Virgin Australia Velocity - Virgin refused to check bags through to final destination

The other morning, I checked my daughter in from Canberra for our international flight to Hartford, Connecticut and were stunned to be told that out bags could not be checked through to our final destination. We were flying Virgin & Delta all the way from CBR -BDL. The Virgin staff member delighted in telling me that Virgin could not check bags more than 3 stops and we would have to recheck our bags in Detroit, the stop before Hartford. I explained that my daughter would be in transit and that this was not going to happen. She insisted that the bags could not go through and that she would have to recheck her bags. I had booked through an agent to ensure that all flights were linked on one PnR. I also did this trip on the 29th December and asked if this was a new rule as in all my years I had never heard something so ridiculous and was prompty told no, it was always the case. Strange, because I have had the bags checked through to final destination in the past by both Qantas/Delta and Virgin/Delta as long as the booking was on a single pnr. I was advised by the Virgin staff member that the agent should have informed me that Virgin cannot send bags more than 3 stops. (Of course the agent, had never ever heard of this before and is seeking clarification) This went on for 25 mins or more and the supervisor was absolutely no help. The arrogance of the staff member was unbelievable. Based on this, they only tagged my daughters bags to Sydney where she had to collect her bags from the carousel, leave the terminal, catch the bus outside the terminal over to the international terminal, line up again at the code share partner Delta, wait and check in all over again. Virgin boasts on their website that they are a code share partner of Delta and that you can check in at any domestic airport and get your bags at your final destination! This is listed several times on their site. (Of course, we know that when you arrive in LA you get your bags, clear Customs and then put them back on the transfer trolley while you are in transit), but I have never been told that I would have to collect my bags and check in again halfway through a trip.
I fly this trip at least 4-5 times a year and book the whole family with Virgin/Delta which equals about $25 -$30K a year in fares and am flying to the US again this week. I cannot afford to experience this again and will need to rethink where I put our business if this is the attitude of Virgin staff. There was no reasoning with this female staff member. It's amazing that Qantas who is not a codeshare partner will send your bags all the way, but Virgin who is aligned with Delta WILL NOT even when it is all on the one single intinerary. I imagine Delta would be concerned if they new Virgin staff were refusing to send bags through which is potentially causing their loyalty flyers like myself to move their business. Has anyone else experienced this before and is it a new rule or just incompetent staff? This caused us huge stress the other morning as my daughter was already anxious about flying alone to the USA, let alone having to drag her bags around and check in for a second time.

At the very least I would have had the bags check to LA where they need to be collected anyway.

Can't help much more as I am lucky enough to be able to avoid checking luggage.

I'll actually be trying it this weekend in the States, but I'm not overly fussed if I have to recheck them on the way back from LAS-LAX-MEL (LAS-LAX is Delta and then Virgin back to MEL)...I'm allowing myself extra time if they won't check them back all the way through and I have status (which can or cannot assist in these type of situations if something does go wrong)

There are still lots of errors with the codeshare agreements and while it is very frustrating, these things can and do happen no matter if the PNR's are linked or not.

There is no point in using the "we spend a lot of money" phrase. We here on the forum are here to help and hear your rant, but in the scheme of things...one or two international economy trips a year is very small in any airline's eyes.

Did you fly Virgin from Canberra to Sydney and then Sydney with Delta?
In previous situations when I have flown from Sydney to any international destinations..you often have to collect bags and recheck, go through immigration etc
And with the transfer bus...if it wasn't booked on one complete ticket, Delta or Virgin are under no obligation to assist with the transfer from the domestic to the international terminal. It doesn't matter if 3 or 4 PNR's are linked, it's not one complete ticket, so you don't get that assistance.

As read on Virgin's website today
Domestic Check-in Connecting through Sydney

When you check in at an Australian domestic port, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. You will receive a transfer wallet, which contains a map of the transfer port and a bus pass to use in Sydney. Upon arriving in Sydney, make your way to the transfer lounge at Gate 37. You will then be shown downstairs to the transfer bus – which will take you to the International Terminal. Upon arriving at the International Terminal please proceed to the check in counters for Delta Air Lines to receive a boarding pass for your international flights.

