Is a 36 minute connection on UA through SFO doable?
 

Just rec'd a flight time change which has us landing in SFO 36 minutes before our connecting flight to LIH takes off. Called UA, they say it's legal. I'm thinking that this is not possible even if our flight arriving from ORD is on time or early. Also, the luggage... might have to just carry on.

We are flying first class with miles so I am somewhat limited w/ jumping on an earlier flight out of ORD. I am meeting someone in SFO who is booked on the same flight to LIH. If UA re-routes me through HNL we'll end up split up. We were all hoping to enjoy 1st class together to Lihue.

Do I even have a chance to make this connection?

Just called UA back questioning the "legal" connection, and was changed to the earlier flight out of ORD. Had to forgo first class for business class, but well worth it to make the connect!

Business Class on a United 3-class plane is vastly better than First on a 2-class plane. I think you've come out ahead.

someotherguy, thanks for the input... I had no idea what to expect.

Yeah, it looks like they put on a 777 ORD-SFO with international business class. You'll hate your first class seat on the 757 to LIH then. :D

Ok, now you've peaked my curiousity... tell me, what are the differences?

Business class on UA's international 777: 55" pitch, 20.5" width, with lumbar support and reading light, legrest, individual screens, etc... [Pitch = distance between the same point of you seat and the seat in the row in front of you, or behind you.]

First class on a UA 757: 38" pitch, 20.5 width. Screens on the ceiling. That's about it.

Here's a picture of the UA international business seat:

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1935,00.html

Enjoy!

Wow... we really are in for a treat. Thanks ms_go for the photo link. rkk, while I'm sure we will be spoiled forever w/ the 777 bus class, I can't imagine "hating" first :D ... we most likely won't be "wowed" by first class on the 757 after the ord/sfo leg in that roomy business seat, but anything beats economy which we are accustomed to flying. This is a special trip for my mom's 64th birthday and she's never enjoyed a first class seat in all her years of flying. I'm excited for her (me too!) Thanks for the input everyone.

A 36 minute connection is an illegal connection, and your bags WILL NOT make the connection... Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If this was sold to you by United or a major distributor (Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre or any online booking site) you can make a big stink with IATA.

45 minutes is the minimum connection time.

The 36 minute connection is moot now since the OP has changed his flight.

However, the minimum connection time for domestic-domestic on United at SFO is 30 minutes: see the chart on page 5 of the worldwide timetable, which is available at
http://www.uatimetable.com/United.pdf

Legal or not, a 30-minute connection time at SFO or most other major hub airports is (forgive me:) "j.f.n."

Most of my flights are through ATL, and I frequently have connection times of 25-30 minutes and can't remember the last time I (or my luggage) didn't make one. I have a 19 minute coming up in early June, so we'll see how that works. Remember, the last person on the plane gets there at the same time as the first person...

I'm just too familiar w/ ORD and sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate.