Sep 17, 2019, 4:45 pm
Travel Waiver: IAH Severe Weather 17-20 Sept 2019 (* IAH is re-opened *)
Sep 19, 2019, 5:05 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
The default will be to put you in the next available seat (any cabin) and presume that you voluntarily downgraded yourself and so waived any compensation for the downgrade. If getting home in any cabin the fastest is your desire, this mostly works for you.
If the inbound has already pushed late enough to drop your connection below MCT, I think you should call and ask to get rebooked now if there is a new routing which is acceptable to you. ANC is far from any hub so no miracles are likely here. Protection is somewhat rare and can be difficult to ask for. Compensation for delays which are ultimately less than 4h00 is very rare.
If the inbound has already pushed late enough to drop your connection below MCT, I think you should call and ask to get rebooked now if there is a new routing which is acceptable to you. ANC is far from any hub so no miracles are likely here. Protection is somewhat rare and can be difficult to ask for. Compensation for delays which are ultimately less than 4h00 is very rare.
Sep 19, 2019, 5:05 pm
#47
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
Maybe it isn't as simple as just waiting for the flood waters to recede. Maybe it has something to do with rolling delays and cancellations and the effects of those on availability of flight crews and ground crews and agents, etc., etc.
Maybe it just isn't as easy to overcome a mess like this as we would like it to be...
Maybe it just isn't as easy to overcome a mess like this as we would like it to be...
Sep 19, 2019, 5:20 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Sep 19, 2019, 5:44 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
If IAH can re-open earlier, I'm sure they will. We have no visibility into what conditions there might actually be. To me, it seems like an overreaction to conclude from the limited public data that the wrong decision is being made by the people who actually do have the data.
Sep 19, 2019, 5:48 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Domestic UA-UA is 35 minutes.
Funnily enough, I think my experience at ORD is missing more flights where I’ve tried running when it’s like a 2 hour connection and the first flight is delayed, vs. not being able to make 35 minute connection. The truth is ORD, like many airports, just depends on where both flights are. If you happen to land at B8 and your connection is at B10, you can make it in like 2 minutes or less. If you are going from say, B18 to C25, that takes a lot longer.
Its been a while since I’ve needed it, but I’ve had UA automatically protect me on a later flight while also keeping my on the original. Not sure if that’s still the norm.
Funnily enough, I think my experience at ORD is missing more flights where I’ve tried running when it’s like a 2 hour connection and the first flight is delayed, vs. not being able to make 35 minute connection. The truth is ORD, like many airports, just depends on where both flights are. If you happen to land at B8 and your connection is at B10, you can make it in like 2 minutes or less. If you are going from say, B18 to C25, that takes a lot longer.
Its been a while since I’ve needed it, but I’ve had UA automatically protect me on a later flight while also keeping my on the original. Not sure if that’s still the norm.
Sep 19, 2019, 6:03 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
There's probably a 1% chance of that happening, likely after 1+ hour on hold. UA is less and less willing to offer protection, and certainly not on ORD-IAH when IAH is shut down for 24 hours. Maybe for a GS, but not for a Platinum. (Even as a 1K, I wouldn't like my chances).
OP's best bet is to hope for a bunch of people to cancel their plans to go to IAH, or for UA to add a couple of widebodies to the schedule tomorrow afternoon. Or, ask to fly into AUS, SAT, or DFW, and drive.
OP's best bet is to hope for a bunch of people to cancel their plans to go to IAH, or for UA to add a couple of widebodies to the schedule tomorrow afternoon. Or, ask to fly into AUS, SAT, or DFW, and drive.
Sep 19, 2019, 7:15 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Houston (HOU/IAH)
Programs: WN, UA, DL, AA, Chase UR, Amex MR
Posts: 2,269
Opening has been revised to 4:00am Houston time per https://www.fly.faa.gov/ois/
Sep 19, 2019, 7:18 pm
#57
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
Opening has been revised to 4:00am Houston time per https://www.fly.faa.gov/ois/
Sep 19, 2019, 7:21 pm
#58
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PVR/CLE
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 282
Opening has been revised to 4:00am Houston time per https://www.fly.faa.gov/ois/
IAH-PVR left @ 8:00 PM
7 hours 55 minutes late
Sep 19, 2019, 8:57 pm
#60
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Houston (HOU/IAH)
Programs: WN, UA, DL, AA, Chase UR, Amex MR
Posts: 2,269