NOTE: This is only for 1 complete PNR, not linked nor separate tickets purchased

Hi Jinxy,
Yes our ticket was all on one itinerary and the flights were booked ex Canberra. We should have been given the travel wallet and allowed to use the transfer desk but this was not permitted because she refused to check the bags through. The staff member made my daughter leave the terminal and head over to the international terminal and check in again with Delta. This is what happens if you purchase seperate fares on different itineraries, but not if you purchase a point to point ticket. Normally you would not want to collect bags in LAX and recheck in because this involves leaving the terminal and queing sometimes for a long time and then battling security again. Plus there is only just over 2 hours in transit to clear customs and get your connecting flight. As mentioned, I have never been told that the bags cannot be tagged all the way through even though you have boarding passes to the final destination.
I should mention this is ex Australia, not ex USA.

Hi Jinxy,
Yes our ticket was all on one itinerary and the flights were booked ex Canberra. We should have been given the travel wallet and allowed to use the transfer desk but this was not permitted because she refused to check the bags through. The staff member made my daughter leave the terminal and head over to the international terminal and check in again with Delta. This is what happens if you purchase seperate fares on different itineraries, but not if you purchase a point to point ticket. Normally you would not want to collect bags in LAX and recheck in because this involves leaving the terminal and queing sometimes for a long time and then battling security again. Plus there is only just over 2 hours in transit to clear customs and get your connecting flight. As mentioned, I have never been told that the bags cannot be tagged all the way through even though you have boarding passes to the final destination.
I should mention this is ex Australia, not ex USA.

You actually have to collect your bags in LAX or whatever is your first port of arrival in the US. Go through customs and then go back through security, whether you have your bags tagged through to final destination or not. The only benefit of having them tagged is that you can use the transfer desk rather than the check-in desk. But you still have to clear security at LAX.

Nugget_Oz is spot on.

I couldn't use the transfer desk a couple of weeks ago as I had two PRNs, but re-checking baggage onto a DL flight at LAX after a VA arrival was very simple. After collecting at and clearing Customs (like everyone else), there was a circa 75m walk including an up escaltor to get to self check-in and bag drop. This compares with maybe 10m walk to the transfer desk. Then clear security (upstairs, with everyone else).

When i did it, it took probably 5 min max from the point of leaving Customs to go upstairs, check-in and drop bags off.

If you have multiple bags and mobility is impaired, they have trolleys and a lift you can use to get upstairs.

If your booking is on the 1 PNR, the transfer desk will offer a very marginal baggage handling efficiency, plus a $25 /bag saving as DL waives fees for baggage on domestic legs of international tickets (within standard baggage limits of the international ticket).

It will be more important on the return leg to ensure that DL check in agents tag the bags through to SYdney - transiting from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 for the VA departure will be more inconvenient with bags.

The US is an awesome place to travel through, but in my opinion, there are a lot more stressful things to be encountered than re-checking bags at LAX.

Yes, We normally use the transfer at LAX however it was Spring break and an extremely busy time being a holiday period. I definately didn't want my daughter to have to battle crowds and the normal security at LAX. I guess the question is, why are Virgin refusing to tag bags to the final destination. As a traveller, you want to be able to check in at your first airport and if you need to clear customs, get your bags and put them through the transfer, not re check. Afterall, you have your boarding passes to your final destination.

If you've got your BP for the domestic leg, surely transfer desk is the place to go then.

My assumpton would be that the VA agent will tag it to LAX, then upon presenting bags at the LAX transfer desk with a BP, the DL agent will print a new tag for the final destination and send it on its way.

Happy to be corrected on this however as I have no experience in airline ground op procedures (other than as a traveller).

It doesn't matter what time of year it is.. if you are flying in to LAX you have to collect your bags and clear customs there... there is no choice. Having the bags tagged all the way makes no difference there other than allowing the transfer drop off to be used..

You seem to feel tagging them through WOULD allow you to skip customs at LAX...

Hi everyone,
I just need to clarify that we know we need to get our bags in LAX and clear customs and then put them on the domestic transfer trolley. That's OK and convenient. Because we have boarding passes, we don't need to check in again because we are in transit. What virgin is saying is that they will only tag the bags 3 stops and my ticket is CBR-LAX-BDL. Because I go via DTW on the way to BDL, I need to break my trip, go get my bags, and then take them up to departures, recheck my luggage in again and go back through security - all of this while I'm suppose to be in transit. This is what is bizarre. Normally when you start your trip, you bags get tagged to their final destination not part of the way.

Understand. That's not the issue. It's being told our bags won't go past Detroit (DTW) because they can only tag them 3 stops.

