Iberia Airlines Iberia Plus - Iberia - Heathrow-Madrid-San Juan - Luggage?

Hi Everyone

Hope someone can offer some advice. We booked a flight for April and thought going via Madrid to San Juan sounded like a good idea. We have previously flown BA via Miami and they managed to lose all our luggage - we did get it back on day 10 of our holiday. Understandably we are now a bit paranoid, especially reading reviews of Iberia - apparently they are a pretty awful airline!! Well we can't do anything about that now as the ticket is non refundable, but I would like to minimise the risk of losing our luggage again.

Can anyone advise whether we need to collect our luggage in Madrid and re-check it, or would it go straight through to San Juan?

And helpful advice you can offer would be great - this is our first experience with Madrid airport and also Iberia airlines!

Many thanks

Sue

the bags go thru to sju.....i assume puerto rico....we have had bags checked thru at mad w/ no prob during a 12 hour connection...

the bags go thru to sju.....i assume puerto rico....we have had bags checked thru at mad w/ no prob during a 12 hour connection...

Yes Puerto Rico. Thank you. You put my mind at rest. BA told us before that our bags would go straight through to SJU via Miami. Of course they never did! :(

I flew recently with Iberia SJU- MADRID- BARCELONA and all the luggage arrived well. I do agree that Iberia is a terrible airline everyone seemed lost at Madrid which is their hub. Our flight # to Barcelona did not exist and no one at the counters could help us. We managed to get into another flight. The luggage arrived with us and we had checked them in SJU directly to Barcelona. Brittish ariways is now flying directly to San Juan. You should check them for a future fllight.

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Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

BA flies LGW-ANU-SJU direct, yes. But only once or twice a week.

Hi,

Are you travelling in economy or business.

If in business then Iberia is a pretty good airline. The food IMHO is better than BA.

I have not flown IB in Economy.

Enjoy San Juan!^

Regards

TBS

In MIA, one of course must pass USA immigration, recover one's luggage, pass through customs and re-check it; I assume your luggage was not recoverable at MIA? Or was it lost after you rechecked it?

With IB, the easiest thing to do is to check it in London all the way to San Juan.

I have had IB misplace my luggage - but it was actually American Airlines' fault, not IB's (though they were the carrier of record for the final segment), and the baggage office in Barcelona were brilliant and helped us reunite with our baggage.

I don't think there's a much greater possibility of misplaced luggage with Iberia than there is with AA or BA.

In MIA, one of course must pass USA immigration, recover one's luggage, pass through customs and re-check it; I assume your luggage was not recoverable at MIA? Or was it lost after you rechecked it?

With IB, the easiest thing to do is to check it in London all the way to San Juan.

I have had IB misplace my luggage - but it was actually American Airlines' fault, not IB's (though they were the carrier of record for the final segment), and the baggage office in Barcelona were brilliant and helped us reunite with our baggage.

I don't think there's a much greater possibility of misplaced luggage with Iberia than there is with AA or BA.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Yes, we knew about re-checking in luggage in Miami - but it all went wrong when the check-in staff at T5 Heathrow, specifically told us that we weren't to collect our luggage at Miami and that it would go straight through - they even put bright orange labels on that were pre-printed "passenger will not collect in MIA - to go straight to SJU" or words to that effect. I was worried before we even left London, but if the airline is telling you this - and pointing out the labels and insisting they know what's right, then you have to believe them. And so, that is where it all went wrong. And that is the reason I am asking you guys - who seem to know better! LOL. Sadly we will be in Economy, not business class - not worried about that as the flight out goes quickly enough, but we don't have any leeway - we are boarding a ship the next day to sail back to Europe. If there is any issue with the flight then we have to try to catch up with the ship. Not easy when it's doing a transatlantic!!!!

Thanks anyway - I will try to relax about it. Fare is non-refundable so not much I can do about it. I do know about the BA flight that touches down in Antigua - we have done that before and actually have that booked for November (less risk of loss luggage when you don't leave the plane) - but, as somebody else said, it only goes twice a week - I believe Monday and Friday.