Originally Posted by
raj_cl
Question - what about check-in luggage? Likely I will check in bags 3 hours before flight, when they will not know whether they need me as a volunteer. So if I check in bag and they choose me as a volunteer to go on a different flight, will they take my checked-in bags out from the flight and I'll need to carry them with me back to check in again for the different flight?
Yes, they should be removed. If you're flying on a later AA flight that same day, the people who pull the bags will retag them for you and you won't have to do anything. But if you're flying on a different day, you'll need to pick them up and check them in again.
Or will the check in bags continue to be on the original flight irrespective of whether I'm on it or not?
In case I get chosen as a volunteer and the check-in bags go on the original flight, how will the bags clear customs? As the flight is from Delhi - JFK - Dallas. Will the bags be at JFK for me to pick up and clear customs, or will they arrive at Dallas through original flight?
For an international flight, your bags are not supposed to fly without you, but I'm sure it happens occasionally by mistake. All you can do is use the "track bags" feature.
NOTE: For the above reasons, airlines prefer not to VDB people with checked bags, especially on international flights. Checking bags will reduce your odds of being VDB, if that's something you are hoping to do.