aviator99

Hello all!

Question: Next month i'm flying AA/American, DTW-ORD, then Cathay Pacific/CX, ORD-HKG. All part of one world alliance. It's been forever since i've gone through Ohare (usually go out of DTW for internationals on DL)....I understand I can take the terminal transfer bus from T3 to T5 to skip the security line at T5, but my question is -- When I get to T5, will I have to check in with Cathay at all? I should be able to get my boarding passes here in DTW for Cathay (2.5 hour layover in ORD), if not i'll at least print them from online. Everything is on one reservation.

When you get off the bus in T5...are you -literally- in the gate area? Or are you just in the check-in area for all the airlines that operate there?

Also, i'm trying to avoid checking my bag, and as such I usually pack a heavy carry on when I fly DL to Asia, and DL doesn't care nor check the carry on weights. It's my first time on Cathay... and I understand they are pretty strict across the board, as well as a tight 15lb limit on the carry on. Assuming I bypass their check-in counter at T5 by taking the transfer bus, are they -weighing- bags at the gate (carry ons) in ORD, or any other station for that matter? If your carry on is overweight at the gate area, then what? I'll just be throwing away my clothes/some of my belongings, or what happens at that point?

Thanks so much!