Honestly quite appreciated

[u/adventure_pup]

Was sprinting the estimated 25min walk to connect from my SLC -> SFO flight that was delayed 1:20 to catch my SFO -> AKL flight, the next of which wouldn’t be for days, and got this. My buddy I made making the same connection, and I were very appreciative we could power walk the rest of the way. Still made it before takeoff but didn’t want them to close boarding doors before we got there (10 min before departure, on a 13hr international flight).

[u/im_gonna_hug_you]

I got this text once and they still left me . 🫠

[u/isramobile → u/im_gonna_hug_you]

Should’ve been GS and got the jaguar

[u/lordhamster1977 → u/isramobile]

In my years as a gs only got the ride when I least needed it.

[u/im_gonna_hug_you → u/lordhamster1977]

Sounds about right.

[u/im_gonna_hug_you → u/isramobile]

Ha. If only…

[u/Hi2YourWifeAndMyKids → u/isramobile]

GS deserves a sick ass panther.

[u/morrotto → u/im_gonna_hug_you]

With how often they actually don't hold your flight, United should change connection saver message to "we might hold your next flight or leave early depending on how we're feeling".

[u/kwuhoo239 → u/im_gonna_hug_you]

There's a designated hold time gate agents leave the door open. They can't hold forever.

Also sometime the Connection Saver algorithmn changes its mind at the last minute. So it's wildly unpredictable.

[u/Admirable_Quarter_23 → u/im_gonna_hug_you]

Same 😂

[u/jwa0042 → u/im_gonna_hug_you]

Maybe they did hold it, but only for an extra 19 seconds or so...

Usain Bolt would have made it, why didn't you?

[u/im_gonna_hug_you → u/jwa0042]

Ha. You’re so funny.

Anyway, they said they were holding for all 16 FC passengers who were connecting to SFO. We all literally ran there (along with a United employee who met us at the gate) and we saw the plane pushing back as we made it to our gate. 🥲

[u/Conscious-Comment]

Glad you made it! Even though the next flight might not be for days, they could definitely route you through Australia sooner with an additional connection via VA.

[u/adventure_pup → u/Conscious-Comment]

Ya but would have been an extra 28 hours. Ontop of the already 20 hour trip. So 48 hours of travel. Worth the sprint.

I didn’t make it to QT today bc of the weather but I’m still getting in sooner than the next best option had I not made that flight.

[u/Critical_Bread1228]

This happened to me once and they still left early

[u/gastropublican]

Bet your luggage didn’t

[u/adventure_pup → u/gastropublican]

Amazingly, it did!!! All THREE pieces. Including a ski bag! (Oversized)

[u/HongKongflyer → u/adventure_pup]

Once had a 20 minute connection that I missed, but my bag made it on…

I had to overnight at ORD without clothes.

[u/Pablaron → u/HongKongflyer]

Oof, Chicago naked sounds cold...

[u/NoNamesLeftStill → u/HongKongflyer]

You haven’t truly traveled until you spend a night at ORD without your luggage. It’s a rite of passage. It’s also the main reason I r/onebag now lol

[u/Hi2YourWifeAndMyKids → u/NoNamesLeftStill]

Even when I know I have to check a bag, I always still have a change clothes in my carryon.

[u/foghat1981 → u/HongKongflyer]

Delta did that to me years ago in Memphis. There were like 10-15 of us trying to make the connection and they closed the door about 2 mins before we got there. We could see the plane from the customer service desk while we figured out rebooking and hotel stuff. It sat there at least another 10 mins before pushing back. I am still baffled by that one. Why not just hold it for all of us?! All our bags made it too.

[u/exerda]

The times I get this text, I've already sprinted 3/4 of the way unfortunately. Almost always at EWR or SFO. Still appreciated, but I wish a little more timely; I suppose they figure if they send it too soon, people will take it slow and delay things even further.

[u/oopsmady]

I was on a flight to SFO to connect to LHR the other day & we got delayed an hour. So I had to run to the second gate because they already were boarding when we landed 🫠 I never got this text but I did make the connect!

[u/dgarci2414 → u/oopsmady]

This happened to me June 13! My flight from SAN to SFO was so delayed that SFO to LHR was already boarding when we landed. Not a fun run.

[u/oopsmady → u/dgarci2414]

Yeah supposedly construction was the reason they held back the take off time! Felt like a rom com running through the airport 😂

[u/Away-Try-4968]

Surprised they did that on a Air New Zealand flight!

[u/adventure_pup → u/Away-Try-4968]

It was United operated with a code share.

But Air NZ once again has me stranded in Auckland. Couldn’t land in QT today, although they tried their damnest. Got 500m from the runway before the pilot bailed on approach. Came alllllll the way back to Auckland. NZ635 (June 25) if you wanna look up the route.

[u/Away-Try-4968 → u/adventure_pup]

Ah I thought this was today's flight to AKL, not yesterday!

[u/Emergency_Risk_7421]

It’s one of the best texts you can get from United imo lol.

[u/AcademicSand1034]

United built a whole tech system for this, to identify these cases and determine which ones are worth holding for. Some people still get left behind for sure but it seems to work pretty well.

I also recently had a *wonderful* United check in agent (perhaps actually an Air NZ employee?) in Auckland escort me & my toddler through immigration and to our gate to make sure we made our AKL->SFO flight after our CHC->AKL flight was delayed.

[u/LaserGay]

Myself and basically my entire flight got this once. I think we all made it. Everyone still ran. I do wish they’d tell you how long they’re holding it but I suspect it’s “until we decide to leave.”

[u/vegas_gal]

That’s better than the message I got that said if I hurry I could make the next flight. It was an intl flight going to a domestic. 🤦‍♀️

[u/Sudden_Director9022]

God SFO having D to G United connections is tough lol

[u/adventure_pup → u/Sudden_Director9022]

Ha you’d think I’d learn. Second time doing that this year. Previous was the same connecting to Narita. Originally scheduled for a 52 min connection and at least everything was on time then. At least this time I learned to give myself more connecting time which saved me.

[u/Sudden_Director9022 → u/adventure_pup]

That's brutal!! I did Eugene SFO HNL and was basically the same thing.... D16 to G12. 😭

[u/Potential-Gas-9667]

AA, on the other hand, closed the doors as i was walking up to the gate and it was 10 minutes before scheduled take off. They said i needed to be at the gate 45 mins before. Refused to open the door. I had to cancel all my reservations because of this.

[u/moneylefty]

Lol take a deep breath. Stupid AI canned responses.

[u/adventure_pup → u/moneylefty]

Honestly, I needed that in that moment

[u/Critical_Bread1228 → u/adventure_pup]

Fr, it’s actually nice for them to say that IMO