Flying LHR to JFK on BA117 gets in at 11:10am - avios and amex booking in First
Separately booked JFK to MIA at 12:40 on AA2041 (American obviously) Avios for both of us and again in First.
Dumb questions but want to be sure as its years since I've done a quick transfer on different bookings!
1. Can we check bags all the way through to MIA would we get a boarding card in LHR for the JFK-MIA leg?
2. Assume we'd need to collect bags and clear customs in JFK and re-check bags somewhere just outside the customs hall?
3. What if the LHR-JFK leg is late - would we incur any charge / cost?
As its only 1.5 hrs I just want to make 100% sure what the score is.
but I doubt they'd issue the AA boarding pass as it's on a separate ticket.
I think you're right about (2) but my memory of JFK isn't clear, though it should be obviated by (1). As for (3) I believe they're not under any obligation to re-ticket you if you miss the AA flight but they're likely to help as a matter of goodwill.
I'm sure someone with more recent experience will be along to provide more concrete answers.
Check in online for the 2nd leg so you have a BP. This will also assist if BA make a fuss through-checking your baggage. Normally it's no problem but sometimes you can get questioned.
You'll need to claim your baggage in JFK anyway to pass customs but simply redeposit immediately after customs at the American transfer desk. Don't forget AA depart from terminal 7.
Thanks (its a noddy train in JFK between terminals isn't it?), the key question of what if the inbound flight is late...anybody have a definitive answer?
I admire your optimism in booking two tickets with a 90 minute connection. It is certainly possible to do it and I hope you will be lucky.
As they are on separate tickets, theoretically I believe that AA is under no formal obligation to reticket you. However, of all airlines, US ones are most helpful in these circs and I think you'd be extraordinarily unlucky to have any problems with AA helping you out by putting you on a later flight.
I would think that you are more likely to have problems connecting as a result of immigration delays than an inbound late arrival.
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AFAIK oneworld policy is to protect you if both itineraries are oneworld carriers but YMMV. It might depend on oneworld status. Seats would need to be available on the new flight, perhaps in the same inventory class.
Be sure to do OLCI and print your AA boarding passes so that you don't miss the check in deadline.
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By the way, last time I had a short-ish connection at JFK the re-check staff told me to carry my bags over to T8 myself and check them in there as that would be faster than their internal transfer system.
Don't know if that was down to some specific handling problems at the time or a general thing, but might be worth enquiring when you recheck.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windowontheAside
By the way, last time I had a short-ish connection at JFK the re-check staff told me to carry my bags over to T8 myself and check them in there as that would be faster than their internal transfer system.
Don't know if that was down to some specific handling problems at the time or a general thing, but might be worth enquiring when you recheck.
A problem with doing this is that if you then miss the AA bag drop deadline at the AA counter, they won't let you take your flight. If you recheck the bags just after customs, delays might cause the bags to miss your flight, but you'll still be on the flight and the bags will be delivered to you, albeit probably the next day.
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AFAIK oneworld policy is to protect you if both itineraries are oneworld carriers but YMMV. It might depend on oneworld status. Seats would need to be available on the new flight, perhaps in the same inventory class.
No such OneWorld policy, but AA does have a policy on their website (can't find it at the moment) so as long as its within MCT and inbound is late they will reaccomodate.
A problem with doing this is that if you then miss the AA bag drop deadline at the AA counter, they won't let you take your flight. If you recheck the bags just after customs, delays might cause the bags to miss your flight, but you'll still be on the flight and the bags will be delivered to you, albeit probably the next day.
Agreed, and a good point to make.
In my case I felt that I should comfortably make the bag drop time so I took the risk. It's a pretty predictable transfer and the first class line is rarely stacked. But it certainly should be a consideration.
1. As to luggage, BA may well balk at such a short transit time at JFK because the burden of missing luggage falls on AA and the cost will be allocated back to AA. As others note, you may be asked to carry your luggage over to AA even if it has its interline tag on it.
2. As to the separate PNR's, OW policy is to treat them as the same for rebooking purposes, but that is largely a distinction without a meaning, because US domestic carriers generally rebook anyway. However, rebooking is premised on availability and if that's scant, you may have a long wait and all of that without any BA duty of care. Rebooking at the last second is more than likely to be into Y (hopefully not a big issue on a short-haul domestic flight).
3. I view this as a too tight transfer and would only attempt if if I had critical timing issues on both sides of the pond and thus had no other options.
