PWOZUK

Given that BA1 (LCY-JFK service) arrives as if it were "domestic" [as I understand it] can I have my bags checked through to final destination in the USA if my onwards flights are same day on AA ?

Or do I have to claim and recheck?

If so, can I do this within T7 (which is where I presume BA1 arrives), or do I have to hike over to T8 with them (which is where I think my JFK-ORD departs from)?

darthlemsip

Claim and re-check I believe (certainly was last time I did it)

El_Duderito

Staff (including the pilot) told us that the luggage would be checked through but that was definitely not the case. Claim it and re-check it is the way to go based on my Sept 2014 experience.

corporate-wage-slave

BA1 does do through check, BA3 does not. BA1 through checking will fail on the rare occasions that pre-clearance at SNN doesn't happen.

However!

The way it works is that the bags from BA1 are all placed on the domestic carousel, then inspected after half an hour or so after the last passenger has left, and then rechecked by BA's staff at that point. If you are on a tight connection, and you mentioned to the oneworld Express Connections agent about the bags, s/he should do the necessary to speed it up. The reason they do this is just the way the offloading system is for BA1 - the aircraft is at the wrong end of T7 for full baggage processing that would happen on true domestic arrivals into T7.

So as you can see, there is some scope for this to go wrong. Most typically a 24 hour delay before the bag is delivered by AA or US. If I was a checked bag person hypothetically I'd probably be happy to use this facility, provided there was nothing valuable in the bag, and that I had a day or two worth of toiletries and clothing in my hand baggage, and my onward connection wasn't too complex (e.g. not hiking in Yellowstone or some such)

Filthy Monkey

Just following up on this after the last long thread about it, CWS, I did check last week when I was checking in for BA1 and was categorically assured, after various conversations and 2 phone calls to other staff to check, that bags on BA3 can also be through checked. I haven't tried it in the past year or so, so can't verify, but this is what I was told.

corporate-wage-slave

So where and how would the bag clear US customs? Particularly if the delivery airport has no international depatures?

I've no doubt that is what they think, but I'm fairly sure it's wrong. Customs regulations in the USA are very clear, straightforward and require the traveller to present his/her bags in line with the customs form.

Tafflyer

I tried this LCY-JFK-MIA and was assured bags would be through checked. Arrival into JFK was timely and I mistrusted the assurance I had received, so I stayed by the domestic carousel. Sure enough, out popped my "through-checked" bags.

C-W-S is probably spot on with his summary, as usual, but I did pick them up and recheck them just to be certain. Seems a bit of a frig, somehow.

PWOZUK

Thanks everyone

My connection is not too tight if all goes to plan, so I will stop by the carousel and check. Flights are not until July, so anything could be enhanced away before then.

Apologies if this had already been covered in another thread.

000

I can add a bit more info here and a slightly different view to that of cws (but given that I'm a checked baggage person and he's not, that's ok!)

On BA1 through checking starts at LCY who have no issues printing the correct baggage interline tags. On arrival at JFK I have a chat with Special Services (or whoever meets the plane, literally standing at the aircraft door) and ask them to confirm my bag will be interlined correctly. This results in a phone call / radio to the baggage unloaders (i.e. to a few feet downstairs) who then make sure my bag gets automatically placed in the "transfer area" for onward routing.

When following this method my bag doesn't appear on the baggage carousel (I have stood there to check!), but does appear correctly at my onward destination.

Just in case anything has changed very recently, I'll declare that I haven't taken BA1 for a little while as I've been fortunate to get F out of LHR.

Often1

If you are scheduled on a pre-clearance flight and for any reason the flight cannot be pre-cleared at SNN, your bags will still be interlined to your onward carrier. After immigration at JFK, you will briefly reclaim your bag, cart it through Customs and then drop it off. No need to recheck or retag, simple bag drop.

This occurs whether or not the onward destination is a POE. In the US, all bags are inspected at the first entry which could be pre-clearance such as SNN or JFK as the first connection.

travelwithross

I've got a tight onward connection in July so I won't have time to wait around so I'll be hoping my bags make their connection from BA1.

If not I'm sure they can get them to me within a day or two and I'll happily take my AMEX and travel insurance "delayed bags" compensation

PWOZUK

I should have stated that I will be checking my bags in at DUB.
Trip is DUB/LCY/JFK/ORD/DFW

corporate-wage-slave

Your weakest link, therefore, is LCY! They don't do that much transferring there, but if you mention it in the BA1 gate/lounge they can double check it is on board.

Having said that, with 3 physical bag transfers and 1 electronic, I would underline the benefits of having a few bits and bobs in your hand luggage, just in case it does not emerge in Texas......

Banana4321

You are a brave individual. As c-w-s says "trust but verify"....

AndyFlyer

I wouldn't trust the bags to be transferred at LCY, either. Since you walk right into the baggage hall coming off the DUB, I would just wait a few mins, collect the bag and drop it off at check-in. 2 minutes of pro-active action beats many minutes of anxiety and the possibility of a bag left behind!

When I have had connections off the BA001, I've collected my bag at JFK and hauled it to T8 to check it in with AA...I don't trust the airside transfer as I've heard too many times pax arriving at their final destination minus bags.