Travel question: Is 30 minutes enough time to make my connecting flight?

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Airlines have a number of responsibilities to passengers if transfers are missed (Getty/iStock)

Q We have Lufthansa flights back from Crete to Birmingham with a 30-minute transfer time in Munich, the minimum approved time for transfer. Originally this was 40 minutes but Lufthansa slightly changed the schedule. We are a family party of eight, including three children. I have asked Lufthansa what the default procedure is if the connection is not made and the company says it will book us on the next available flight. We will have checked baggage. Have you any advice on what we can do to improve our chances on the day?

Mike Paterson

A Airlines set minimum connecting times based on their experience. They are walking a tightrope between being overoptimistic and creating problems for themselves and, more importantly, their passengers, and missing out on business because their schedules are not attractive enough.

I agree half an hour looks potentially challenging, but Lufthansa will have concluded from the efficiency of its operation at Munich that it is perfectly manageable – and that includes making allowances for children needing to transfer. You can improve your chances by asking ground staff at Heraklion to seat you as far forward as possible, so you can make a quick getaway at Munich.

I would happily look forward to the connection: in the likely event that it goes smoothly, the overall time elapsed between Crete and the West Midlands will be pleasingly short. I would not, though, plan anything special for the evening: there is a chance that the inbound aircraft will arrive too late.

Being a party of eight is potentially to your advantage – if the connection is touch and go, then Lufthansa may decide to hold the Birmingham flight for a few minutes to accommodate you. But there is no guarantee of that: delaying the outbound service could affect the return leg from Birmingham, which would jeopardise other connections.

If you do find yourselves stuck in Munich for, say, five hours, then the airline must provide dinner for you while you wait. And unless it can demonstrate “extraordinary circumstances” were responsible, then it will also need to pay compensation of €400 (£360) per person under European air passengers’ rights rules.

One aspect that would be most unfortunate: if the people made the connection but their baggage did not. In this case, Lufthansa will be responsible for delivering it to your home. But it is still a faff filling out all the forms at Birmingham airport.

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