Originally Posted by
jrl767
if it's clear that they'll have to overnight in ATL, could they keep their bags after customs/immigration and re-check them for the recovery flight when they return to the airport the next morning? (there might be some negotiation required wrt a second round of bag fees however ...)
I'm not sure I understand the problem. If they get their bags and re-check them and then find out they can't make the flight, the bags stay at the airport. If they find out they won't make the flight before they have collected them, they should just keep them and recheck the next morning. I'm pretty sure the bag fees (if any) would be waived as a result of irrops.