lkar

Not sure if this is a US or UA question, but I figure I'll try here.

We are flying the following:

PHX-SFO (US)
SFO-LHR (UA)
LHR-MAD (BA)

The PHX-SFO-LHR is one ticket and the LHR-MAD is a second ticket. One of us is booked using US miles and one using UA on the first ticket, if that makes a difference. (All booked using Avios on the second ticket.)

As I understand US's new interline rule, it will not interline bags on separate tickets. This would mean having to enter the UK and rechecking bags to MAD on BA. My layover in SFO is long enough that, if I have to claim bags and recheck them, I would rather do it there.

At check in, can I ask US to short-check my bags to SFO, retrieve them at baggage claim, and then recheck them at a UA counter, interlining them through to MAD?

PVDtoDEL

It's at the discretion of the check-in agent, but it seems like a reasonable-enough request.

Will UA interline onto BA?

lkar

Thanks. It is hard to get a straight answer but it seems that UA is still interlining on separate tickets to *A and major players in the other two big alliances. Who knows for how long.

I have a 4 hour connection in LHR, so may be able to go through customs and immigration, change terminals, recheck and board. But after an overnight flight, that will really stink.