Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Russia-Based Airlines
Reload this Page >

S7 from OVB baggage limits for AA PLT / OW Sapphire

S7 from OVB baggage limits for AA PLT / OW Sapphire

Old Nov 18, 2014, 8:40 pm
  #1  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
S7 from OVB baggage limits for AA PLT / OW Sapphire

The S7 website indicates +1 bag for their 2nd tier, and +1 for the highest tier ( I assume that is +2 total for the highest tier), but it doesn't seem to say this applies to OW Sapphire. The OW site indicates additional baggage benefits is a benefit of Emerald status, not Sapphire. I understand IATA rules mean I should get the baggage limit of AA as I am flying OVB-DME-LHR-LAX and LHR-LAX is on AA, but it would be good to hear from someone who has experience with S7 at OVB, or at least somewhere else in Russia other than at DME. I will be breaking my trip with an overnight at LHR, but that will be less than 24 hours, so not an official stopover.
mvoight is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 3:31 am
  #2  
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
At its heart, your question is about how S7 will react in this situation. As I don't believe many people in the AAdvantage forum will have had to deal with this situation, I think this thread will be best answered in the Russia-Based Airlines forum. I realise that it's not the most frequented forum on FT, but I believe the denizens there will have more experience with this type of thing (especially on S7) than the folks here. Therefore I'll go ahead and move it.

~Microwave
AAdvantage forum co-moderator
Microwave is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 5:14 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Are all flights on 1 ticket? Which class of service?
Andriyko is online now  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 5:15 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN, BAEC Bronze, S7 Приоритет, TrueBlue
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by mvoight
The S7 website indicates +1 bag for their 2nd tier, and +1 for the highest tier ( I assume that is +2 total for the highest tier), but it doesn't seem to say this applies to OW Sapphire. The OW site indicates additional baggage benefits is a benefit of Emerald status, not Sapphire. I understand IATA rules mean I should get the baggage limit of AA as I am flying OVB-DME-LHR-LAX and LHR-LAX is on AA, but it would be good to hear from someone who has experience with S7 at OVB, or at least somewhere else in Russia other than at DME. I will be breaking my trip with an overnight at LHR, but that will be less than 24 hours, so not an official stopover.
In my experience, S7 tends to be strict with enforcing their baggage allowances (one time, already a while ago, they even included the weight of my cabin baggage to determine whether I am over their baggage allowance).

I would expect them to respect IATA as well as OW rules, but wouldn't expect them to apply benefits for their program members to other OW program's members (I don't have relevance experience though).

You can also voip call them directly from their website and ask for someone who speaks English - I had reasonable responses from their call center folks.
ParisMoskau is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 8:52 am
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by Andriyko
Are all flights on 1 ticket? Which class of service?
Economy booked via a single ticket through AA
I am confused about IATA 302 on Most Significant Carrier, because OVB is in zone 3, and I am traveling to zone 1 via zone 2. OVB-DME is longer than DME-LHR, and of course LHR-LAX is the longest part of the trip.
I know BA and AA will allow me 2 bags. S7's website says they will follow IATA. The question is, according to IATA 302, which is the MSC?
Of course calling S7 will give me an answer that would be most appropriate if flying out of DME (zone 2), but OVB is in Asia (zone 3)... Ideally it would be great if someone with experience for this type of transit can respond
mvoight is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 8:55 am
  #6  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by ParisMoskau
In my experience, S7 tends to be strict with enforcing their baggage allowances (one time, already a while ago, they even included the weight of my cabin baggage to determine whether I am over their baggage allowance).

I would expect them to respect IATA as well as OW rules, but wouldn't expect them to apply benefits for their program members to other OW program's members (I don't have relevance experience though).

You can also voip call them directly from their website and ask for someone who speaks English - I had reasonable responses from their call center folks.
Those are the questions so experience with someone who has flown from OVB would be useful. If this was solely S7, then I know it would be by S7 rules. If flying S7 to DME, then BA to LHR, logically S7 would be the MSC, as it is involved in flying from zone 3 to zone 2 and BA is only flying within zone 2. I am confused about transit from zone 3 to zone 2 to zone 1.
mvoight is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 9:47 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
Sounds like an interesting trip...

I know you are looking for someone that did it, so they can say "this happened" but at the end of the day, it will just be a historical datum and when you arrive at check in someone can screw up in a new way...