From a practical viewpoint, I can't see what the issue is (again, very happy to be corrected):

- arrive at CBR, bag tagged two stops by VA agent at check-in (CBR - SYD - LAX)
- transit through SYD
- collect bags in LAX, complete immigration and customs, then proceed to transfer desk (assuming you have your boarding pass for flights to BDL already as stated)
- bag tagged two stops by DL agent at transfer desk (LAX - DTW - BDL)
- transit through DTW
- collect bags at BDL

I can't see how having the bag tagged to LAX initially rather than BDL will impact your journey, as you have to interact with a DL agent in LAX regardless. They will tag it to BDL so it gets there with you.

From a practical viewpoint, I can't see what the issue is (again, very happy to be corrected):

- arrive at CBR, bag tagged two stops by VA agent at check-in (CBR - SYD - LAX)
- transit through SYD
- collect bags in LAX, complete immigration and customs, then proceed to transfer desk (assuming you have your boarding pass for flights to BDL already as stated)
- bag tagged two stops by DL agent at transfer desk (LAX - DTW - BDL)
- transit through DTW
- collect bags at BDL

I can't see how having the bag tagged to LAX initially rather than BDL will impact your journey, as you have to interact with a DL agent in LAX regardless. They will tag it to BDL so it gets there with you.

Hi Dontprocrastinateaviate,
That's fine if that happens in LAX, but my understanding is that if the bags are not tagged through, I cannot use the transfer desk and need to 're check in' as a domestic flyer. THis is what I have been told by Virgin. Even if I hold boarding passes, the bags can cause a problem. Do you know for a fact that the transfer desk has the capacity to recheck and tag the bags though and will I then be charged?
LAX at Spring break and holiday periods is crazy busy and if you are on an international ticket you do not want to have to deal with the large ques and massive security lines. That's the easiest way to miss your connecting flight.

Hi Dontprocrastinateaviate,
That's fine if that happens in LAX, but my understanding is that if the bags are not tagged through, I cannot use the transfer desk and need to 're check in' as a domestic flyer. THis is what I have been told by Virgin. Even if I hold boarding passes, the bags can cause a problem. Do you know for a fact that the transfer desk has the capacity to recheck and tag the bags though and will I then be charged?
LAX at Spring break and holiday periods is crazy busy and if you are on an international ticket you do not want to have to deal with the large ques and massive security lines. That's the easiest way to miss your connecting flight.

Of course the transfer desk can re-tag luggage.

Ok, thanks. Just spoke with Delta and they are seeking clarification with Virgin as they also feel that making passengers recheck luggage half way through a flight is strange. Bottom line is that if I am paying seperate fares to save money, then I'm happy to recheck luggage, or if it is highlighted that you need to collect you bags 3 stops after you start, then you're aware of it. But if it's promoted as interlined from your point of embarkation to the destination (with the exception of customs) then I think consumers have a right to get what they pay for and not be suprised by smart arrogant staff at the airport. I really appreciate you letting me know that this can be resolved at the Delta transfer desk outside LAX Customs.

Good luck Ft1, hope it works out ok! I found Delta airport staff to be very helpful so hopefully you have a similar experience.

I am finding this conversation interesting. I have a Velocity Points J Class booking to the US later in the year on VA with DL connections in the US. It ended up being a very complicated process and I provided extensive feedback to VA, who acknowledged the issues well.

One of the key issues I am facing (and concerned about), I ended up with 2 PNRs and on the way out a DJ/VA connection at BNE (return direct to SYD) with the PNRs for the DJ/VA sectors and the other for the DL. I wanted assurance that I could check in my bags at SYD domestic all the way through to my destination (which will have 3 transit points over two PNRs due to the VA system and the connection in LAX to DL will be Y class as I could not get F - concerned about fees with DL) and it was indicated to me that this will be ok.

Well... I suspected that it could be the computer and tag problems and it's not the airline's fault. I have looked at the virgin australia's tag. It has got three stops/transit cities only on tag. For example, the tag can be printed "SYD/LAX/Detroit" - no more added as it runs out of space on the tag. I don't think that they will give you another tag on same bag.

I can't understand why the airlines staff cannot explain about the tag problems.

It would be better if you can pick your bags at LAX, then check-in again.

I can't understand why the airlines staff cannot explain about the tag problems.



The OP mentioned he was told by the check in staff they cant have more than 3 destinations on the bag tag.

