A receptacle connector having a plurality of airflow holes positioned to avoid heat buildup inside a receptacle shell, preventing deformation to the housing of a short, high density connector during solder reflow. The airflow holes may be in a bent portion joining a top face and rear face of the shell. The receptacle connector may be mounted to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, leaving a gap between the connector and the substrate, forming an airflow passage between the substrate and the receptacle connector, enabling heated air to reach mounting portions of terminals of the connector during soldering, but reducing heat buildup within the shell. The passage, alone or in combination with a cutout in a face of the shell, may expose terminal contacts of the receptacle connector to provide for easy inspection and rework of the solder joints between the terminal contacts and the substrate.