What are people's experience of trips requiring layover (or connecting) flights when there is no direct flight to or from their destination?

[CatConcerns]

I'm in the early stages of trying to plan a holiday to Japan. It won't happen for at least another year. It is my understanding that the only direct flights to Tokyo from the UK are from Heathrow. I assume this is also the case for other long-haul destinations. In my case, I live on the other side of the country from Heathrow, so I would be traveling from Manchester Airport. The only flights to Japan from MCR are non-direct, or connecting flights. I've also seen them referred to as "layover flights". For example, there are flights that go from MCR to Dubai, then you get off the plane at DXB and board another plane onwards to Tokyo Haneda.

I would personally much prefer to have a direct flight without needing to change planes, just as I do when travelling on trains, but that wouldn't be possible due to my geographic location. I've only ever been to destinations where the departure and return flights were direct flights. I am wondering if anyone on MN has experience of trips where they have needed to change flights on a journey (whether on the departure flight, return flight, or both). What do you do in the airport while waiting for the next onward flight? I was looking at the layover flights on Skyscanner, and there is around a 10-hour wait at the airport between arriving in DXB and the arrival of the next onward flight to Tokyo. I'd have some anxiety about things possibly going wrong during the changeover. I know things can go wrong with direct flights, but I've got this idea in my head that adding extra flights to the equation increase the chances of things going wrong - especially if the flights are with different airlines.

I'm aware that this is all moot at the moment with the current events taking place in the Middle East, but I'd like to know in the hope that things will calm down a bit by next year, and air travel in that area will return to some level of normalcy.

Second the advice given by several posters to try and book the two or more sectors as connected..i.e. single booking, one booking reference...that way you should have some support should the connection not work out.

TBH I've never got the fascination with connecting through a specfic airport, for many people it's more a case of prices and timings.

I had a six hour layover at Singapore airport on my way to Cambodia. We booked a lounge with showers and big chairs you could sleep in. The staff woke us at the right time so we could get our connecting flight. It all went really well.

2-3 hours layover is fine in my experience, it allows for issues with first flight, to get luggage transferred and stretch your legs and use the facilities. We like using Helsinki for the far east as it’s chilled out there with connections from Manchester

I agree. I had a one hour 15 minute gap between flights in China and I wasn’t able to board the first plane as it was slightly late and I had no chance of getting the second flight. I received the refund the next day and all worked out ok but now I’d only do 2 hours or more.

We flew stanstead to Tokyo via dubai with a stopover of 3 hours. Unfortunately our plane left stanstead late and we missed our connection, but it was easy as Emirates met us off the plane with a new boarding pass, they transferred all our luggage and took us to a hotel to rest so we could catch the later flight. I would not want the stress of using separate providers.

I would also limit your luggage in japan, lots of stairs and transferring your luggage up and down ....

You know you can fly BA from Manchester to Heathrow? If you book the flight as one (so the short hop followed by the direct flight), your bags will be automatically checked to Tokyo from Manchester. You won’t have to collect them and will have none of the hassle.

A two / three hour transfer at Heathrow would be my preferred option.

Have you tired klm, Air France or Iberia? It’s a shirt hop to Madrid, Paris or schipol and the transit there. We live near a tiny airport and got to schipol then Madrid and then final destination. We use points to fly with and Iberia is better value for business. We have very little time as schipol. And then sometimes have a few days in Madrid.

but 100% book it as a single flight

I’d fly from Manchester to London and then on to Tokyo.

i fly long haul frequently where there are no direct flights so usually plan via London or a European city.

or look at KLM going Manchester- Amsterdam, Air France via CDG, Lufthansa via Frankfurt etc. There are a lot of options.

if you book the entire journey with the same airline then the layover time is less important. A couple of hours is usually fine, and it’s the airline’s responsibility if it’s not enough time to catch your connecting flight.

personally I wouldn’t connect through the ME for reasons.

i would also check your chosen airlines policy. I recently discovered that European airlines are obliged to pay you expenses for example a hotel room/meals if your flight is delayed. US airlines aren’t so you’re on your own if there’s any disruption until they get you a flight.

I fly from the Midlands to the far east every year, even from Heathrow no direct flights. We stop at Istanbul for a 4 hour layover which is just enough time to get through security, passport control, have a freshen up and grab some food or a coffee, and also a chance to stretch my legs. I would like to do direct (for my trip it's 23 hours with the layover)

Apologies but as a former industry insider it's time for this:

www.cntraveler.com/story/the-important-difference-between-non-stop-and-direct-flights

I have travelled a lot and take connecting flights relatively frequently, it's fine as long as you don't have too short a layover. I think I have missed a connection once and the airline have to rebook you to your final destination, so although it would be annoying it's not really a risk. Last year we flew back from Tokyo to Manchester via Helsinki, we had about 2.5/3 hours to fill in Helsinki. Have you looked at that route? We didn't fly out that way, but it's unusual for all connecting flights on all possible routes to require a 3 hour layover. Do pack a change of underwear and ideally a toothbrush in your hand luggage just on the off-chance that your bags don't make the connection. It almost certainly won't happen, but better to have a just in case back-up plan. Of all the hundreds of flights I've taken, my bags have not made it the final destination perhaps once in every 100 flights, even last year when we had a 75 minute connection in Schiphol and our first flight was delayed our bags made onto the second plane with a really really short turn around. Japan is amazing, get it booked and have a fabulous time.

