Tries

I got a good price for SFO-LAX-LHR-etc. route, but it is a combination of AA1978-AA136 with only 45 min of time to change flight at LAX. Since it's 7pm time - what would be a probability of me not getting on 136 as well what would be the probability of my baggage not to make it?
I believe it's connecting flight and who knows- may be 136 is waiting for 1978 (it's easy to make it in time for that long route as LAX-LHR so departing some 15min later would not make any problem, at least not technically)

brp

Yes, someone has had a bad experience, I'm quite sure. I've done SJC-LAX-LHR with about 45 minutes, and that involves going from the satellite terminal. Tight, but doable. Your flight doesn't. But I'm sure that it has been late at some points and people have missed 136. Will you? Depends upon whether your inbound is on time.

As with any "will I make my flight" question (and these are asked often) - if you're within the MCT and things are on time, you'll make it. If your inbound is late, you won't. Same as the answer any other time.

Now, one added "bonus" for SFO is the ever-present weather.

Cheers.

Apieinthesky

BA has a later flight after AA136, so you could probably be put on that one if you don't make it.

Tries

That probably won't be a good option because that BA will arrive at T5 and my connecting flight out of LHR would be from T3. Plus I'm not sure if I'll get my (with SWU upgraded) seat in BA business

beerup

AA will protect your upgrade on oneworld partners for changes due to day-of-travel IRROPs (pending availability).

brp

How long is the layover in LHR? With 90 minutes or more, T5->T3 will work. As for the seat, they're (theoretically) supposed to protect those things now between AA/BA and one or two others that I don't recall.

Cheers.

Tries

Will I get any compensation if I won't get my business on BA, and what AA (as actually ticket issuer) will do if system will show that I won't make the connection at LHR same day? Will they send me with BA and then at LHR send me to the hotel?
I mean... will I be given any options or I won't have any choice?

Tries

Great. With BA taking off to LHR 1:50 hours later than AA I would have 15 min at LHR to go from T5 to T3. That's not doable.

FWAAA

OP: Simply schedule the earlier SFO-LAX flight which will give you plenty of peace of mind/connection/lounge time.

JDiver

I have had good connections SFO-LAX much of the time - but throw in some morning fog, bad weather (shutting down one runway of each runway pair) or a mechanical and you are asking for a cylindrical rod incised with one or more helical or advancing spiral threads to fasten items together.

We had such an instance - the 737 broke down, we were 204'd to UA - AA tried to get us on a UA flight departing too closely for us to make it, and finally got us on a better flight - which we made, but barely. Of course, we had to get the tickets arranged at the crowded UA counter (with no status), so had a scrum there and going back through security not to mention the fast paced trip to the UA terminal. UA made sure they gave us the aft-most seats possible in the A320 even though we were in First SFO-LAX on AA, and UA revealed the scruffiest plane I have been on in years literally.

AA also had some comm problems with contacting ground crew from the gate, so our bags were not retagged properly and were delivered four days later in Barcelona.

Advice: take the earlier flight "just in case"; see FWAAA for the short v ersion.

Tries

Earlier SFO-LAX would be 3.5 hours earlier. Not an option.

makfan

I always take the earlier connection when doing SFO-LAX-LHR, because of the unpredictable flow control delays out of SFO. They badly affect the west coast flights because those planes will bounce back and forth and get later and later.

On the other hand, if you book the 5:45 flight as you discussed (which I'm waiting to take tonight to connect to AA10 to JFK) and flow control is in effect, you may well be able to get put on the earlier one if it is also delayed. It might come down to standby, though.

One thing in your favor is that AA's terminal at LAX is very manageable, so as long as you can get off the incoming plane 15-20 minutes before departure, you should be able to scramble to the gate. The LHR flight is almost always at gate 41, but you can walk from even the farthest gates in 5 minutes without breaking a sweat.

JDiver

It's your choice, of course.

You could price the trip using AS SFO-LAX, for example, and onward with AA?

djibouti

It is definitely an option. You just don't want it.

AA won't give you a hotel if you miss due to weather, most likely.

Do the 45 minute connection if that's what you want but buyer beware.

Tries

Weather?
What wrong can be with weather at SFO or LAX in Summer on early evening?
The only thing I'm afraid of is a couple of rounds around LAX in the air, and then a couple of rounds around terminal once on the ground because airport is busy and can't assist.