Air New Zealand Air Points - Interlining bags AA in LAX for NZ flight to AKL

I've a work trip to Reno (RNO) mid July and there are several ways I can do it.
Flights in/out AKL are business, internal US flights are economy and will be separate tickets.
(I am also flying MEL-AKL-MEL on a separate ticket, directly connecting to the US flights. This will be in economy and I hope to use my comp upgrades. This saves about A$1000 when compared to discount business MEL-LAX-MEL).

AKL-LAX, stay overnight, then AA7546 LAX-RNO the next day. This gets me into RNO late afternoon.
For the flight home, AA7561 RNO-LAX, landing at 6:15 PM. Catch the later LAX-AKL flight, NZ5 at 10:30 PM.

Will AA check my bag all the way through to MEL, or will I have to collect in LAX and take it down to NZ checkin?
If I have to collect and re-check my bag, will the 6:15 PM arrival from RNO be cutting it too fine?
(I know it's just over 4 hours, but flights can be delayed, maybe bags to collect, and LAX is such a fun airport for connections!)

The reason why I'm thinking AA and not UA is that they arrive later than the AA flights, UA6811 LAX-RNO arrives at 6:40 PM (too late) and UA6812 RNO-LAX arrives at 7:59 PM, which may be too tight for the LAX-AKL NZ flight.

Instead of LAX, I have looked at SFO connections and UA are fine for SFO-RNO. SFO is a much easier airport as well. However, I will finish work at midday in RNO and I would really appreciate the chance to change clothes and shower in LAX before the long-haul back home. No showers at SFO when departing on NZ.

If I did use UA for RNO-SFO, will my bag be checked all the way through to MEL at RNO?

Thanks

AKL-LAX, stay overnight, then AA7546 LAX-RNO the next day. This gets me into RNO late afternoon.
For the flight home, AA7561 RNO-LAX, landing at 6:15 PM. Catch the later LAX-AKL flight, NZ5 at 10:30 PM.

Will AA check my bag all the way through to MEL, or will I have to collect in LAX and take it down to NZ checkin?


Well for starters you won't be checking in with AA in RNO, these flights are operated by Horizon air, the Regional airline for Alaska Airlines. Horizon and Alaska currently reside in Terminal 3 at LAX, but that I believe is changing.

If you are able to show an eticket receipt with ticket numbers for all segments, QX should interline your bag to NZ, though you will need to speak to an agent for them to manually create the bag tag. Also make sure you give NZ your bag claim receipts when you check-in as they will need to enter them into your record, otherwise your bags will not be loaded onto your AKL bound flight

Instead of LAX, I have looked at SFO connections and UA are fine for SFO-RNO. SFO is a much easier airport as well. However, I will finish work at midday in RNO and I would really appreciate the chance to change clothes and shower in LAX before the long-haul back home. No showers at SFO when departing on NZ.


It's a shame that the SQ SKL in SFO doesn't open during hours suitable for your NZ flight, as that would satisfy your requirements, as well as avoid transiting LAX.

Either way you look at it - if you are purchasing separate tickets then neither airline is obliged to through check, especially AA to NZ etc. Main reason is the liability with connections involved.
If AA thru-check to MEL, and the bag goes missing, AA is responsible for your bags throughout the journey even though your journey with them ended in LAX, as they checked you in ex RNO. Usually it's up to the agent, but if you can provide the necessary ticket numbers then sometimes the agent (unaware of what risks are involved) are more than happy to do this.
It becomes very tricky with separate tickets and usually the airline who you're checking in with will not bother with the fuss and will tell you to check in manually.