Avoiding transborder checked baggage fee nonsense
 

Hi all,

I have the choice of two flights: United Express 4975 YUL-ORD, or AC8651. I am trying to avoid the $25 fee both ways for a checked bag. I can have the ticket issued by United or by AC (at least that's my assumption: I can book either flight as UNITED with a UA logo, or AC OPERATED BY UNITED with an AC logo through my company's booking system).

Would me buying the United-issued ticket avoid the AC surcharge even if I'm on the AC flight? Or must I book UA and BE on a UA flight?

Here's a link to the booking screenshot, since I just re-read the above and it's confusing even me, who wrote it. http://i.imgur.com/Sle7G.jpg

Thanks,

-pN

Just bring an oversized carry on and gate check.

What is your AC Status?

Hahaha. Yeah that's a good idea actually :D

AC*C = Cattle class. :(

For North America, bags fees are always charged by operating carrier on the first segment, not ticketed (i.e. codeshares don't factor into the equation).

In any case, both AC (unless it's domestic) and United charge for 1st checked bag unless you have status, so I'm not sure it would make a difference?

Ooh. My bad - I should've checked UA before posting - but when I was flying SEA-YVR a few weeks ago, UA agents were telling me how AC forces them to charge for checked bags whereas they wouldn't have. So I assumed their first checked bag is free, oops.

I've done that before on DL, AF before.

Please do not abuse this. Once enough people doing this, even slightly overweight laptop bags will be gate checked! :td:

Yeah, I would tend to agree.

But the bag counts as a personal item....
Or they become like NK.

I certainly don't condone tis kind of abuse .and I'm pretty sure it was suggested in jest.

But there's no way laptop bags will ever need to be checked. Theft would be absolutely rampant and no business traveller would agree to it.

There would be many more people applying for TSA jobs :D

All bags, laptops included, had to be checked for a period of time after 9/11 on some routes / airlines.

Even NK allows a personal item. They only charge for carry-on bags IIRC.

Well, if OP is willing to do YUL-YYZ-ORD then he's golden:D