Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Update: Nov 2014 -- No More Interlining On Separate Tix to Non *A Partners?
Checking baggage through when connecting to separately ticketed flight
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: west TX
Programs: Delta gold, United silver
Posts: 187
Checking baggage through when connecting to separately ticketed flight
I sometimes fly United and connect to another airline on two separately ticketed bookings. I've never had a problem doing this until Sunday, when the United agent complained strenuously about checking my suitcase through to my final destination b'c all flight segments were not booked together (like through Orbitz, I guess). He said that United might stop doing so b'c it was so inconvenient; indeed, it took him a good 20 minutes to do it with the computer and two phone calls.
Anyone have some insights here? I'm Delta plat and Delta pulled out of my city, hence the need to fly another carrier to get to Delta. May be status matching and switching airlines next year.
Anyone have some insights here? I'm Delta plat and Delta pulled out of my city, hence the need to fly another carrier to get to Delta. May be status matching and switching airlines next year.
#2
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,727
You probably just hit a newbie or a former sUA employee not fluent with the process in the new system.
When I interline bags on separate tickets it tends to go pretty smooth. I am not surprised it took your agent 20 mins though - everything IT with the new (i.e., worse) United takes surprisingly long.
When I interline bags on separate tickets it tends to go pretty smooth. I am not surprised it took your agent 20 mins though - everything IT with the new (i.e., worse) United takes surprisingly long.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
The trend is that airlines are less likely to do this. HA stopped doing this, and DL followed shortly thereafter. UA is still doing it, AFAIK.
That said, like many things, it's not as easy a with SHARES as it used to be with Fastair, so it's not surprising if you encountered some resistance from a harried agent. They could be frustrated that it's so much more difficult to do (ex-UA agent) or simply frustrated because they're busy and have to spend time doing something like this (ex-CO or ex-UA).
That said, like many things, it's not as easy a with SHARES as it used to be with Fastair, so it's not surprising if you encountered some resistance from a harried agent. They could be frustrated that it's so much more difficult to do (ex-UA agent) or simply frustrated because they're busy and have to spend time doing something like this (ex-CO or ex-UA).
#4
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: UA GS, SPG Gold, HH Gold, MR Gold, Avis First
Posts: 30
I run into this all the time even with separately ticketed all UA itineraries. I usually make my international flight reservations early but the domestic legs are primarily business and change on a week to week basis so I never know where I'm coming from or going to be, so I always have two itineraries.
The change does require a call to ops and your baggage has to be flagged as VIP for some reason. If there is an international flight, the domestic leg has to be added to the international reservation, just as an fyi. All of the flight information from one reservation has to be entered by hand into the other.
As far as I know there isn't a policy on this, it's just annoying because it takes so long. Yesterday I had an agent who actually knew how to do it and it still took her close to 15 minutes furiously typing away. Just make sure you get there early and play nice!
The change does require a call to ops and your baggage has to be flagged as VIP for some reason. If there is an international flight, the domestic leg has to be added to the international reservation, just as an fyi. All of the flight information from one reservation has to be entered by hand into the other.
As far as I know there isn't a policy on this, it's just annoying because it takes so long. Yesterday I had an agent who actually knew how to do it and it still took her close to 15 minutes furiously typing away. Just make sure you get there early and play nice!
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
#6
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
Just for the record, I've been doing this on more than 75% of my flights for more than 10 years, and never once had even the slightest problem with UA or any other *A carrier before 3/3. I've only had 1 single problem with this before 3/3, in 10 years and that was a single flight originating in Kiev on Aerosvit connecting to UA through FRA. Since 3/3, every time I do this with UA, it's a struggle. The issue is SHARES. Even for a well trained agent sCO agent, it seems to take 20 minutes. For a new agent or an sUA agent, it can take 30-40 minutes. If UA stops interlining bags for itineraries that aren't on the same record, it will be a huge issue for me as I'll need to change connection times from 45 minutes to 2-3 hours to leave the secure area, claim bags, re-check them, then go through security again. I hope this doesn't happen. It's really true that DL won't interline bags unless all segments are on the same record?
The problem with putting all segments on same record is that you have much higher change fees and the change process becomes a lot harder, plus, every time I look at this, the fares become a lot higher and the overall cost of the trip can be as much as 100% higher than with separate tickets - particularly when combining multiple airlines.
The problem with putting all segments on same record is that you have much higher change fees and the change process becomes a lot harder, plus, every time I look at this, the fares become a lot higher and the overall cost of the trip can be as much as 100% higher than with separate tickets - particularly when combining multiple airlines.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA lt Gld - 1.7MM; UA GS; Marriott LT Plt; Thalys Gold
Posts: 244
Check bags through with 2 tickets on 2 * airlines?
Am flying GOT-BRU on Brussels Airlines then BRU-ORD on UA in January on two separate tickets.
Does anyone know if I they will accept a suitcase all the way through?
Thanks and happy thanksgiving!
Does anyone know if I they will accept a suitcase all the way through?
Thanks and happy thanksgiving!
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: west TX
Programs: Delta gold, United silver
Posts: 187
Delta was still doing it two weeks ago . . . I'm trying American Eagle to connect through DFW To Delta my next two trips and hoping for no hassle b'c I have insufficient connect time to retrieve my suitcase and re-check it.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: OW emerald, SA gold
Posts: 17
You should be so lucky! BA won't even check my luggage in for two consecutive BA flights (say EDI-LHR, LHR-LUX) if I haven't booked them on the same booking reference.
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SNA and XRY
Programs: UA PP, 2 MM; IC;
Posts: 1,043
I've done it twice in the last two months from UA to AF and BA, respectively, both times it did not go smooth and took a couple agents working on it at the same time to get it done but they got it done.. Both times the GAs complained of SHARES making life difficult since 3/3.... Your situation depends more on the SN agents and their system...
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: west TX
Programs: Delta gold, United silver
Posts: 187
Just checked . . . Delta's policy changes mid-January.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PER
Programs: BA Gold, QF Gold, VA Gold, IC Diamond Amb., HH Diamond
Posts: 777
As I general rule I assume that a *A carrier won't transfer to a OW carrier, but I was flying from LGA-ORD-DFW-BNE earlier in the year with the first leg on UA and the rest on AA/QF and the UA agent actually offered to tag my luggage all the way through to BNE, so I was pleasantly surprised with that.
I have read though that DL have stopped interlining luggage between carriers, or something to that effect
I have read though that DL have stopped interlining luggage between carriers, or something to that effect
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
US apparently has such a policy already: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...arate-tickets/
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,923
As I general rule I assume that a *A carrier won't transfer to a OW carrier, but I was flying from LGA-ORD-DFW-BNE earlier in the year with the first leg on UA and the rest on AA/QF and the UA agent actually offered to tag my luggage all the way through to BNE, so I was pleasantly surprised with that.