Originally Posted by
Often1
You chose not to purchase a single ticket for what I presume is a good reason.
But, you want the benefits of the single ticket. Generally the baggage trick works.
Alaska's written policy allows interlining on multiple tickets as long as they have a T&B agreement.
I was aware of that policy and I confirmed Alaska's T&B agreement before I purchased my tickets.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...cked-bags.aspx
"Travel that includes multiple airlines or tickets"
There was very little price difference to buy my itinerary as one ticket. I mainly wanted to retain easier online PNR management for both airlines and same-day changes for the AS portion.
I was also able to book my return LAX-ANC flight with an otherwise illegal connection time (which I easily made - with my luggage too!).
Originally Posted by
Often1
From an economic perspective, you say that this is a good thing. Perhaps for you.
I said it was (debatably) economically better for everyone involved, even the carriers.
It's cheaper for them to pick up a cart of pre-screened bags at a sorting point on the ramp, rather than having me spend 3.5 minutes at a check-in desk.
Obviously, some airlines don't share that sentiment. There are many angles.
Originally Posted by
Ditto
In a perfect world, AS should have probably charged you for the extra luggage and "transfer the money" to SU, but it seems that even following MSC rules on a single ticket is some time a difficult job for some agents.
Reconciling the costs would be the main reason for an interline baggage agreement.
Those same issues (sharing bag fees; excess bag fees; overweight/oversize fees; etc.) exist equally with single (multi-airline) tickets.
Under the rules, the first carrier checking the luggage collects the fees to the final tagged destination at the time the bags are checked.
The point of collection (at first point of bag check) is the same under IATA and USDOT; the main difference between the two is 'whose' fee schedule is being used to charge the passenger.
The rub comes when the first carrier grants additional concessions based on their own criteria.
Originally Posted by
Ditto
Yes and no, even if an airline allows interlining bags over multiple tickets, it does not mean that the next airline down the way will allow you to board a flight where your ticket ends in a country you have no visa to Enter.
yet SU might have denied you boarding at LAX if you fail to show a visa to enter Russia.
I agree with you on that. Document verification is a separate issue from luggage.
It's also very possible to encounter trouble with that on a single ticket.
That being said, the SOP at most airlines is that the airline verifies entry requirements against TIMATIC for as far as they're sending bags or issuing boarding passes to. AS did check for Russian documents, and SU did too.
It appears that most replies believe the big issue is with having two tickets.
I'm not sure my experience would have been any different on one.