Originally Posted by
geometry
am I breaking any rules if I let my friend or co-woker who is on the same flight as me use my UA *A Gold status to get out of paying overweight bag? 53-pound bag when weight limit is 50-pound. Does it make any differentce if the flight is operated by United or another Star Alliance member airline?(Swiss, Turkish, ANA, for example)
The luggage benefits depend upon the carrier and the underlying system on the ticket. On a flight where the piece system applies, *G is one extra piece, but the per-piece limit is unchanged. So, if the regular allowance is 2x23kg, *G gets 3x23kg -- but that doesn't mean that you can check in 1x25kg without a fee. On a flight where the total weight system applies, *G is 20kg extra. So, if the regular allowance is 30kg, *G gets 50kg. Any individual per-piece limit the airline has is still in place, but generally I wouldn't expect a 25kg bag to raise alarm bells.
That said, what exactly are you proposing? UA may extend your luggage allowance to a companion as a courtesy, if you arrive at the airport together and have the same itinerary. I doubt a partner airline would do that -- I'm not even sure same-PNR companions get an increased luggage allowance on partner airlines. If you're planning to check it in under your name, you're responsible for its contents.