45 Min. Layover at IAH with United

[k&gcruisers]

Hi, everyone,

 

We were scheduled to fly from FLL (1:55pm) on 12/20/16 on UA to SBP (San Luis Obispo) with a layover in SFO (2hrs 10min.) after our Lisbon/FLL TA cruise.

 

Just received this change from United:

 

Now we leave FLL (11:50am) & have a layover of 45 minutes in IAH; then on to SFO arriving 4:55pm w/a layover of 2 hrs/5 min.

 

I am not comfortable with the 45 min. layover at IAH even with the possibility of the gates of United being fairly close together.

 

These 2 tickets for my husband & I were award seats that we got with our miles.

 

Can I call United & ask to change this? Even thought it was paid for with award miles?

 

I found another flight from IAH on United that gives us a 1 hr. 50 min layover at IAH; and 1hr. 40min. layover at LAX (instead of SFO); and then on to SBP on Canadair operated by SkyWest dba United Express. Get in to SBP about the same time as the SFO flight, too.

 

45 minutes just seems too short.

 

Kathy

[Shmoo here]

Hi, everyone,

 

We were scheduled to fly from FLL (1:55pm) on 12/20/16 on UA to SBP (San Luis Obispo) with a layover in SFO (2hrs 10min.) after our Lisbon/FLL TA cruise.

 

Just received this change from United:

 

Now we leave FLL (11:50am) & have a layover of 45 minutes in IAH; then on to SFO arriving 4:55pm w/a layover of 2 hrs/5 min.

 

I am not comfortable with the 45 min. layover at IAH even with the possibility of the gates of United being fairly close together.

 

These 2 tickets for my husband & I were award seats that we got with our miles.

 

Can I call United & ask to change this? Even thought it was paid for with award miles?

 

I found another flight from IAH on United that gives us a 1 hr. 50 min layover at IAH; and 1hr. 40min. layover at LAX (instead of SFO); and then on to SBP on Canadair operated by SkyWest dba United Express. Get in to SBP about the same time as the SFO flight, too.

 

45 minutes just seems too short.

 

Kathy

I learned early on that, when an airline changes my flight, the magic words are "No, I don't accept the change". If you tell them that, when they notify you of the change, they have to work with you to get what you want (at no additional cost to you, even if if means putting you on another airline). Yes, that's what's happened to us - twice.

 

I'm not sure what recourse there is if you tell them that the change is OK initially, but I'd certainly give them a call and tell them that layover is just not long enough for you.

[trabeler]

45 minutes at IAH is possible, but keep in mind that UA flies from terminals C, E, and B. C and E can we walked between (although it can be a fairly long walk from the far end of E to C). But terminal B (used mostly for United Express) requires a transfer between terminals.

[FlyerTalker]

I learned early on that, when an airline changes my flight, the magic words are "No, I don't accept the change". If you tell them that, when they notify you of the change, they have to work with you to get what you want (at no additional cost to you, even if if means putting you on another airline). Yes, that's what's happened to us - twice.

I think this is overstating it a bit. They won't put you on a sold-out flight. They won't put you into a higher class. They most likely won't put you on another carrier, unless it's a code-share or a joint-venture partner. And at some point, if there's nothing that you like, they may just say "well, this is what we have, do you want a refund?"

[Keith1010]

Kathy, if it was me I would call them to see what the options are.

 

You have nothing to lose and hopefully they can come up with an alternative.

 

I would not feel comfortable with a 45 minute layover. I prefer a layover far greater than that.

 

Keith

[FlyerTalker]

Kathy, if it was me I would call them to see what the options are.

Definitely call them, but before hand, do your own research to have a prioritized list of what you hope they can reroute you onto.

 

If you just wait for their response, it will likely be "well, that's the best we can do". OTOH, if you have a list of things YOU would want, you can say "Well, how about the x:xx am departure, routing through XXX arriving at x:xx pm?" And if that doesn't work, suggest your second priority. If you have access to ExpertFlyer, you can see where there is available inventory. Or you can plow through the UA website for options.

 

Remember, for domestic itineraries, you have four hours for your connection OR the next available flight, whichever is longer. You can construct your own within those parameters. You can skip the short ones as long as you are within the four hours.

 

If you end up with a longer connection at IAH, try Pappadeaux's for chow. If routed through ORD, Rick Bayless has a place - Tortas Frontera.

