Originally Posted by
LonLH
I can confirm from experience that QR does not short check bags.
Flew MLE-DOH(overnight)-LHR(overnight)-ABZ with three bags to check-in. One bag had the stuff we needed in DOH and LHR so I wanted one bag in DOH. The agent in MLE refused- insisting all bags should go to ABZ.
Connection in DOH 20 hours, connection in LHR 12 hours. Neither the agent nor the supervisor in MLE showed any flexibility. I asked them if they can check all three bags to DOH if they can't check in one bag to DOH and two to ABZ. No luck- all the bags need to go to the final destination.
Since there were four of us (including two kids), I had to buy an extra bag in MLE and take it as hand luggage as we were travelling with just two backpacks as hand baggage.
Even the stroller of my two year old was tagged all the way to ABZ, confiscated at the gate in MLE and I was told that it will be delivered in ABZ on the belt. No concept of gate checking. I managed to get it out in LHR thanks to a helpful gate agent.
On the outbound we flew BA/UL- the stroller was delivered promptly at the gate in LHR and CMB, my one short checked bag for CMB overnight retrieved without any problem.
If I had known QR will not short check the bag beforehand I would have made plans to take more hand luggage. However I had taken this as a given as it is a very reasonable request and I never faced this problem in my life. EK and EY never had such problem- forget BA, LH, CX, SQ et al.
And for the record we were in paid D/A on QR flights.
I'd appreciate greater clarity on two aspects of the above -----
Doesn't all U.K.-bound luggage need to pass customs/immigration at LHR? If this is the case, wouldn't all luggage be offloaded there, and then need to be rechecked for the domestic segment (thereby allowing you access to the stroller and checked bags during your 12 hour connection)? If this is not the case, how is checked baggage on the "domestic" leg segregated so that customs officials at arrival domestic airports are aware that duties et al might need to be collected?
It's absolutely inconceivable to me that a baby stroller could not be made available for a 20 hour DOH connection. Is it possible that something else was going on ---- I.e. an industrial action by MLE check-in clerks --- that might have been motivating non-sensical actions/decision-making?
Finally, out of sheer curiosity, was QR paying for your hotel in DOH, and did they provide you with a stroller while there?