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Star Gold / Silver (*G / *S) checked baggage policy (2017 onwards)

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Star Gold / Silver (*G / *S) checked baggage policy (2017 onwards)

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Old Aug 8, 2018, 5:11 am
  #91  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
I never suggested they should. I meant to say that since there was no advance seat selection and no preferred seat access, what else is left? "Special privileges wherever you choose to fly" is the advertisement that Star Alliance uses to describe *G status. I am just looking for these special privileges.
The special privileges refers to things like priority everything (i.e. check in, baggage handling, security, immigration, boarding), access to lounges, free baggage allowance, IRROPs insurance on all instances of things going sideways, etc. So far my experience has been that these features are all Universal across all *A airlines with the only limiting factor being the airport in question (i.e. not all have a lounge or priority security).

Seat selection was never part of the *A benefits and is implemented on an airline by airline basis. For instance, AC doesn't give away preferred seat selection to their elites, unless they're flying on a specific fare class and/or are super elite. On the other hand, United's program hands out preferred seating (i.e. Economy+) even if you are on the cheapest revenue ticket or an award ticket issued by another *A partner so long as your BIS is on a UA seat.

Originally Posted by canadiancow
Did you or did you not get the free bag?

​​​​​​On the technical side, was this booked in X class, or was it a paid ticket? I've heard of this a lot with Aeroplan tickets, even booked by Super Elites, where OLCI asks for money. But the agents are usually very quick to accept bags without payment. If there's another reproducible case where you don't get your entitlement, I'm curious to know what it is.
In virtually all cases *A Gold will give you free baggage allowance regardless of what fare you're travelling on (even award travel). In fact a while back I was travelling on a domestic Aeroplan issued ticket with AC and after showing my MilagePlus card was able to check a bag in no problems. The only exception I can think of are the Economy Basic tickets issued by Lufthansa. That being said AC's IT system is a real dog (no offence to dogs), and have encountered situations where it demanded I fork over the $25. In those instances, I would continue with OLCI claiming to have 0 bags to check in and when I get to the airport head over to the check in counter to get my bag checked in. Aside from a couple regional airports where the agent wasn't aware of the *A Gold policy, I had no problem getting that bag checked for free.

Safe Travels,

James
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 5:50 am
  #92  
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Originally Posted by j2simpso
The special privileges refers to things like priority everything (i.e. check in, baggage handling, security, immigration, boarding), access to lounges, free baggage allowance, IRROPs insurance on all instances of things going sideways, etc. So far my experience has been that these features are all Universal across all *A airlines with the only limiting factor being the airport in question (i.e. not all have a lounge or priority security).

Seat selection was never part of the *A benefits and is implemented on an airline by airline basis. For instance, AC doesn't give away preferred seat selection to their elites, unless they're flying on a specific fare class and/or are super elite. On the other hand, United's program hands out preferred seating (i.e. Economy+) even if you are on the cheapest revenue ticket or an award ticket issued by another *A partner so long as your BIS is on a UA seat.



In virtually all cases *A Gold will give you free baggage allowance regardless of what fare you're travelling on (even award travel). In fact a while back I was travelling on a domestic Aeroplan issued ticket with AC and after showing my MilagePlus card was able to check a bag in no problems. The only exception I can think of are the Economy Basic tickets issued by Lufthansa. That being said AC's IT system is a real dog (no offence to dogs), and have encountered situations where it demanded I fork over the $25. In those instances, I would continue with OLCI claiming to have 0 bags to check in and when I get to the airport head over to the check in counter to get my bag checked in. Aside from a couple regional airports where the agent wasn't aware of the *A Gold policy, I had no problem getting that bag checked for free.

Safe Travels,

James
I understand the policy, I'm just more interested in why it didn't work here.

For example, if I, as a Super Elite, book an X class segment, OLCI will try to charge me for my first bag. But check-in agents always (and easily) take the bag, priority tag it, and don't charge me.

But I've never heard of that happening with anything other than an Aeroplan ticket.

It's not about it being X class, it's the lack of the FQTV field on the PNR that causes OLCI to charge.

​​​​
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 8:15 am
  #93  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
Did you or did you not get the free bag?

