Checking baggage through on separate UA operated reservations...
I have a question for anyone who is familiar with this kind of thing...
I had two United flights today...first from BOS-SFO then from SFO-HND. They were on separate reservations and I was under the impression that bags can be through checked with multiple reservations, if they are all United flights. So at the airport in Boston I asked for them to do this (I did not want to deal with baggage claim and security at SFO). After playing around with the computer for more than 5 min the agent said she couldn't do it, and the reason she gave was sort of strange. She said she couldn't "buy the seats" or "buy the flight" or something along those lines. I have confirmed tickets on both flights and had already checked in online. Is there any reason why a ticket agent couldn't through check bags?
As written on the United website: United will transfer bags to a connecting flight on your United itinerary, or on a separate itinerary that includes a Star AllianceTM partner airline flight, if the connecting flight is scheduled to depart within 13 hours after arriving at the connection city.
I suspected she either didn't know how to do it or just wanted to get me out of the way for the next person in line!