Originally Posted by
havall
Based on my recent experiences at PVG with United, (1) you will need to pick up your bags at PVG to clear customs and re-check them with Juneyao (PVG airport rule, allegedly), (2) your checked-in bags will likely NOT be interlined (i.e., you might wonder if you need to clear customs but your bags will be interlined nonetheless, but no, United will most likely not interline your bags, i.e., your initial tags will be to PVG only), and (3) your bags would most likely not have been interlined in PVG (and you would have had to pick them up and pass customs) even if both of your flights were on the same ticket. Re: (2) & (3), I've been successful in interlining bags when connecting on one ticket to/from a non-*A airline in PEK but not in PVG (I've never tried to do it on two separate tickets). I hope this helps.
I think OP may need to pick up bags in PVG regardless of whether they are interlined or not. I connected on a single ticket in CTU to an international China Eastern (MU) flight. UA checked the bags through to my destination, but I had to take them through customs myself and then re-deposit them at the MU counter. IIRC, the MU agent re-tagged them, in order to get them into their system, but didn't try to charge me anything.
This is the same procedure followed at most US airports for international connections -- you're required to pass US customs and then re-check your bag, even if your final destination is outside the US.
Whether or not OP has to pay Juneyao (HO) likely depends upon whether or not UA will interline the bags, but I expect them to need to be transferred through PRC customs regardless. And that probably depends upon whether or not UA considers HO to be a *A partner. They do have an interline baggage agreement, so UA
can do it, but I don't know if they will.
I would ask, and if they refuse, point to the policy. Make them defend the "connecting partner" vs "member" distinction, if they can. The worst that can happen is they'll say no. However, note that HO may not offer an additional *G luggage allowance when not flying on a connecting ticket.
HO is the only "connecting partner" so far, so unless someone else has experiences with this specific transfer -- UA to HO on separate tickets -- the rest is basically conjecture. I would be prepared to pay HO's full baggage charge; then, the only possible surprises are good ones.