Virgin Australia Velocity - Is it possible to interline from V Australia to V America with 2 PNRs?

Hi everyone -

I have a planned a trip from SYD to NYC via LAX with the following itinerary:
- SYD-LAX on Virgin Australia 1
- LAX-NYC on Virgin America 412

The 2 trips are booked on separate PNRs due to planning contingencies.

I was wondering if we would be able to ask V Australia to check our bags through to NYC from SYD. I could of course provide them with tickets number, etc. I know they interline with the same PNRs, but was wondering if they would do it with 2 PNRs, with the added difficulty that:
- we have 2 tickets for SYD-LAX: my wife and I,; and we have 3 tickets for LAX-NYC: my wife and I + our 4-months baby who will have her own seat
- there may be charges to check luggage with Virgin America, so I was wondering how they would charge us our luggage in case Virgin AUstralia accepts to check the bags through (with the reasoning that they won't accept due to the charges missed by V America)

We should have 4+ hours to re-check at LAX, so checking through our bags is not critical, but would sure be nice not to queue again with the baby :-)

Many thanks for your help!

- Donluis

You will have to collect your bags anyway to pass through customs and immigration.

The difference is lugging it between terminals or the airline carting it for you.

If interlined then, on arrival in LAX, you clear immigration, collect luggage, clear customs then immediately redeposit your luggage after customs. You then head to your onward terminal and go back through security.

If not interlined then on arrival in LAX, you clear immigration, collect luggage and clear customs. You then lug your luggage to your onward "terminal" (there's a circuit bus) where you check-in again before going back through security.

Exactly, I'm keen to avoid the lugging if it's at all possible :-)

The difference is lugging it between terminals or the airline carting it for you.

If interlined then, on arrival in LAX, you clear immigration, collect luggage, clear customs then immediately redeposit your luggage after customs. You then head to your onward terminal and go back through security.

If not interlined then on arrival in LAX, you clear immigration, collect luggage and clear customs. You then lug your luggage to your onward "terminal" (there's a circuit bus) where you check-in again before going back through security.

Yep, did it back in October. Still needed to collect in LAX anyway but just dropped off at the connnections area.

Yep, did it back in October. Still needed to collect in LAX anyway but just dropped off at the connnections area.

Was that on 1 PNR or 2?

Was that on 1 PNR or 2?

With VA now flying into T5 your experience may be quite different as there is only a connections luggage section after clearing CBP. From what I could see there was no clear signage for people who were connecting to another carrier.

And then in any case you have to get yourself over to T2 to get to Virgin America.

Slightly OT, but VA has changed its schedule in June 2012 on VA1/2 arriving into LAX from SYD at 1030 at T5.

There is a VX flight to SFO departing at 1345 from T3.

The itineraries are on separate PNR's. Is this enough time or should I book the VX flight to SFO that departs at 1600?

Slightly OT, but VA has changed its schedule in June 2012 on VA1/2 arriving into LAX from SYD at 1030 at T5.

There is a VX flight to SFO departing at 1345 from T3.

The itineraries are on separate PNR's. Is this enough time or should I book the VX flight to SFO that departs at 1600?

It's enough time if things run smoothly, ie, flight is on-time, no hold up in CBP, etc. You could always book a DL flight or ask them to link the PNRs.

Was that on 1 PNR or 2?

Yep 1 pnr on the way over. 2 on return. No issues either way.

I think even now VAustralia uses Amadeus and VAmerica already uses SABRE - so these systems can talk to each other (as opposed to Navitaire used by 'domestic' VAustralia i.e. former Virgin Blue that is hardly integrated with other systems). IIRC all Virgin Australia airlines (i.e. Virgin Blue/VSamoa/VAustralia) will move to SABRE in early 2013 so then it will be a common platform for like 70% of the Virgin Empire.