UA to UA Connection Advice
Jan 24, 2019, 2:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
UA to UA Connection Advice
I've currently got a LHR->LAX/EWR->LHR in Economy (No Changes/Refunds/Upgrades) booked all on UA metal and ticket stock (booked directly thru UA website). On the day of my return back to LHR from EWR I may end up having to fly to EWR from ORD on UA due to a prior engagement. My question is: given these are separate tickets but involve the same operating carrier (UA) would UA protect me in the unlikely event of a misconnect? I'm planning to leave at least a 2 hour layover in EWR which I suspect would exceed the MCT for that airport.
Any ideas?
Safe Travels,
James
Any ideas?
Safe Travels,
James
Jan 24, 2019, 2:24 am
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
As you probably know, you don’t have a connection, and thus MCT is not relevant. Whether two hours is enough to get off the plane, through immigration, pick up whatever luggage you have, then queue up again for TSA security, depends on many things, including what terminal you arrive at, the time of day, and your immigration status.
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
Jan 24, 2019, 2:25 am
#3
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,829
I've currently got a LHR->LAX/EWR->LHR in Economy (No Changes/Refunds/Upgrades) booked all on UA metal and ticket stock (booked directly thru UA website). On the day of my return back to LHR from EWR I may end up having to fly to EWR from ORD on UA due to a prior engagement. My question is: given these are separate tickets but involve the same operating carrier (UA) would UA protect me in the unlikely event of a misconnect? ....
But they will generally try to help and final a UA based solution,
No benefits like overnight lodging or rerouting on OAL or ....
Jan 24, 2019, 2:33 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
As you probably know, you don’t have a connection, and thus MCT is not relevant. Whether two hours is enough to get off the plane, through immigration, pick up whatever luggage you have, then queue up again for TSA security, depends on many things, including what terminal you arrive at, the time of day, and your immigration status.
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
ORD -> EWR -> LHR
My understanding is that there should be no security nor immigration I need to go thru since I'm coming from a UA Domestic. I would imagine that since ORD->EWR is hub-to-hub it would be served by UA mainline and would arrive in Terminal C (where my outbound EWR->LHR would be) meaning that it would just be a matter of me walking from one gate to the next. Correct me if I'm missing something here!
-James
Jan 24, 2019, 2:59 am
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
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Sorry, I misread, but the principle remains the same. They may help you but are not obligated to do so.
Also, check your Amex policy carefully if it covers self-connections. Even then, a one-way last minute to London is going to be very expensive, probably more than this policy covers.
Also, check your Amex policy carefully if it covers self-connections. Even then, a one-way last minute to London is going to be very expensive, probably more than this policy covers.
Jan 24, 2019, 3:21 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Sorry, I misread, but the principle remains the same. They may help you but are not obligated to do so.
Also, check your Amex policy carefully if it covers self-connections. Even then, a one-way last minute to London is going to be very expensive, probably more than this policy covers.
Also, check your Amex policy carefully if it covers self-connections. Even then, a one-way last minute to London is going to be very expensive, probably more than this policy covers.
Delay of your connecting carrier (passenger plane, ferry, cruise ship, bus, limousine, taxi or train), resulting from the mechanical failure of that carrier, a traffic accident, an emergency police-directed road closure, weather conditions, earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions, causing you to miss a connection or resulting in the interruption of yourtravel arrangements.
or volcanic eruptions, causing you to miss a connection or resulting in the interruption of yourtravel arrangements.
One other question I have : Will UA feel more compelled to rebook my LHR flight if I my inbound to EWR was UA and the mis-connect was due to UA's fault?
-James
Jan 24, 2019, 4:25 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: UA Plat, 2MM
Posts: 1,860
As you probably know, you don’t have a connection, and thus MCT is not relevant. Whether two hours is enough to get off the plane, through immigration, pick up whatever luggage you have, then queue up again for TSA security, depends on many things, including what terminal you arrive at, the time of day, and your immigration status.
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
Officially UA doesn’t have to do anything for you, but my experience is that they’ll help you out if necessary. Personally I think it’s on the right side (and I connect through EWR a lot.)
Jan 24, 2019, 5:03 am
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
If I am reading the OP correctly, he is going ORD to EWR TO LHR, and not from LHR to EWR to ORD. If that is correct, why would you say he has to go through immigration and TSA ? He would just get off the flight from ORD and walk to the LHR gate. It still is tricky with the flights not being on the same ticket.
Jan 24, 2019, 8:09 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,386
However, the fact that you purchased the no-changes ticket may cause complications. There are sporadic reports of agents being less willing to be helpful on a BE ticket than they would on a non-BE ticket.
IMO, two hours is insufficient time, considering the timeframe and the airports you're looking at. I'd want a minimum of four before I'd really feel comfortable in this particular case. You can always hang out in the lounge...
Jan 24, 2019, 8:27 am
#11
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Just to clarify my return itinerary may look like this:
ORD -> EWR -> LHR
My understanding is that there should be no security nor immigration I need to go thru since I'm coming from a UA Domestic. I would imagine that since ORD->EWR is hub-to-hub it would be served by UA mainline and would arrive in Terminal C (where my outbound EWR->LHR would be) meaning that it would just be a matter of me walking from one gate to the next. Correct me if I'm missing something here!
ORD -> EWR -> LHR
My understanding is that there should be no security nor immigration I need to go thru since I'm coming from a UA Domestic. I would imagine that since ORD->EWR is hub-to-hub it would be served by UA mainline and would arrive in Terminal C (where my outbound EWR->LHR would be) meaning that it would just be a matter of me walking from one gate to the next. Correct me if I'm missing something here!
Not sure if you're checking bags - UA should allow you to check them through to LHR in Chicago. If not, then you would need to go to the bag claim outside security, recheck, and go through security again.
Jan 24, 2019, 8:30 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,386
There are recent reports that UA will not check bags through on separate tickets when one of them is BE. I'm not sure if that would apply to a "no changes" TATL fare or not, but it's something to keep in mind.
Jan 24, 2019, 11:40 am
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Anyway, OP should bear in mind the possible need to recheck a bag at EWR if that's how he's rolling.
Jan 24, 2019, 12:08 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,386
Now, in OP's case, he's UA Gold so he wouldn't have to pay, regardless. But I think the prohibition on through-checking to/from BE was less about revenue and more about an additional punitive measure to take to try to get people not to purchase them.
Jan 24, 2019, 12:11 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
They do not. In fact, the original name of the fare was "no changes/first checked bag fee."
Now, in OP's case, he's UA Gold so he wouldn't have to pay, regardless. But I think the prohibition on through-checking to/from BE was less about revenue and more about an additional punitive measure to take to try to get people not to purchase them.
Now, in OP's case, he's UA Gold so he wouldn't have to pay, regardless. But I think the prohibition on through-checking to/from BE was less about revenue and more about an additional punitive measure to take to try to get people not to purchase them.
-James