Perhaps the enforcement of the rule is a bit different sometimes. I was on a Star Alliance award flight from LHR-MAN-PHL-CLT back in April 2006, and my LHR-MAN flight was delayed and made it in to MAN where I'd get to the connection with less than 35 min. to go (I think). However, US and BMI were aware of my situation, and so they smoothed everything through for me. Could have helped that I was flying in Envoy - could have been they were just being nice. Did hear the announcement in the terminal US used paging me for boarding for immediate departure as I walked right up to the counter.