Originally Posted by
SFO777
If you have two separate tickets (which a DL to UA combination suggests), there is no way that I would recommend that type of a short connection to a once a day long-haul flight. What if PHL-MSP or MSP-LAX is delayed and you miss your LAX-MEL flight. With two separate tickets, UA is under no obligation to rebook you since you would have no showed for their flight. That your DL flight was late is not an excuse to prevent them from canceling your tickets and requiring you to purchase new tickets on another flight. Very expensive at the last minute.
If you are traveling all the way on a single ticket, they would have an obligation to accommodate on the next available flight.
It's on a single ticket. I was originally booked on DL/Virgin Australia. When Virgin Australia canceled their LAX-MEL route, DL rebooked me on UA flight. So I guess if there is a mis-connect, DL would be re-protecting me or rebook me on the next flight or via SYD.