[slidergirl]

Hmmm. i just went to the Matrix to look up flights for that date. Found this one:

 

$315

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Luis Obispo (SBP) — Tue, Dec 20

 

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Houston (IAH) — Tue, Dec 20

United 514

Dep: 11:50 am

Arr: 1:45 pm

2h 55m

Boeing 737

Economy (L)

Food and Beverages for Purchase

Layover in IAH

2h 0m

 

Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO) — Tue, Dec 20

United 1594

Dep: 3:45 pm

Arr: 6:10 pm

4h 25m

Boeing 737

Economy (L)

Food for Purchase

Layover in SFO

0h 55m

 

San Francisco (SFO) to San Luis Obispo (SBP) — Tue, Dec 20

United 5092

Dep: 7:05 pm

Arr: 8:11 pm

1h 6m

Canadair Reg. Jet

Economy (W)

 

I'm wondering if you got your connection times mixed up - this one has the long connection at IAD and the short one at SFO (and that shows 55min, not 45). I just checked United's site and see the same. This is the only routing that leaves at that 11:50am with IAD/SFO, so I'm assuming this is the one you currently have.

 

As FTer has said, there are several other options listed on the United website of you to try to change to: via IAH/LAX or ORD/LAX.

[k&gcruisers]

Hmmm. i just went to the Matrix to look up flights for that date. Found this one:

 

$315

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Luis Obispo (SBP) — Tue, Dec 20

 

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Houston (IAH) — Tue, Dec 20

United 514

Dep: 11:50 am

Arr: 1:45 pm

2h 55m

Boeing 737

Economy (L)

Food and Beverages for Purchase

Layover in IAH

2h 0m

 

Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO) — Tue, Dec 20

United 1594

Dep: 3:45 pm

Arr: 6:10 pm

4h 25m

Boeing 737

Economy (L)

Food for Purchase

Layover in SFO

0h 55m

 

San Francisco (SFO) to San Luis Obispo (SBP) — Tue, Dec 20

United 5092

Dep: 7:05 pm

Arr: 8:11 pm

1h 6m

Canadair Reg. Jet

Economy (W)

 

I'm wondering if you got your connection times mixed up - this one has the long connection at IAD and the short one at SFO (and that shows 55min, not 45). I just checked United's site and see the same. This is the only routing that leaves at that 11:50am with IAD/SFO, so I'm assuming this is the one you currently have.

 

As FTer has said, there are several other options listed on the United website of you to try to change to: via IAH/LAX or ORD/LAX.

 

Thanks, slidergirl, for checking for me.

 

I just checked Matrix also and I saw the one you're referring to, but mine is listed there too on the Matrix, that United gave us, but it is UA 1973 leaving IAH at 2:30pm, arriving SFO 4:55pm (everything else the same).

 

I think we're going to ask to change to the LAX connection from IAH (UA1121) which gives us 1h 50m at IAH & 1h 40m at LAX, arriving SBP at 7:55pm. There are seats available, too, on the changed flights.

 

I thought the 45 minutes was too short -- I would be a nervous wreck wondering if we were going to make it.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your input.

 

Kathy

[GeezerCouple]

Thanks, slidergirl, for checking for me.

 

I just checked Matrix also and I saw the one you're referring to, but mine is listed there too on the Matrix, that United gave us, but it is UA 1973 leaving IAH at 2:30pm, arriving SFO 4:55pm (everything else the same).

 

I think we're going to ask to change to the LAX connection from IAH (UA1121) which gives us 1h 50m at IAH & 1h 40m at LAX, arriving SBP at 7:55pm. There are seats available, too, on the changed flights.

 

I thought the 45 minutes was too short -- I would be a nervous wreck wondering if we were going to make it.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your input.

 

Kathy

 

We just (today!) made a 55 minute connection (United to United), and there was a lot of extra time waiting for the extra flight, which left on time even though they were requesting volunteers to give up seats on the oversold flight.

Although our gate numbers sounded "close to each other", once we were on the ground at IAH, we realized that the gates were on two different corridors, and not near the place where the two corridors connected (hope that makes sense). But we still had plenty of time.

 

We had been a bit worried about the timing, but because this was on our way "home", and there were several more flights later in the day, we were prepared to wait.

Otherwise, we'd have guaranteed ourselves a long wait.

 

But IF our first flight had been delayed by more than half an hour, we probably would have missed it (and they wouldn't need two of those nice volunteers to take a later flight - that would have been *us* instead on that later flight :( ).

[k&gcruisers]

We just (today!) made a 55 minute connection (United to United), and there was a lot of extra time waiting for the extra flight, which left on time even though they were requesting volunteers to give up seats on the oversold flight.

Although our gate numbers sounded "close to each other", once we were on the ground at IAH, we realized that the gates were on two different corridors, and not near the place where the two corridors connected (hope that makes sense). But we still had plenty of time.

 

We had been a bit worried about the timing, but because this was on our way "home", and there were several more flights later in the day, we were prepared to wait.

Otherwise, we'd have guaranteed ourselves a long wait.

 

But IF our first flight had been delayed by more than half an hour, we probably would have missed it (and they wouldn't need two of those nice volunteers to take a later flight - that would have been *us* instead on that later flight :( ).

 

Hey, glad to hear it was doable, and our's is United/United also but we went w/the longer layover in LAX.

 

We will keep this in mind next time UA wants to change us again through IAH.

 

Kathy