yyj9

Here are the unpleasant details.
4 people, on 3 separate AE redemption tickets, YYZ-YYJ, one is on my account.
3 tickets are market fare redemptions, 1 is classic.
They have a 2 hour connection In YYZ, from an international destination on Sunwing
Arriving around 6 pm, departing 8pm.
1 person has a checked suitcase. I'm pretty sure it will not be checked through.
I am SE.

I consider that their chances of making their AC flight are not great, and want to be prepared to do what I can to get them home.
Any suggestions on how best to handle this? If they miss, is there any history of AC rescheduling people? Is it better for them to be checked in? What actually happens when people no-show? Ticket cancelled?
As a SE, is there anything I can ask a conceierge to do to help? (My son is one of the foolish people)
If their sunwing flight is delayed and it is clear they are not going to make their AC flight is it best to try to change their AE tickets?
Thanks for any suggestions

zsm1928

From what I have witnessed in YYZ recently, people have been waiting over an hour for the luggage to get on the carousel after a sunwing flight. I saw this last night (200 people camping out around the carousel that hasnt yet started) as well as last week.

Best of luck to them getting the bags in time to connect.

drvannostren

There's a REALLLLLLLLLLY good chance this goes wrong. Coming from someone who used to work for the company contracted to handle Sunwing, they are notoriously late, and it's not usually a few minutes, it's a few hours. As it's a charter they just wanna make sure everyone gets there since no one is connecting.

The flights are often CRAMMED with bags too, so offloading 200ish bags all bulk-load is not quick. If I were you, I'd rebook this some other way. Or if possible rebook the vacation to/from YVR on SWG.

Oh BTW nothing will get checked through, 100%, there's no agreement of any kind between SWG/AC so, that's a total non-starter. You'd be better off buying 2 smaller bags and carrying them on and hoping you get away with it.

PLeblond

Assuming there might be space, you may want to try and rebook the next day and split a hotel room at YYZ. The rebook fee and hotel might be better than the worst case scenario of needing to purchase 4 one way tickets to YYJ....

Edit: I just noticed 3 separate AP bookings. That means 3 x $90 rebooking fee, plus the hotel. That changes the scenario, but I'd still inquire about room the next day.

alexbc

Oh brother, while I've made connections on AC with 1hr between flights AND checked luggage, Sunwing is a different story!

What I could recommend is to make sure they online check to the AC flight ASAP, and I beleive Sunwing may have an extra fee for priority luggage handling? I do remember something like that, it may well be worth it!

gcashin

When is the flight? There's a weather advisory for YYZ tomorrow (Feb 21), so if it's tomorrow, you should be able to rebook the flights now for a later connection or the following morning.

yyj9

Thanks everyone,
The flight is Monday. I would hope for bad weather and an advisory except I actually have to transit YYZ myself and would prefer smooth sailing

I have never missed a flight. What actually happens? If they no-show will they have to buy new tickets? Does being checked-in make a difference?

To make a change do they deal with AE or AC, as they have already taken the outbound leg?

And I will try to convince the guy with the big suitcase to buy a small one and split his extra stuff up between the others, and throw out any oversized liquids.

I'll check into the priority baggage thing, but I think they are just screwed regardless with checked bags. And that's if the flight is on time.

ABG

If things arrive ontime/early, leave the checked bag person behind in YYZ at baggage claim and the other two go onwards... then you only have to find 1 seat to get him/her home.

IluvSQ

Why not just leave the checked bag person behind, period?

montezume

Survival of the fittest?

yyj9

I have suggested this to my son. He said "oh good idea! And hold the plane..." I laughed and said "good luck with that. Just get on the plane"

Total travel newbie.

drvannostren

There's also the possibility you could "miss" the bag at the carousel, then call them from vancouver and claim the bag never showed up? Not sure it'd work, and it'd involve some lying, but it might work.

Or just pack all the important stuff in the existing carry-ons and forget that checked bag.

NoahVail

...one option (similar to drvannostren) would be to put all the group's dirty laundry in the offending bag with a home address tag on it. When the time runs out at the carousel, leave it behind and check in on your home flight. When you get to your home port, make a missing baggage report with Sunwing.

I did this last year at JFK on Delta/AC PSA-JFK-YYZ with a weather induced quick connection and my bag arrived successfully home in YYZ, clearing both customs all on it's own (I did have to pick it up at YYZ). It's funny how waylayed baggage seems to find a way home if it is properly labeled.

yyj9

Hmm, could do both. Pack the important stuff in the other bags, and then "forget" the bag at yyz and try to retrieve it later. I'll suggest this too.

Still would like to know people's experience with plain old missing a flight. Is the ticket usually forfeited or is there a chance they get put on another flight, maybe just charged the change fee?

yyj9

Ok, good to know. Need to make sure it is well tagged.
Thanks