If the check in uses the automated system, and that system is working, it appears AA will be the MSC and the baggage allowance will be derived from LHR-LAX. See the Exception in 3a below.


sector.
3) The MSC (Most Significant Carrier) is
a) For travel between two or more IATA Areas, the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses from one area to another.
Exception: IATA Area 1/2/3 only, the carrier providing carriage on the first sector that crosses between IATA Area 1 and IATA Area 2.
b) For travel between IATA Tariff sub-areas, the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses from one sub-area to another.
c) For travel within a IATA Tariff sub-area, the carrier performing carriage on the first international sector.
You know the drill- print out the rules, have them with you...if they screw it up, pay the fees and charge it back as an error. (My opinion)



GL
Exec_Plat is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 11:58 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN, BAEC Bronze, S7 Приоритет, TrueBlue
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by mvoight
Of course calling S7 will give me an answer that would be most appropriate if flying out of DME (zone 2), but OVB is in Asia (zone 3)
As far as I know, the S7 call center is actually in Novosibirsk, so they might be familiar with it. Actually I forgot to add that my experiences where ex OVB, though mostly for domestic itins.

But, as Exec_Plat said, the past isn't necessarily an indication for the future (even more so in Russia ), and also the level of English spoken by check in staff may vary widely.
ParisMoskau is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 12:39 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
Programs: DL GM (2MM), Lifetime Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,456
Originally Posted by mvoight
Those are the questions so experience with someone who has flown from OVB would be useful. If this was solely S7, then I know it would be by S7 rules. If flying S7 to DME, then BA to LHR, logically S7 would be the MSC, as it is involved in flying from zone 3 to zone 2 and BA is only flying within zone 2. I am confused about transit from zone 3 to zone 2 to zone 1.
OVB check in agents are sticklers on weight. I'm a STE+ plus guy but they look at my bags just like they would a first timer. I would expect there to be no leniency at all so know what your rights are and if you can get them printed in English and Russian to show if questioned.
woody125 is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 2:34 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN, BAEC Bronze, S7 Приоритет, TrueBlue
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by woody125
OVB check in agents are sticklers on weight. I'm a STE+ plus guy but they look at my bags just like they would a first timer. I would expect there to be no leniency at all so know what your rights are and if you can get them printed in English and Russian to show if questioned.
Ideally, English and a notarized Russian translation for a higher level of credibility
ParisMoskau is offline  
Old Nov 25, 2014, 5:21 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
Programs: DL GM (2MM), Lifetime Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 2,456
Originally Posted by ParisMoskau
Ideally, English and a notarized Russian translation for a higher level of credibility
Tочно! And a stamp of some important looking type with a wax blob having a string running through it to seal the folded edges.
woody125 is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2014, 3:52 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Originally Posted by mvoight
Economy booked via a single ticket through AA
I am confused about IATA 302 on Most Significant Carrier, because OVB is in zone 3, and I am traveling to zone 1 via zone 2. OVB-DME is longer than DME-LHR, and of course LHR-LAX is the longest part of the trip.
I know BA and AA will allow me 2 bags. S7's website says they will follow IATA. The question is, according to IATA 302, which is the MSC?
Of course calling S7 will give me an answer that would be most appropriate if flying out of DME (zone 2), but OVB is in Asia (zone 3)... Ideally it would be great if someone with experience for this type of transit can respond
Your ticketed allowance is 1 bag and this is probably what S7 would have applied (frequent flyer additional allowances rarely make it onto the ticket). However, OW SPHs also get additional baggage allowance starting from yesterday.
Andriyko is online now  
Old Dec 11, 2014, 3:19 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 365
Datapoint: My AA award roundtrip ticket this spring JFK-BER-DME-EVN, last leg is S7, the res is AB.
I had 2 bags allowance in JFK (may be because I have AA Exec Card) but Confirmed inside S7 office in Yerevan, only 1 Bag on my return flight. And they didn't budge about my AA Executive Card benefits, then what to do with my second bag, etc..
avagyan is offline  
Old Dec 23, 2014, 12:11 am
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by avagyan
Datapoint: My AA award roundtrip ticket this spring JFK-BER-DME-EVN, last leg is S7, the res is AB.
I had 2 bags allowance in JFK (may be because I have AA Exec Card) but Confirmed inside S7 office in Yerevan, only 1 Bag on my return flight. And they didn't budge about my AA Executive Card benefits, then what to do with my second bag, etc..
Isn't there an American law that says the return allowance has to be the same as the outbound, when the origin or destination is in Russia? Yeah, I know, this is Russia................
That said, I am in the S7 business lounge at S7 waiting to go to DME.
There was no issue with checking my bags. While I was wandering around upstairs, the agent, who had checked me in, directed me through the doors to business class security. I was suprised my back was checked through to LAX, even though I am in London overnight.
mvoight is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.