Well... I suspected that it could be the computer and tag problems and it's not the airline's fault. I have looked at the virgin australia's tag. It has got three stops/transit cities only on tag. For example, the tag can be printed "SYD/LAX/Detroit" - no more added as it runs out of space on the tag. I don't think that they will give you another tag on same bag.

I can't understand why the airlines staff cannot explain about the tag problems.

It would be better if you can pick your bags at LAX, then check-in again.

Bingo. At the OP should really tell his daughter that she will have to clear security at LAX anyway. The only line she is going to get out of is the check-in line which is replaced by a shorter but may be just as lengthy transfer line. She will still have to join the extremely long security line anyway. There is no international transit in the US except from certain countries and Australia isn't one of them.

It appears that, but is by no way certain by what has been written, the daughter will be given a boarding pass for all the legs which means that she may be able to use the transfer desk anyway.

Thanks everyone. My daughter is in the USA now and I fly in 2 days. We have raised these issues with Flight Centre, Virgin and Delta. What is interesting is that Virgin are telling the agent and ourselves that it is a tag/IT issue. Virgin cannot tag more than 3 stops. However, Delta has sought clarification and have been told that they can tag to final destination and will do it on Thursday when I travel. I certainly do not have any faith that this will happen. Personally, if I can check bags in where I get on the plane and only have to get my bags and clear customs and drop my bags, that's what I prefer to do. I'm sure families also travelling would also like the easy option. Yes, I can recheck my bags in at LAX, but in all my years I have never had to do this. Also as a FF of Delta, when arriving off a Delta flight international (and having cleared customs) and then connecting to a Delta connecting flight, you remain within the confines of the airport and are directed to smaller security lines. After travelling for some 17+ hours alaready, this is appreciated.

My whole point in all of this is that if Virgin can only tag a maximum of 3 stops, why isn't this listed anywhere, why don't agents know about it and why are they promoting that your bags are tagged to your final destination from your domestic airport. This is what they say on their website. I have offered to fly a day earlier and conduct business in Sydney and then just check in with Delta directly. This is not allowed now unless I pay a $210 fee to reissue the ticket. The reason is that Virgin have told Delta that they will tags the bags all the way through. I guess we'll see on Thursday!

Hi everyone,
Just an update. I flew out on Thursday and there was no issue with checking bags through this trip. What a change from the week prior. Virgin had honoured what they told Delta and printed 2 baggage tags. One CBR-SYD-LAX and the other to my destination. Staff were great and the whole experience was how it should be. Polite, stress free and easy.

Well done Virgin!

This forum proves useful. Checked in at Sydney domestic yesterday for a flight to the US via BNE with connections on DL - 4 sectors all up. Initially the check in agent indicated that I could only check bags to MEM (not final destination), and I wanted to avoid bag checking at LAX with DL. Fortunately I had printed out parts of this forum, particularly Frequenttraveller1 last two postings and whilst it took a while, they managed to work out how to tag the bag all the way through. After holding for support (with no answer) the agent nutted it out herself. She was pleasant, but if I didn't know other wise, my bags would have be only partially tagged!

Good stuff - and you helped with the (re)education of the check-in agent. :)

Forgive me if I missed something but I only read the first couple of posts. Put simply if you are on a single PNR wether it's 2 flights or 9 there is no reason a check in agent can not put your luggage all the way through. Even if you have to recheck after checks at LAX your baggage tag can be labeled for its final destination. My partner (years at ansett and nz) is sitting next to me telling me she has done this many times

Forgive me if I missed something but I only read the first couple of posts. Put simply if you are on a single PNR wether it's 2 flights or 9 there is no reason a check in agent can not put your luggage all the way through. Even if you have to recheck after checks at LAX your baggage tag can be labeled for its final destination. My partner (years at ansett and nz) is sitting next to me telling me she has done this many times

You are correct, I have been doing it for years longer than I can remember, but at the moment, until VA/DJ get onto one system it seems to be an issue, as Frequenttraveller1 and I have experienced. Fortunately it all seemed to work out. Given they can do it, it would appear to be an education rather than a system issue

Forgive me if I missed something but I only read the first couple of posts. Put simply if you are on a single PNR wether it's 2 flights or 9 there is no reason a check in agent can not put your luggage all the way through. ...I have come across anecdotes that the checked luggage segment limit is four for many systems