bit. LHR-LAX is more of a time shift problem, racing the clock back to land soon after takeoff….. Great Advertising Motto from 50s…."K.I.S.S." – "Keep it simple, Stupid!" TMO
Response:
Group Thanks for the advice so far – please keep it coming. Some explanation may be in order – the reason for the flight length restriction is on medical advice, due to the person being at high risk of DVT. She has be councilled by a number of medical practitioners not to fly long haul, but been told 3-5 hours should be okay, hence the need to break the flight up. Best D
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) > will simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into > two (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted > who simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me > well what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical > and economic routings there are. > Can anyone may any suggestions? > Honestly, from one who at 65 (still young) travels often on multi-leg > trips, the 11 hours to LHR/LAX will be considerably less exhausting than > multiple rides to aand from irports, clearing security, various Customs & > Immigration, lugging bag(s) to and from hotel(s), dealing with > restaurants, or "room service" at whgat always seems to be odd hours, and > all the assorted crap associated with flying. > Pick a comfortable airline, comfortable clothes, comfortable "slip on" > shoes a good book or two (the optimal personal entertainment device, > quiet, portable and self selested) and a comfortable seat up there in > bidness class, relax and enjoy it. That’s expecially true, LAX to London, > departing in time for apertifs and appetizers leading up to a lengthy > multi-course (but hardly gourmet dinner) and dozing thru the night (easy > when you’re a bit older – Hell, we doze all sorts of places, behind the > wheel, in the movies, in front of TV) to wake up to a curious array of > breakfast dishes…a sleep mask and some ear plugs can even improve that a > bit. LHR-LAX is more of a time shift problem, racing the clock back to > land soon after takeoff….. > Great Advertising Motto from 50s…."K.I.S.S." – "Keep it simple, Stupid!" > TMO
Response:
Group: I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will simply be too long for him. I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted who simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me well what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical and economic routings there are. Can anyone may any suggestions? Cheers Deno
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) > will simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into > two (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted > who simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me > well what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical > and economic routings there are. > Can anyone may any suggestions? > Cheers > Deno
Don’t think you’ve got too much choice. Suggest you have a look at www.icelandair.com which offers flights from Reykjavik to East Coast USA (eg Boston, New York, Washington) and from London Heathrow. You’d probably have to team up with a domestic USA transcontinental flight. Regards David Bennetts Australia
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Group: > I have an elderly relative who needs to travel from London (UK) to Los > Angeles (CA, US). The 11 hour duration of the normal journey (LHR-LAX) will > simply be too long for him. > I’m looking at an economic (!) way of somehow splitting the journey into two > (approximate) or three legs, with overnight layovers. Either way, no > segment can be more than about 5 hours (absolute tops 5.5hours). > My requirements seem to be beyond the travel agents that I’ve consulted who > simply want to sell me tickets for either the direct route or ask me well > what routing do you want! My problem is I don’t know what practical and > economic routings there are. > Can anyone may any suggestions? > Cheers > Deno
I see the replies are giving you options. One thing I would wonder about is how your elderly relitive will hold up with connections & layover time. Just something to consider compared to a direct flight.
