United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - $140 extra bag fee from air china on UA trip?

So my parents recently booked a coach trip on UA rewards miles from LAX to SGN on air china, and from SGN to LAX via connection in PEK and NRT.

First part (mom booked two 32,500 mi one ways for her and dad w/ her miles):
LAX to PEK, PEK to SGN (air china): They were allowed 2 checked bags each. No fee was charged.

Return (dad booked two 32,500 mi one ways for him and mom w/ his miles):
SGN to PEK on air china, connecting PEK to NRT on air china, and connecting NRT to LAX on UA. When then checked in at SGN, one person had 2 bags and the other had 1 bag. The person w/ the 2 bags was charged an extra $140 as they allowed only "1 checked bag per person".

Air china said that they normally allowed 2 checked bags per person but that because miles were used, only 1 checked bag was allowed. Any ideas?

Sounds wrong.

Under IATA resolution 302, the Most Significant Carrier's rules apply. But under US DOT rules for any flights touching the USA on any part of the overall journey, the DOT rules take precedence. Among them are rules that say the bag fees for the outbound leg (however they are calculated) MUST apply for all legs of the journey including the return.

Since Air China flew the entire outbound from the USA, Air China outbound-from-USA rules are supposed to apply on the return. Given that UAMP does not allow codeshare flights on awards, the flights on CA (Air China) had to have the CA code. Thus CA was the "Marketing Carrier", which again the DOT rules require to be what's used.

However I don't think that's really going to help you get back what an Air China agent collected at Ho Chi Mnh city. Unless your parents paid that fee with a USA-issued credit or debit card. Then they'd have a good case for a dispute and chargeback via their bank and Visa/MasterCard/Amex.

Edit: It's possible that CA at SGN properly applied IATA 302 MSC rules, where United was the Most Significant Carrier for the return flight (due to crossing between continental regions), and United I think only allows one bag TPAC. That would explain using actual-in-existence rules, why they were charged for bags. But they were supposed to use the DOT rule, which says the outbound flight bag fees are required by US law for every leg of the journey. And US law does apply, for airlines allowed to fly into the US, on every leg of the ticketed journey.

Under any view (all-IATA 302 MSC rule, DOT-only 1st-carrier rule, or DOT-as-allowed-to-modify-IATA rule where it is the Marketing code carrier of the outbound MSC), the "baggage rules carrier" is Air China, and US DOT requires that it be whatever the LAX-PEK leg fee was for the return too. So any way you read the rules, it was done wrong. If neither flight touched the USA, but the return TPAC was on a 1-bag airline, then the 2nd bag fee would have been correct under IATA302 alone. But not when 2 bags were free outbound on a USA-involved trip.

Sounds wrong.

Under IATA resolution 302, the Most Significant Carrier's rules apply. But under US DOT rules for any flights touching the USA on any part of the overall journey, the DOT rules take precedence. Among them are rules that say the bag fees for the outbound leg (however they are calculated) MUST apply for all legs of the journey including the return.

Since Air China flew the entire outbound from the USA, Air China outbound-from-USA rules are supposed to apply on the return. Given that UAMP does not allow codeshare flights on awards, the flights on CA (Air China) had to have the CA code. Thus CA was the "Marketing Carrier", which again the DOT rules require to be what's used.

However I don't think that's really going to help you get back what an Air China agent collected at Ho Chi Mnh city. Unless your parents paid that fee with a USA-issued credit or debit card. Then they'd have a good case for a dispute and chargeback via their bank and Visa/MasterCard/Amex.

I'll have to check with them. That rule might not apply since mom booked lax to Sgn for both usin her miles and dad booked Sgn to lax for both using his miles so that they could have seats nex to each other.

Rules are rules. Flight originated from the USA. US DOT rules MUST apply. IATA 302 rules MAY ALSO apply but only as modified by USDOT. USDOT says nothing about rules don't apply on awards.

Edit: oops just reread your reply. It was two separate one-ways. In that case, it still ways a flight touching the USA, but it did not originate in the USA. CA rightly could use United's bag fees, because they were the MSC on that separate Vietnam to USA ticket.

Rules are rules. Flight originated from the USA. US DOT rules MUST apply. IATA 302 rules MAY ALSO apply but only as modified by USDOT. USDOT says nothing about rules don't apply on awards.

Edit: oops just reread your reply. It was two separate one-ways. In that case, it still ways a flight touching the USA, but it did not originate in the USA. CA rightly could use United's bag fees, because they were the MSC on that separate Vietnam to USA ticket.

so it would be best for them to contact united airlines? I wonder what we should write in email since I don't think they'll be able to throw around iata terminolgy over the phone..hehe.

Sounds like a made-up rule. You can always complain but ua will punt to air china and good luck with them and their version of customer "service". I would just dispute the credit card charge.

Sounds like a made-up rule. You can always complain but ua will punt to air china and good luck with them and their version of customer "service". I would just dispute the credit card charge.

what should they tell credit card company (i hoped they paid w/ cc).

darnit, parents paid w/ cash...uggh...

darnit, parents paid w/ cash...uggh...

You can try calling the US Air China number. If they have a receipt, it might be a starting place.

Honestly, though, it'll probably use up hours of your life and get you nowhere. The only way you'd ever see that money again is if you spoke Chinese and had the patience of a buddha master in dealing with Air China staff.

I'd chalk it up to one of those inevitable travel ripoffs/forced spend that all of us hit from time to time.

CA says BKK-LAX is 2 pieces, if CA operates all. However, since MSC is UA, so UA allowances apply, which is one piece. Second piece is $70, per person.

Checking just CA BKK-NRT would be the same as UA NRT-LAX--one piece, second piece $70.

USDOT says first trip allowances apply, but since tickets are one-way, US outbound allowances are not valid. So it passes back to the return only, and IATA MSC rules.