Originally Posted by
PRWeezer
There is no fed requirement for bag matching domestically. As you say, a carrier can send bags ahead of a pax in a long layover situation (domestically). Again, not knowing the OPs layover time, his/her bags may be long gone to BWI before anybody realizes he/she isn't getting on the plane.
Folks can disagree all they want, I still suggest domestic flights aren't routinely held up because pax/bags don't match. And it's not the GA's call to hold the flight to match/pull bags.
So the "baggage-match" program, which was proposed by the same legislation that created TSA (until enhanced screening was online) is indeed not a Federal Policy.
DL's CoC states: Baggage will be carried in the same aircraft as the passenger unless Delta determines in its sole discretion that such carriage is impracticable, in which case Delta will carry the baggage on the next preceding or subsequent flight on which space is available
Of course DL's CoC also says that failure to occupy space (read: get on the plane) results in canceling of the remainder of ticket.
So I guess the rational is this:
Delta won't allow you to swap flights mid-routing with checked bags because it violates their CoC.
Delta will pull your bag off of a plane if you miss a connection for no obvious reason, because your ticket has been canceled and therefore you have reached your final destination.
I understand there are all kinds of exceptions, but I suppose this would explain the luggage removal and the denial of SDC at a connecting airport.