​​​​​​On the technical side, was this booked in X class, or was it a paid ticket? I've heard of this a lot with Aeroplan tickets, even booked by Super Elites, where OLCI asks for money. But the agents are usually very quick to accept bags without payment. If there's another reproducible case where you don't get your entitlement, I'm curious to know what it is.
I did get the free bag, but the manager said she was making an exception and that I should not expect it in the future. She did not say why, other than the system said I should not get a free bag and that the regular check in agent would not be able to override as she had. canadiancow, it was a revenue ticket (the glitch may have been that it was a United code share booked on United.com with an AC check in). As for the other privileges that j2simpso mentions (priority check in, baggage handling, security, immigration, boarding, access to lounges, free baggage allowance, IRROPs insurance on all instances of things going sideways, etc) many of these are not available, in my experience, in smaller US airports flying in to Canada. I did get the priority sticker on my luggage, though! And boarded Group 2.
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Old Sep 16, 2018, 7:39 pm
  #94  
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A Star Gold asked me today (TK*G) if they would be getting a free bag on BCN-YUL Rouge - Economy Basic fare.

I am guessing no?
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Old Sep 16, 2018, 7:46 pm
  #95  
 
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Originally Posted by rankourabu
A Star Gold asked me today (TK*G) if they would be getting a free bag on BCN-YUL Rouge - Economy Basic fare.

I am guessing no?
According to the AC baggage calculator for that route and fare class, *G pays $60 US/CAD each way for the first bag. Second bag is free.
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Old Sep 16, 2018, 8:05 pm
  #96  
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
According to the AC baggage calculator for that route and fare class, *G pays $60 US/CAD each way for the first bag. Second bag is free.
Ok so if *Gold and companion each have a bag, then just check both under *G for $60?
Interesting.
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Old Sep 16, 2018, 8:09 pm
  #97  
 
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Originally Posted by rankourabu
Ok so if *Gold and companion each have a bag, then just check both under *G for $60?
Interesting.
This is what the calculator says. I mean it actually says the first is free, before saying its $60 for basic economy. It’s extremely unclear.
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Old Sep 16, 2018, 8:20 pm
  #98  
 
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You can check the flight on Air Canada Website under baggage rules status Star Alliance Gold one additional bag 23 kg passenger only everyone else pays for an extra bag in economy.
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 1:37 pm
  #99  
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Originally Posted by jc94


This is what the calculator says. I mean it actually says the first is free, before saying its $60 for basic economy. It’s extremely unclear.
Exactly
So what the heck does this mean?
$60 for first bag, but 2nd free?

It actually says on Spanish OTAs that the fee will be 50 Euro (CAD76)....

So which is it?

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Old Sep 17, 2018, 3:24 pm
  #100  
 
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Your two bags are free. Economy pays. Try checking economy no status. Many of the Star Alliance carriers on certain routes only allow one check bag for free. Air Canada between United States and Canada there is a fee for checked bags.
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 3:39 pm
  #101  
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Originally Posted by breakthrough37
Your two bags are free. Economy pays. Try checking economy no status. Many of the Star Alliance carriers on certain routes only allow one check bag for free. Air Canada between United States and Canada there is a fee for checked bags.
That would be true if it werent a LGT Economy Basic fare introduced June 5
United gives *G a free bag on these new joint venture fares, does AC?

https://loyaltylobby.com/wp-content/...nsatlantic.pdf
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 3:59 pm
  #102  
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Originally Posted by rankourabu
Exactly
So what the heck does this mean?
$60 for first bag, but 2nd free?

It actually says on Spanish OTAs that the fee will be 50 Euro (CAD76)....

So which is it?

My interpretation is +1 bag at the weight the fare allows. So it would be 1+1 for an economy (non-basic) ticket and 0+1 for a basic economy ticket. The tool just sucks.
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 9:29 pm
  #103  
 
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You have to look at the carrier’s rule that you are traveling on. I always try to fly United. When there are other carriers involved with my United flight tickets usually on a return flight or multi destination. I checked the baggage rules for all the available carriers.

Los Angeles to Singapore United
Duabi to Los Angeles Air Canada, Swiss and Lufthansa one bag two bags Air China and Turkish Air.

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Old Sep 18, 2018, 7:13 am
  #104  
 
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Sorry but I am still a bit confused having read through the previous replies. Say if I am flying LHR-YYZ on economy basic as a *G, would my first checked bag cost $60 or $0?
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Old Sep 18, 2018, 7:24 am
  #105  
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Originally Posted by ronald55
Sorry but I am still a bit confused having read through the previous replies. Say if I am flying LHR-YYZ on economy basic as a *G, would my first checked bag cost $60 or $0?
Noone really knows - I m betting $60 (Actually it seems 50GBP ex LHR)
Though it appears your second bag would be free

AC=fail.
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