Originally Posted by dave_261

So I need to take a redeye from YVR (Vancouver)-RDU. AA doesn't have any redeyes outside of summer season, so my only option is to take the CX YVR-JFK flight (the continuation of the HKG-YVR flight). Surprisingly, this seems to be one of the only CX US-based flights which AA doesn't codeshare. So I need to book this as 2 separate tickets.

In any case, the JFK-RDU connection has an 85-minute layover from YVR. Unfortunately, 1) the redeye leaves too late to clear US immigration in YVR, so I'd do that at JFK, and 2) the CX flight is routinely 30-45 mins late (as one small sample size, it's been delayed 30+ mins on more than 50% of the last 2 weeks flight, and .flightstats shows 45% as very late or excessive late).

I emailed the CK desk to ask if I would be protected on the AA segment for a later flight. This was the response: If you book a separate reservation on Cathay and then a separate reservation on American and then Cathay has a delay or late arrival, it is usually the disrupting carrier that needs to make the change to you AA reservation.

This seems wrong. How would CX even know I have a separate connecting flight, and why is it their problem if I'm late on a separate ticket?

My alternative is to take the next JFK-RDU flight with a 5-hour layover, and then standby if we happen to get in on time.

Thoughts?