JackFranchino

Hi FT Community

I have an upcoming trip from TVC to INN and have several tight connections that I wanted input on. Will I make them? Thanks.

1) Domestic->International IAD->EWR to EWR->FRA with 40 scheduled minutes in EWR. Both flights opetated by mainline UA.

2) International->Domestic FRA->SFO to SFO->CVG with 1 hour and 35 minutes. Both flights are operated by mainline UA. No Global Entry. Arriving at 8PM departing at 9:35PM. Lots of heavy checked bags (3 bags of alpine skiing gear). Will either be arriving in Premium Plus or Polaris if my MUA clears - so I will be to the front of the aircraft.

3) Domestic->Domestic CVG->ORD to ORD->TVC with 58 minutes. Landing with mainline UA, departing on UA Express.

Aussienarelle

Is this all on one PNR?

If so, then presumably United considers them legal connections. Although, as we all know legal connection time does not necessarily mean realistic.

90 minutes at SFO for immigration/customs is realistic for me as I have GE. The most time consuming part is going through TSA at SFO and finding the TSA-pre line (but now know to go up the escalator and go through international TSA). On a couple of recent connections of international to domestic the drop bag was not being operated so taking those to regular checkin was a pain with the bags.

You did not give your flight numbers and day(s) of the week which helps the really savvy FT members help with specific connections.

StuckinITH

I would not do 40 minutes in EWR. But I don't like to be stressed and thinking of the 40 minutes would stress me from the time I booked the ticket to the time I'm sitting in my FRA flight. Yes, if booked on one PNR they do have to put you on another flight but who knows if in the other flight there are only bad seats left and the other flight might be next day.

jsloan

1 - This is an extremely risky connection. UA reserves the right to offload you if you're not in the gate area 30 minutes prior to departure for an international flight, so you effectively have 10 minutes if everything is on time.
2 - If your FRA-SFO flight is on time, I don't anticipate this being an issue. Most international flights arrive into SFO much earlier than that, so I wouldn't anticipate a huge wait at immigration / customs.
3 - You'll probably need to change from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, but this will be fine if your inbound is on time.

FlyerTalker70

As others have noted this is tight. If you're on the same itinerary then you'll be protected in the event of an IRROPS. Since this is an international flight any disruptions on the way for any reason entitle you to hotel, meal vouchers, etc. since you're *Gold. The big question here is where your IAD > EWR arrives. If terminal A you'll need to catch the UA shuttle bus to Terminal C to catch your FRA flight. Otherwise it's a matter of walking from one gate to the next. Regardless, it's tight and you have to be willing to accept that you may miss your flight (some are willing to take that risk).

Also can be tight. You'll need to clear US immigration which IIRC is not too bad at SFO even for non-GE members. However, you'll need to pick up your luggage and recheck them with UA. Then follow signs for Terminal 3 (you would arrive in International Terminal G), clear security and get to your gate. Optimistically that will take an hour but could easily take longer depending on the operational situation at time of departure. If your misconnect forces an overnight UA will have to give you a hotel and meal vouchers due to SFO > CVG being part of an inter-continental trip.

[/QUOTE]

This is a matter of walking to the next gate or perhaps switching terminals which IIRC can all be done airside via the underground walkway. I've been on UX flights with a connecting UA mainline flight at ORD with only a 40 minute layover. Short story long the flight ended up parking at the gate beside my connecting flight. If you mis-connect, you'll be put on next available flight but may not be comped hotel nor meals since it is a strictly domestic flight.

Safe Travels,

James

jsloan

OP's profile lists UA Silver, which is most certainly not *G. The only protection here is going to be on the FRA-SFO-CVG flight, assuming that's on a single ticket, due to EC.261/2004. And I'm not sure FRA-SFO-CVG is on a single ticket, as it would be extremely expensive if purchased that way.

