An MCT is set by the airports (not airlines) and is considered to be the minimum amount of time required to transfer from an incoming flight to another flight (international or domestic) by an able-bodied person given the circumstances involved in that transfer.

As frequent travellers that have occasionally fallen foul of the system, we know only too well how important it is to avoid the potential problems a missed connection can cause.

The simple rule of thumb is to avoid missed connections (or even tight ones) in the first place. You can apportion blame as much as you like but you’ve still missed the flight and the sheer inconvenience that can cause (which can have huge implications).

• It assumes the incoming flight is on time, or at least an average delayed arrival time.
• The distance between arrival and departure gates (and terminal); in short, the airport layout.
• The security arrangements encountered between arrival and departure gates.

BUT

• It doesn’t know where you are seated on the aircraft, and therefore how quickly (or slowly) you get off of the aircraft.
• What the passenger traffic is like through security as this can change quickly.

This also assumes that you are travelling on a ‘through ticket’, which will have taken the MCT into account.

Through Ticket. A through ticket is a single ticket that takes you from your departure airport to your destination airport, via any number of intermediate stopovers. It is reasonable to assume that the connection time given is sufficient for each change but not always the case. The good news is that if you are on a through ticket and you do miss your connection, the airline is responsible for getting you there but this is not always as simple as it sounds!

If you are travelling to the USA, and then onwards, for example, the US immigration system does not yield to pressure from passengers who are trying to make their way through the system quickly due to tight connections. This is because, despite the fact you are ‘in transit’, you are effectively entering the USA and therefore you go through the full immigration system. No shortcuts.

To take an opposite example, in Delhi, passengers are often actively looked for in order to speed them through busy transit security to make the next flight. It is after all, in the airline’s interest to get you onboard otherwise they have to take care of you. There is also the issue of your luggage being on board (and you are not), which is a big security risk.

Separate Tickets. Separate tickets are a series of one-way tickets, where the luggage is not automatically transferred. You have to collect your luggage and check-in again for your next flight, whenever that may be. If you are travelling from Scotland to Heathrow on a low-cost airline for example and then onwards, you need to work out your own logistics of the transfer to the next flight.

All low-cost airlines (currently) work on single one-way ticket systems; it keeps their logistics simple.

Security. Airport security has tightened so expect to take longer to clear these even in transit. There is no way to predict queues so always work on the worst-case scenario and aim to get through it and into Departures as quick as you can.

As disappointing as it may be, there’s little point in ranting at the airline; it’ll get you nowhere. The sooner the situation is accepted, the better and you can get on and sort out what needs sorting out. If you are a frequent traveller, then sooner or later you will come across something of this nature, if not already; law of averages!

Be prepared for it.

• Make sure your mobile works in all of the countries you’re going to and transiting through.
• Make sure you have a valid credit card (or two). Travel credit cards.
• Have your Travel Insurance policy in your hand luggage. Check what you can claim for. If necessary, call the company and ask for advice, you may need overnight accommodation for example.
• Keep notes on the detail of the incident, times, delays, photos of anything, and everything that’s relevant.
• Keep receipts for anything you spend.

Travel Insurance – cheap policies are not always good! It’s worth checking the small print to see what you are covered for in cases like this.

One-stop or two-stop flights? – the more stops you put in, the higher the risk that something will go wrong, perhaps not you but maybe your luggage! It’s worth paying the extra for fewer stops sometimes.

Hand Luggage – what goes in your hand luggage can be very important. Notwithstanding security rules, try and take the important things you really don’t want to be without if your hold luggage does go astray for a day or so. Do check the airline’s restriction on hand luggage allowances. Check out our Post on airline underseat bags.