IAH Terminal Change Question, Tight Connection (self induced)- United -> AC
Sep 16, 2018, 3:29 pm
#16
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It's true that if the inbound is on time, and/or AC is still boarding past T-15 as they usually are, OP should be fine. But the risk is high.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:08 pm
#17
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No risk, no reward here. 
They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.
They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:13 pm
#18
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No risk, no reward here. They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.
They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.Sounds awfully risky to me.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:23 pm
#19
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No risk, no reward here. They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.
They will be 2 separate booking so can only hope to bust my butt over to Terminal A, the United FA's wont be able to help. Would any reach out to concierge help my case for them not to shut the door? I generally see AC flights boarding inside the 15 mins time but know it can be hard and swift cutoff depending on the day.You've asked for, and received advice from some very experienced flyers. Some travel more than 400K a year, with multiple connections. Armed with this advice, you are entitled to make your own decision. I'm sure we would all like to see you be successful, but there is a reason why many believe it won't. We will all, however, be waiting to hear how you make out.
Last edited by YEG_SE4Life; Sep 16, 2018 at 8:28 pm
Sep 16, 2018, 9:40 pm
#20
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For sure, and I hope it all works out for you. It's definitely possible if you're on time from XNA and are towards the front of the plane.
Not only is the concierge unavailable to someone who's 50K flying within North America, there's no concierge at IAH. The couple of times I've asked the concierge call centre for help with something that needed a person in the airport, they've basically shrugged and said "sorry, no concierge at IAH, nothing we can do".
The refundable ticket idea is a good one. Might also be smart to have a refundable booking for UA1780. Make the AC flight, cancel UA. Miss AC, cancel AC and use the UA booking.
If you are 50K, the Concierge is, unfortunately, not at your disposal and, to be honest, I doubt that they would be motivated to help in the case where you have deliberately sabotaged your own chances for the connection. The best thing you can do is to book a fully refundable fare. If you are on an inbound with wifi and you see that your flight is going to be delayed, you can cancel in-flight, and book another outbound flight. If your flight does not have wifi, this just may be a little too risky.
You've asked for, and received advice from some very experienced flyers. Some travel more than 400K a year, with multiple connections. Armed with this advice, you are entitled to make your own decision. I'm sure we would all like to see you be successful, but there is a reason why many believe it won't. We will all, however, be waiting to hear how you make out.
You've asked for, and received advice from some very experienced flyers. Some travel more than 400K a year, with multiple connections. Armed with this advice, you are entitled to make your own decision. I'm sure we would all like to see you be successful, but there is a reason why many believe it won't. We will all, however, be waiting to hear how you make out.
The refundable ticket idea is a good one. Might also be smart to have a refundable booking for UA1780. Make the AC flight, cancel UA. Miss AC, cancel AC and use the UA booking.
Sep 17, 2018, 7:23 am
#21
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The refundable idea is good, but I wonder about wifi reliability on your fly in. I’ve certainly been on UA operated wifi enabled flights when wifi was just not functional for, as near as I could tell, any of us.
This is a small sample of course, but the chance does always exist. Of course you might get be able to do it while boarding over 4G potentially too.
This is a small sample of course, but the chance does always exist. Of course you might get be able to do it while boarding over 4G potentially too.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:24 am
#22
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The refundable idea is good, but I wonder about wifi reliability on your fly in. I’ve certainly been on UA operated wifi enabled flights when wifi was just not functional for, as near as I could tell, any of us.
This is a small sample of course, but the chance does always exist. Of course you might get be able to do it while boarding over 4G potentially too.
This is a small sample of course, but the chance does always exist. Of course you might get be able to do it while boarding over 4G potentially too.
Sep 17, 2018, 1:26 pm
#23
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Didn't @DrunkCargo recently discover and point out that AC's refundable tickets are refundable even if you no-show the flight?
Sep 17, 2018, 2:18 pm
#24
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OPs flight from XNA-IAH seems to arrive in term A in IAH for the last few days except today it arrived Term B. I have a United flight (UA6329) this week around the same time and it shows as arriving at Term B in IAH. Perhaps the terminal depends on either the equipment (Embraer in my case) or the operating carrier. My operating carrier is Mesa Airlines and the OP's is I believe Republic.
Waiting to see if the OP makes his connection. I have 2+ hrs for mine so off to the Centurion lounge in term D.
Waiting to see if the OP makes his connection. I have 2+ hrs for mine so off to the Centurion lounge in term D.
Sep 17, 2018, 3:00 pm
#25
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OP, if you use the phone, you can get an agent (UA or AC) to make a single reservation that can't be found on either ac.com or ua.com.
Too late now, you are past 24 hour since posting. But you could have had the airline(s) assume the risk of mis-connection pretty easily.
Too late now, you are past 24 hour since posting. But you could have had the airline(s) assume the risk of mis-connection pretty easily.
Sep 17, 2018, 3:16 pm
#26
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Unfortunately the itinerary that the OP is contemplating is below the minimum connection time for domestic to international at IAH so neither UA nor AC will sell this as a single ticket/reservation. Provided the XNA-IAH flight is on time, I do believe this is a feasible connection regardless of a Terminal A or B arrival.
OP, if you use the phone, you can get an agent (UA or AC) to make a single reservation that can't be found on either ac.com or ua.com.
Too late now, you are past 24 hour since posting. But you could have had the airline(s) assume the risk of mis-connection pretty easily.
Too late now, you are past 24 hour since posting. But you could have had the airline(s) assume the risk of mis-connection pretty easily.
Sep 17, 2018, 3:35 pm
#27
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The agents would book a legal connection. OP did describe wanting the early flight out, and a tight connection, but not if he was aware it was below the MCT.
aircanada.com can't find flights, but I see that united.com does, and OPs first segment is united, so maybe he did try the whole thing on united.com. IDK.
OP seems to have worked hard to get an high risk routing. Too late for the hive mind to do anything for him.
aircanada.com can't find flights, but I see that united.com does, and OPs first segment is united, so maybe he did try the whole thing on united.com. IDK.
OP seems to have worked hard to get an high risk routing. Too late for the hive mind to do anything for him.
Sep 17, 2018, 6:00 pm
#28
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Didn't @DrunkCargo recently discover and point out that AC's refundable tickets are refundable even if you no-show the flight?
I would be surprised if AC let you get money back after no showing. Especially if they don’t on a flight pass.
To be honest I’d also wonder if the OP would spend more buying Lat vs just buying a last minute ticket on their phone right before the flight. Depending upon route that can raise immigration eye brows though. And it assumes Y1.
I can’t see IAH YYC space today but even tomorrow there are $500 tickets. Full Y is going for $1843 consistently even months out.
Sep 17, 2018, 9:51 pm
#29
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Didn't @DrunkCargo recently discover and point out that AC's refundable tickets are refundable even if you no-show the flight?
Sep 28, 2018, 4:12 pm
#30
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Well I made it! The plane from XNA was 10 mins late leaving and about 8 mins behind getting to gate around 1:45, so I was definitely a little stressed.I ran to the terminal link from B81, transferred to A and ran right to gate A9, with entire plane boarded as last one on the plane and 1:56, 4 mins before cutoff. I did email SE concierge this morning with an SOS please help if you can email, and the agent kindly said he sent a message on through to the gate agent (or someone, somehow) letting them know I would be coming right down the wire. The gate agent saw me running up and knew I was coming, so they were waiting I guess. Thanks for the ideas here, definitely a nail biter but planets aligned well for me. 