We are flying from Edinburgh to Hong Kong via Helsinki. Layover is about 10 hours. We will get a train from the airport to the city centre and spend a few hours there, eating and drinking. Never been to Finland.

The last long haul I did was Heathrow to Paris with an overnight turn onwards to Saigon with KLM/Air France which I booked as it was direct ish and I wanted a night in Paris just before Xmas and it was cheaper. Got a cheap business upgrade on the way out too. Air France were doing some great deals to Asia and most of them direct from Paris

This is where Trailfinders are really helpful as experts in finding the right flights for your preferences and situation. Plugging info into Skyscanner really doesn't compare to getting a specific company to help, especially if you are not a confident traveller. Just give them a call.

Personally, I find connecting flights better than one long one as having to properly move about (off and on planes, walking around the airport etc) is better than sitting for hours on end. You could book a lounge for comfy seating, to rest, have a shower etc. Singapore Airport even has a swimming pool.

Great advice. The thing you need here is the through flight and not a self-transfer. With a through flight, although it can be horribly disrupted, they still have to get you point to point. I've done plenty, and my preference is 2-4 hours. Less than 2 gives me the shivers due to possible delays. Was delayed recently on incoming to CDG from Asia by over an hour (took off on time, headwinds). I can amuse myself easily for a couple of hours, getting to the gate, having something to eat / drink, catching up on internet, shoppng etc. 9 hours is a bit too much. I would find a better routing, or as OPs have said, just go to Heathrow and get direct (although I have found that this sometimes involves an overnighter there because our trains are so unreliable !) HTH x

I have flown Manchester to Dubai to Tokyo Narita, 3 hour gap in Dubai. Returning it was 8 hours which is awful.
Last time we went Manchester to Heathrow, 2 hour gap, then Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, 2 hour gap then on to Haneda
I preferred the latter as it's fewer hours waiting around even though it's 2 stops.
Try to fly to Haneda if possible, as Narita is quite a way out of the city. There is an express train though, so doable.

When I had similar I did the connection at Heathrow ( this was a while ago but Manchester to London flights are pretty frequent, may be limited to BA if you want both on the same airline). Think it was about 2-3 hours layover.
I don’t know how important same airline is, another time I couldn’t get a direct flight from London to Taipei so flew BA to Hong Kong and did actually miss the connection due to the first flight being delayed. A Cathy Pacific person was waiting for us at the gate, and booked us on the next flight without even needing to ask. Don’t know if that’s normal though as I also try and avoid connecting flights.

This isn’t a BA decision. You have to collect luggage in the USA. I don’t see how travelling to London is more expensive or hassle than a connecting flight but it will be fine.

I've done lots of connecting flights: they've always been either fine or fun! Even a 12 hour layover in HK once was fine, but I am fairly price sensitive (so prefer to take the layover than a direct flight) and happy to fall asleep on an airport floor - so your mileage may vary.

In terms of what I've done during layovers - slept (on chairs, floors, special layover sofa rooms), got some food, some airports will have mini galleries or places to look at interesting stuff, read my book, walked miles to wake my legs up, nosied at local duty free delicacies, had a mini wash and skincare refresh in the toilets (or an actual shower in one where I had lounge access), etc.

Thanks everyone for your brilliant advice. At the moment I'm leaning towards flying from Manchester to Heathrow, and then getting the direct flight to Tokyo Haneda. That seems like the best option to me.

@CatConcernsSeveral bags of luggage? Just for you? Is this a holiday in Japan? If so it’s not realistic when you get there. If you are going by train anywhere in Japan, there’s little luggage room. You can send luggage forward but you need one medium bag and an overnight bag. You keep the overnight bag with you and during the next day as you travel. Your bigger bag gets to your next hotel and will be waiting for you. Travelling with several bags is a problem unless you mean one per person! I’d definitely get the train down to London - go from Euston to TCR and get on the Lizzie Line. It’s quick and easy. Or get the Heathrow Express from Paddington. Way better than long layover.

In some countries (eg USA) you cannot book your luggage straight through and have to reclaim it at the intermediate airport. This is a real pain. It happened to me on a flight from Manchester to Las Vegas where I had to change and rebook my luggage at Atlanta. Its a huge airport and confusing airport.

When I got to the departing terminal there was a humungous queue. Such that an employee was going down the line pulling out passengers whose flights were departing and sending them to the front. I just followed the group in front of me and managed to skip the queue and get through. Its a technique Ive used successfully since if I thought I was in danger of missing my flight. The people at the front of the queue have not idea whats happening further down. You just have to be a bit pushy and tell them you were "sent" to the front by staff because your flight is departing.

This. You’ll really want to be travelling light. On the Shinkansen, you only have a short time to board your train and I can’t imagine trying to get on with multiple bags. Packing cubes, rolling clothes etc can bring your luggage down to a minimum.

There’s loads of flights from Manchester with a shorter layover. KLM has one for a start with a 2-3h stopover and was the first flight that came up for me when I chose some random days. Make sure your settings are for shortest not cheapest flights and you should see different options.

I flew from Manchester airport to Bangkok with a 2.5h layover at Christmas which was fine but if I was dealing with a 10 hour layover I'd go to Heathrow.

Next summer we're going to Canada and I'm looking at flying direct from Heathrow then too even though we're 15 mins from Manchester airport