JackFranchino

This is all on one ticket with one confirmation number purchased with United Reservations. My entire itinerary is: TVC-IAD-EWR-FRA-INN-FRA-SFO-CVG-ORD-TVC. I will be flying outbound to INN on June 15 and returning on the 22nd/23rd (CVG-ORD and ORD-TVC are the following morning). If flight numbers help, I am flying UA6328 (PZ), UA1972 (B), UA960 (R), OS286 (Q), OS283 (H), UA927 (O, waitlisted for PZ Polaris), UA2311 (B), UA2182 (B), and UA3786 (B). Any and all input, opinions, and help are greatly appreciated!!

FlyerTalker70

Got confused when I saw OP's profile and thought they were Premier Platinum. Regardless, even as a normal flyer so long as the cause of the delay is not weather related everything I said before should apply. The only real benefit that *Gold provides is that weather is considered a controllable delay.

-James

jsloan

OK, then you will get the full protection described by j2simpso on FRA-SFO-CVG -- if you're delayed coming into SFO, UA will be required by EU law to provide hotel and meal vouchers. It sounds like you might also pick up protection all the way back to TVC, as those appear to be connecting flights on the same international journey.

FlyerTalker70

To be more specific it would extend to all trips which involve inter-continental journeys so TVC > INN and INN > CVG and all segments which cover those two trips would be covered in the event of an controllable delay. An controllable delay would be for instance, if a flight went mechanical. *A Gold and travelling in J/F covers the instance where say you get bad weather or an airport congestion/shutdown causes a delay. From the Star Alliance manual:



In addition, since you are travelling within the EU, additional compensation is required to be paid out for delays on any of the following segments:

• FRA > INN (flight operating within EU)
• INN > FRA (flight operating within the EU)
• FRA > SFO (flight operating from the EU)

Note : EWR > FRA won't be covered by EU regulation since that flight is regulated by DoT guidelines. However, if the airline was an EU based airline (i.e. LH) they would fall under the same compensation scheme.

In the event of a misconnect, you will have some priority for rebooking and on waitlist compared to the average traveller due to your *Silver. Per *A policy rebooking priority for UA would be :

• Global Services
• 1K
• Platinum
• Gold
• *A Gold Members
• Silver
• *A Silver Members
• Everyone Else

One final note: although unpublished, UA and other * partners has been known to comp hotel and meals in the event of an overnight due to a delay. From my own experience as a UA Gold, I've had AC and UA offer this on flights departing within Canada and the US. They may extend that courtesy to you but whatever is listed above you are entitled to per *A policies.

Safe Travels,

James

transportprof

Now that United operates into all 3 terminals at EWR, there is also the wild card of an inter-terminal transfer during that 40 minute connection, depending which gates your flights arrive and depart from. If OP has to take a terminal transfer bus, let alone the monorail, s/he will not make it!

Did OP ticket the trip with a credit card that has gold plated insurance, like Amex Plat? That's the only way to get a decent layover hotel at EWR if the connection is blown. Otherwise OP would be "lucky" to get the Wyndham Garden Inn for a UA provided accommodation. In that case, bring Lysol!

Kacee

FRA-SFO-CVG? And a red-eye in economy no less? Why on earth would you do that? Are you within 24 hours still?

JackFranchino

I purchased my ticket with the Marriott Premier Plus credit card that covers up to ~$500/person. Looks like they have a decent Marriott at EWR if all else fails.

I applied an MUA for FRA-SFO and am booked in O Premium Plus so it *should* clear based on what I'm seeing *so far* for the flight's upgrade lists that are available online. Also *should* be in first from SFO-CVG as I 1) applied an MUA and 2) get instant upgrades as I am full fare B.

transportprof

Yes, the EWR Marriott is a solid hotel, and I have used it (paid for by credit card travel insurance) on more than one occasion. It's the only one I'd recommend around the airport.

If the skies over IAD and EWR are not crystal clear on the date of travel, OP might look proactively at the Marriott's room availability, and even consider making a tentative booking if it can be cancelled before 6 pm without charge.

narvik

It's about time United revised their allowance of a "legal connection" to more coincide with a "likely possible connection"!