Swiss International Airlines - thru checkin for United flights on same ticket

Dear Swiss Lurker,

Twice recently it has not been possible to get boarding passes for UA flights out of ORD on the same PNR/etix when connecting through ORD meaning I am on the LX flight ZRH/ORD followed by another flight on UA to my final destination.

In both cases I have been told "our systems are not connected" yet this seems strange as in other cases I do indeed receive a boarding pass. Futhermore- it seems quite strange that on an LX codeshare flight out of ORD on the same 724 ticket and same PNR LX cannot issue a boarding pass at ZRH?

Can you please let me know what I or my travel agent are doing incorrectly. In each case I need to recheck in at ORD which involves waiting for a UA agent.

Lastly, the transfer agents working in the E pier of ZRH on Sunday indicated that "we can never issue a boarding pass for a UA flight" which I don't think is quite correct information.

The reverse is a problem too. On both of my LX flights out of PIT in the last 6 months the UA desk could not print the LX boarding passes, requiring a check in at Term 1 at the ORD LX counter. Since you have to switch terminals at ORD anyway it is not a major inconvenience.

On a related note, the UA desk in PIT initially said it was not possible to interline my checked luggage...after some protesting they figured out a way to check them all the way through ORD to ZRH and beyond.

FWIW the ticket was purchased by a travel agent from LX.

Dear Swiss Lurker,

Twice recently it has not been possible to get boarding passes for UA flights out of ORD on the same PNR/etix when connecting through ORD meaning I am on the LX flight ZRH/ORD followed by another flight on UA to my final destination.

In both cases I have been told "our systems are not connected" yet this seems strange as in other cases I do indeed receive a boarding pass. Futhermore- it seems quite strange that on an LX codeshare flight out of ORD on the same 724 ticket and same PNR LX cannot issue a boarding pass at ZRH?

Can you please let me know what I or my travel agent are doing incorrectly. In each case I need to recheck in at ORD which involves waiting for a UA agent.

Lastly, the transfer agents working in the E pier of ZRH on Sunday indicated that "we can never issue a boarding pass for a UA flight" which I don't think is quite correct information.

Dear Travelsig

I have requested information on this and will answer you as soon as I get that info.

Kind regards,
Gianrico

The reverse is a problem too. On both of my LX flights out of PIT in the last 6 months the UA desk could not print the LX boarding passes, requiring a check in at Term 1 at the ORD LX counter. Since you have to switch terminals at ORD anyway it is not a major inconvenience.

On a related note, the UA desk in PIT initially said it was not possible to interline my checked luggage...after some protesting they figured out a way to check them all the way through ORD to ZRH and beyond.

FWIW the ticket was purchased by a travel agent from LX.

Dear PittDoc

You would have to address that question to United Airlines, as I do not know their policies.

Maybe the answer to Travelsig's question regarding ZRH-ORD-... will give us some insight here as well.

Best regards,
Gianrico

Dear Travelsig

I have requested information on this and will answer you as soon as I get that info.

Kind regards,
Gianrico

Great and thanks for the very fast response- if you need a PNR or etix please let me know via PM and I will send to you.

Great and thanks for the very fast response- if you need a PNR or etix please let me know via PM and I will send to you.

Dear Travelsig

I have just talked with my colleagues from Ground Services. They tell me that through check-in with United Airlines usually is available and working, especially on one ticket. Of course, as you can imagine with such complex integrated systems, there is always a possibility that such a specific through check-in transaction fails for a variety of reasons (e.g. no seats are made available to us on the connecting flight), but in general it should be no problem. Maybe you were just out of luck two times in a row.

I'm sorry I don't have any more specific information. Of course, I hope that your future through check-ins will work out flawless.

Kind regards,
Gianrico

Dear Travelsig

I have just talked with my colleagues from Ground Services. They tell me that through check-in with United Airlines usually is available and working, especially on one ticket. Of course, as you can imagine with such complex integrated systems, there is always a possibility that such a specific through check-in transaction fails for a variety of reasons (e.g. no seats are made available to us on the connecting flight), but in general it should be no problem. Maybe you were just out of luck two times in a row.

I'm sorry I don't have any more specific information. Of course, I hope that your future through check-ins will work out flawless.

Kind regards,
Gianrico

Thanks again Gianrico for the quick update.

My ASR did hold so I don't think it was a problem of seat availability and I do understnad that the linking of various IT systems is not an easy challenge.

Kind Regards,

TRAVELSIG

The reverse is a problem too. On both of my LX flights out of PIT in the last 6 months the UA desk could not print the LX boarding passes, requiring a check in at Term 1 at the ORD LX counter. Since you have to switch terminals at ORD anyway it is not a major inconvenience.

On a related note, the UA desk in PIT initially said it was not possible to interline my checked luggage...after some protesting they figured out a way to check them all the way through ORD to ZRH and beyond.

FWIW the ticket was purchased by a travel agent from LX.

Update- yesterday through the UA desk through checkin was working properly with LX (First leg UA, Second leg LX).