jbb

I am an AC *Gold member and a CX Marco Polo Gold member.

I am flying YVR-HKG-SIN in Y, with the first flight on AC and the connection to SIN on CX.

On the AC flight, I know my baggage allowance is 3 x 23kgs, but I am wondering if that will carry over to my CX connection to Singapore? I know that if I were flying CX just from HKG-SIN, my allowance would be 35kgs (20 + 15 MP Gold bonus), but as this is an interlined flight originating with AC in YVR I am unsure as to which baggage rules apply.

Thank you!

As an addition, all I could find on the CX website was this:
"In compliance with the new baggage policy issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), free baggage allowance and extra baggage charges for tickets issued on or after 1 April 2011 which involve one or more flights provided by other airlines (excluding Dragonair and Cathay Pacific) will be based on a new method. Please contact your travel agent or local reservations office for more details."

LyingFlat

If your ticket is booked as YVR AC x/HKG CX SIN then IATA MSC rules apply and you will receive the AC allowance all the way through. However, if you booked two separate tickets (i.e. YVR AC HKG and HKG CX SIN) then the two separate allowances will apply. However, just bear in mind that even if all booked on one ticket, I don't believe FF benefits apply due to have Star and OW.

jbb

Thank you, I've put in an inquiry with my travel agent to see if it is booked as one ticket or two. I do have separate booking reference numbers for AC and CX, but there is no eticket number on my receipt, so not sure as to how it has been structured. My Marco Polo benefits have been applied, at least for seat selection, as I was enabled to book into the extra-legroom preferred seats.

LyingFlat

No problem at all. Hopefully it is all booked on one ticket. Out of interest, I just looked at a AC one-way fare (S0KXA0). The routing does allow CX (routing is YVR-AC-HKG-(AC/SQ/UA/NH/CA/CX/CO)-SIN

jbb

My travel agent produced the eticket number so it seems to be all on one ticket. They will follow up on the specifics of the baggage allowance. I have seen AC flight itineraries to SIN offered from the AC.com website which include a CX connection. They prefer to route you on the UA or SQ codeshares out of HKG, but I have seen (but never booked) the CX as well.

Guy Betsy

You are basically only allowed 2 pcs of baggage on your entire ticket. You are only getting the 3rd pc as you're *G with AC. Plus as Gold on MPC, you will get the extra piece as well. If you're not Gold on MPC, then you might be charged by CX.

AC's website prefer to put you on a *A connection. Problem is that it books you on a non-mileage earning booking class on AC codeshare on SQ metal whereas if booked on SQ flight number, you will get the miles. But the booking engine won't do that for you when your TA can choose which flight to book under.

jbb

Travel agent replied and told me to contact the CX local number. I called the CX local number and the agent said that as my luggage will be checked right through that if Air Canada gives me 3 pieces than that will be fine with CX.

In addition, I have rechecked the CX website and found this page dedicated to multi-carrier itineraries:

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_S...r-journey.html

It states that baggage allowance on multi-carrier tickets will be determined by the carrier that is deemed the "Most Significant Carrier" (MSC). MSC is defined as the carrier to first cross an international boundary or IATA Tariff zone or IATA sub-zone if the flight takes place within a single IATA Tariff Zone. As my AC flight is the first to both cross an international boundary and Tariff Zone, AC qualifies as the MSC with regard my ticket and thus their baggage rules apply.

ernestnywang

Yes, AC is the MSC, but MSC does not cover FF élite benefits. That is, your *G status does not get carried over to the CX FLT. In the worst scenario, if you have enough transit time in SIN, I would recommend that you short-check the 3rd piece to SIN only and ask CX to re-tag the bag, airside or landside.

jbb

Interesting point.

But as the bags are checked through from Canada all the way to Singapore, how is CX going to know or charge me for a third bag? I think that was the point of the CX agent I spoke to. She said that it is fine for all 3 bags as the luggage is checked through and CX does not stop and weigh them while they are transiting through Hong Kong.

What is a short check?

alphaod

Short check is to have to tagged to a stopover instead of your final destination.

In your case I don't think it's necessary.

In fact if you have two separate I believe if you check 3 bags or whatever on your first trip all the way to your destination, you can technically check another set of 3 bags allowed via your status in your stopover.

I have done this before. Checked three bags on AA (JFK-SFO) and then checked another two bags with CX (SFO-HKG). To CX I only checked in the two bags since they couldn't see the other ticket.

jbb

Thanks again to everyone for their feedback and insights. After almost a decade of being a frequent flyer, it's great to still be learning new things like MSC and short-checking!

My plan is just to show up with my 3 bags and just take the risk that somewhere along the line I may get charged. Will report back how it plays out!

Guy Betsy

Please read my post #6 !

Normally you're allowed 2 pcs on AC and as *G +1 more.
You're also allowed 2 pcs on CX and as MPC GOLD, you're allowed 1 more too.

So you're fine ! No need to take the risk...

If you have no status on CX, then the MSC rule will apply. But you don't have to worry..