I have a flight (today!) MSY - DAL - AUS. I would like to get off in DAL for a few ..several.. hours to visit a friend and then complete the DAL - AUS in the evening. Knowing this in advance I also booked a later DAL - AUS flight several weeks ago. Unfortunately and stupidly I had not considered the amount of luggage I would have and that I have to check some baggage. Obviously if I was carryon only I just miss the 2nd leg of my flight and take the later one and there should be no problems (right??). However having the checked bags adds a wrinkle.

Can I just ask at the counter to have my bags stop in DAL?

I wanted to and usually do Internet checkin in order to get an A boarding pass, but, I'm hesitant to do it today since in the past when I did this and had to change flights (to a DAL flight) due to a cancellation the guy at the counter was giving me grief about already being booked on a certain leg (in HOU) and the "computer wasn't letting him" do whatever he was trying to do. Maybe he just didn't know how to do it, I dunno... I'm in no rush anyway so I don't mind that much if I do get a C... just wondering if Internet checkin would help or hurt my cause..

So what are my options here? Or am I doomed to have my luggage spinning around the thing in AUS all day? If that is the case I'll probably just fly through and forget about it. :|

I'd rather not pay at all for the 2nd leg to AUS, but, I didn't think that "accidentally missing" my flight and then showing up for it 6 hours later was plausible so I booked that other flight in the evening.

I guess the worst case would be thinking my luggage was going to go to DAL, getting off in DAL, and it in fact isn't there and continued on.. then I'm stuck in DAL all day but my luggage is elsehwere.. ack!