Alitalia MilleMiglia - Alitalia refuses to check bags MIA-MIL

I bought a ticket MIA-MIL-BUD (they were cheaper than MIA-MIL) with the intention of getting off in Milan. At check in desk in MIA they refused to check my bag to MIL, only to BUD. Fortunately my bag was small enough to take it as hand baggage.

However I have another such a ticket next month. What should I do next time? Is it legal to refuse to check my bag to MIL? Should I call supervisor? If they check it to BUD and I get off in Milan, will they offload the bag and give it to me?

I bought a ticket MIA-MIL-BUD (they were cheaper than MIA-MIL) with the intention of getting off in Milan. At check in desk in MIA they refused to check my bag to MIL, only to BUD. Fortunately my bag was small enough to take it as hand baggage.

However I have another such a ticket next month. What should I do next time? Is it legal to refuse to check my bag to MIL? Should I call supervisor? If they check it to BUD and I get off in Milan, will they offload the bag and give it to me?

What you're doing (hidden city ticketing) is a violation of airline fare rules. The airline's under no obligation to facilitate it by checking your bag only partway and could, if it really wanted to, charge you (or attempt to charge you) the difference between the MIA-BUD fare and the MIA-MIL fare retroactively.

I'm not making any value judgment about these rules, whether they make sense, etc., but they are in place, and the airlines can and do enforce them.

Welcome to Flyertalk!

Thanks for the welcome!

So what do you think will happen if next time they refuse to check my bags to MIL, I check them to BUD, get off at MIL and ask for the bags?

you will wait a couple of hours until they find your bags and they will most likely get a close look at your ticket and ask for payment of the fare difference. As mentioned above, what you are doing is against the ticket rules. If you do so, sneak under the radar and get away without calling for attention. Keep also in mind, that if there is a problem with your MIA-MIL flight, the airline has the right to change your itinerary as long as they transport you to BUD. They could route you via FCO or even onto another airline via somewhere else.

Cheap fares can be tricky ... nevertheless good luck

I bought a ticket MIA-MIL-BUD (they were cheaper than MIA-MIL) with the intention of getting off in Milan. At check in desk in MIA they refused to check my bag to MIL, only to BUD. Fortunately my bag was small enough to take it as hand baggage.

However I have another such a ticket next month. What should I do next time? Is it legal to refuse to check my bag to MIL? Should I call supervisor? If they check it to BUD and I get off in Milan, will they offload the bag and give it to me?

Just for my curiousity, which airline operates the MIL-BUD segment in your itinerary? AFAIK it was a code share opearated by Malév, who will most certainly not transport you or your luggage to BUD any more. I could not find any direct flight operated by anybody between MIL and BUD. Only W6 flies BGY-BUD, but I doubt that such a flight would be included in any AZ itinerary (and in such a case you would not have any problems with getting your bags at MIL).

Thanks for the welcome!

So what do you think will happen if next time they refuse to check my bags to MIL, I check them to BUD, get off at MIL and ask for the bags?

If you no show, your bags will be offloaded.

If AZ has a record of you having previously attempted such a routing, they may refuse carriage altogether.

You should have booked your MIL-BUD flight for the day after then you can ask them to check bag to MIL only.

Just for my curiousity, which airline operates the MIL-BUD segment in your itinerary? AFAIK it was a code share opearated by Malév, who will most certainly not transport you or your luggage to BUD any more. I could not find any direct flight operated by anybody between MIL and BUD. Only W6 flies BGY-BUD, but I doubt that such a flight would be included in any AZ itinerary (and in such a case you would not have any problems with getting your bags at MIL).

Indeed it was Malev, my flight was before their fiasco. I should probably check my next itin what changes have been made if any.

Thanks for all the suggestions!