HA connecting flight bag charges (& MAJOR change to inter-line policy as of 6/1/12)
Flying HNL-OGG-DEN. HNL-OGG in Hawaiian Economy. OGG-DEN in United First. I'm trying to check two bags, but the system wants to charge me for them ($34).
I thought, according to IATA rules, the longer flight dictates the rules (if it crosses a region like Asia/Pacific to North America), hence I should not be charged.
On the other hand, I found this in the Hawaiian website, which clearly says I must pay:
"For reservations connecting with other airlines, the baggage fees and rules of the first marketing carrier applies throughout the itinerary. For example, if you are traveling roundtrip from Honolulu, Hawaii to Austin, Texas, and connecting from Hawaiian Airlines to United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines baggage fees and rules would apply both ways."
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2012: UA 155K AA 65K 2013: UA 60K AA 60K
Last edited by cblaisd; May 1, 12 at 1:13 pm..
Reason: 1) Edited title to better signal the inter-line bag change policy. 2) Updated to 6/1 Thanks AZTravels the World
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That be how Hawaiian rolls.
Here's a thread in the US forum which deals with this very issue. In a nutshell, they charge for your situation. I've been in the same situation, albeit with US instead of UA, and I pay for the bag on the inter-island segment.
It's worth noting that as of May 1, HA won't even inter-line bags to other airlines (including its 'partners') unless they are in the same reservation record. That's really a hassle if you're connecting to the mainland and have had to purchase a separate ticket for the inter-island leg. You're now going to have to reclaim your bag and check it in again.
From the same page linked above:
Beginning May 1, 2012, Hawaiian will not through check bags to other airline flights unless the other airline segments are on the PNR for which the passenger is checking in.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Travels the World
It's worth noting that as of May 1, HA won't even inter-line bags to other airlines (including its 'partners') unless they are in the same reservation record. That's really a hassle if you're connecting to the mainland and have had to purchase a separate ticket for the inter-island leg. You're now going to have to reclaim your bag and check it in again.
Do you know if it's going to work the other direction too? Will they no longer accept inter-lined bags from other airlines?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cblaisd
Do you know if it's going to work the other direction too? Will they no longer accept inter-lined bags from other airlines?
I don't see how they'll have that choice. If a bag is inter-lined to them, from an airline they have such an agreement with, what would they do with it? Refuse to accept it? Then what? Explain to the passenger in HNL that their bag was left at OGG, even though they are ticketed on the HA flight to which their bags were tagged?
I think this is just a money grab by HA. If they can pick up these fees for the outbound flights and cut their transfers in half, great. But unless they convince all their 'partners' not to inter-line unless it's a single PNR (good luck training all the UACO/US/etc agents on that nuance), it seems to me it will continue to work as it always has.
But I'll let you know in July, as I have one of these very situations booked.
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no more separate tix?
So this means I cannot book LIH-HNL direct with HA and then separate ticket with AA to mainland without picking up bags? Or can I call AA and have the two linked?
Big bother if that is the way it is to be.... Other direction seems to be ok...
I had something similar happen. HA is entitled to the interline bag fees for flights that originate on HA. They are not entitled to the mainland fees, unless you are flying HA the whole way.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1KHI
I thought, according to IATA rules...
IATA rules are superseded by U.S. DOT rules for flights with an origin, destination (maybe stopover?) in the U.S of A. The baggage allowance of the marketing carrier of the first segment applies to the whole journey - effective 1/24/2012 or thereabouts.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lv2Trvl
So this means I cannot book LIH-HNL direct with HA and then separate ticket with AA to mainland without picking up bags? Or can I call AA and have the two linked?
Can AA do that? I know US cannot merge or even link PNRs. Best they can do is make a comment in one reservation that refers to another (such as minors flying on one ticket with adults on another), but that would not work for HA's purposes in this situation.
This is a real drag.
Not much 'aloha' on the part of HA here. Unfortunately, it's an increasing trend.
Can AA do that? I know US cannot merge or even link PNRs. Best they can do is make a comment in one reservation that refers to another (such as minors flying on one ticket with adults on another), but that would not work for HA's purposes in this situation.
This is a real drag.
Not much 'aloha' on the part of HA here. Unfortunately, it's an increasing trend.
No reason for Hawaiian to show Aloha - record tourism in 2012 forecasted. They have a terrible frequent flier program and policies but don't care since the flights are full.
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There are lots of airlines with interline baggage agreements. Many are happy to check bags through to another carrier on separate tickets. The prevalence of airlines that used to do this, but now refuse, suggests this is a business/fee revenue issue, not a systems issue.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1KHI
Flying HNL-OGG-DEN. HNL-OGG in Hawaiian Economy. OGG-DEN in United First. I'm trying to check two bags, but the system wants to charge me for them ($34).
Worth noting the $34 point, which confirms what AZ Travels mentioned in the other thread -- that at least they only charge the interisland rate. Eight bucks is eight bucks! That's nearly a gallon of gas on Maui.
I'm sure this is pretty significant revenue for HA. Who travels to Hawaii with only carry ons? Basically, they've found a way to get revenue for elites and F travelers flying over-ocean on non-HA flights, since they have the inter-island market cornered.
The interline thing is a real drag. I guess the good news is there are so many inter-island flights to HNL that it's usually easy just to pick one 30 minutes earlier. Hopefully, they will figure out a good system in HNL to do this -- like a dedicated bag check in desk or something for the big carriers. The place it might be a drag is for people flying direct to the mainland from OGG. If you're flying HA from, say, LIH to OGG and then connecting to US's OGG to PHX red eye fight, OGG is not the place you really want to be collecting bags, checking them, and re-clearing security in the pre-red eye period if you don't have some extra time. I think AA, US and maybe another all have flights around the same time and things can get a little backed up. (Although, I'm basing that on the very small sample size of the times I've been there, which are only a few.)
I once had to collect bags and recheck on a flight home from hawaii and it really stunk. Better than having to do it on the way there, I guess.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Travels the World
That be how Hawaiian rolls.
It's worth noting that as of May 1, HA won't even inter-line bags to other airlines (including its 'partners') unless they are in the same reservation record. That's really a hassle if you're connecting to the mainland and have had to purchase a separate ticket for the inter-island leg. You're now going to have to reclaim your bag and check it in again.
From the same page linked above:
Beginning May 1, 2012, Hawaiian will not through check bags to other airline flights unless the other airline segments are on the PNR for which the passenger is checking in.
Hawaiian Air is absolutely crazy to do this! I live on the big island and fly to HNL to catch my UA flight to wherever I'm going. I am a Pualani Platinum with HA and a 1K with UA. I always book separate interisland tickets with HA so I always have separate PNR's. If they make me have to pick up my bags in HNL and re-check them into UA, they WILL lose my business as well as the business of many others who travel this way. Mark Dunkerley needs to wake up! I'll either start flying UA directly out of my city, or change interisland carriers to Go! Airlines.
I will call our corporate rep from HA on Monday to verify that this is correct.
Beginning May 1, 2012, Hawaiian will not through check bags to other airline flights unless the other airline segments are on the PNR for which the passenger is checking in.
HA connecting flight bag charges (& MAJOR change to inter-line policy as of 6/1/12)
