SDC at YYZ after arrival from INT, with checked baggage?
Jan 24, 2019, 1:59 am
#1
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SDC at YYZ after arrival from INT, with checked baggage?
New scenario for me tomorrow and I couldn't find any existing threads on this.
I'm doing MAD-YYZ-YYC tomorrow. I have a very long layover at YYZ, with two earlier flights I could catch (both above MCT, I believe) and would like to try to do so.
The complicating factor is that I'll have a checked bag. I've done plenty of SDCs before, but almost always with carry-on and only a tiny number of times at the origin of my 1st flight, never trying to SDC the 2nd flight.
Obviously if there's availability before I leave MAD, I can SDC the YYZ-YYC flight there, have them tag the bag on the earlier flight and it's all good.
But let's say there's no availability before I leave MAD, but something opens up by the time I get to YYZ. With not having to pick up bags at YYZ anymore on Europe-Canada connections (and possibly OSS?), is it still possible to SDC?
I'm doing MAD-YYZ-YYC tomorrow. I have a very long layover at YYZ, with two earlier flights I could catch (both above MCT, I believe) and would like to try to do so.
The complicating factor is that I'll have a checked bag. I've done plenty of SDCs before, but almost always with carry-on and only a tiny number of times at the origin of my 1st flight, never trying to SDC the 2nd flight.
Obviously if there's availability before I leave MAD, I can SDC the YYZ-YYC flight there, have them tag the bag on the earlier flight and it's all good.
But let's say there's no availability before I leave MAD, but something opens up by the time I get to YYZ. With not having to pick up bags at YYZ anymore on Europe-Canada connections (and possibly OSS?), is it still possible to SDC?
Jan 24, 2019, 2:36 am
#2
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
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Short check your bags to YYZ only and then you can SDC to earlier flights or even add connections and re-check your bags. The only thing going against you is YYZ baggage handling where you'd be waiting 30+ minutes to get your bags.
Jan 24, 2019, 4:08 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Moncton, NB, Canada
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Exactly. Connections desk or upstairs at the concierge office.
Jan 24, 2019, 4:12 am
#4
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It's an option, but I'd prefer to avoid short checking, if possible, (a) in case of IRROPs (MAD-YYZ is a 763, so that's a high risk) and (b) short checking the bags would definitely mean I couldn't catch the first of the earlier two flights.
Jan 24, 2019, 10:26 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ideally YOW, but probably not
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Then you are SOL. They will not do an SDC with checked bags when you are at the connection (YYZ in this case).
Jan 24, 2019, 10:50 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
Unfortunately this is one of the drawbacks with OSS. I used to frequently fly the same USA-YYZ-YEG route with a checked bag, and there was an earlier YYZ-YEG flight that was just under the MCT. In the past I'd simply pick up the bag, go to connections and ask if I could get on the earlier flight, get my new BP and away I'd go. Fortunately, in my case, after OSS started the timing of my regular flights changed so that the desired connection met MCT, but otherwise that option would have been gone (and short checking too risky in case of delayed 1st segment).
I wish that if a SDC can't be confirmed at point of origin, that AC would let you standby for later connections when you originally check in (and tag bags accordingly).
I wish that if a SDC can't be confirmed at point of origin, that AC would let you standby for later connections when you originally check in (and tag bags accordingly).
Jan 24, 2019, 10:56 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2016
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As mentioned above short check is highly recommended. Think about it this way, missing the first YYC flight but getting on the second flight is better than taking the later one. And MAD-YYZ is very unlikely to be delayed so much that rechecking your bag at YYZ will result you in missing your original YYC flight.
Jan 24, 2019, 1:36 pm
#8
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Okay, thanks. Not what I was hoping to hear, but such is life. I'll think about the short check cost/benefits. Of course, the hope is that I can just SDC prior to check-in at MAD.
Jan 24, 2019, 2:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Canada
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You can ask them to put a standby tag on your desire YYZ YYC flight and if you make it, they will put the bag on the plane. It is an extra step but you have to insist at check in.
Jan 24, 2019, 2:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
Just out of curiosity, how do you actually get this done (I'd love to be able to do this myself). At the end of the year I was doing a few segment runs to retain status, where I'd be connecting onto a flight in the western triangle (which allow free standby). I tried getting put onto standby at origin airport (both at check-in and via Concierge) and was told that they don't have the ability to place pax on standby for flights departing from a different station.
Jan 24, 2019, 2:42 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2003
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I can't remember the specific, I am sorry. It was in YYZ and the inbound aircraft showing big time delay. She put me on standby on the later YYZ YYC in case my plane goes mechanical. I was going YYZ YYC YEG. Checkin agent added an additional standby tag onto YYZ YYC just in case. You are right, I don't think they can do it at another airport. The only way to do it is to short check to YYZ and pick it up and check it in again.
Jan 24, 2019, 6:27 pm
#12
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Well, there was space to SDC to the next earlier flight, so I did that. The first flight afterwards, it turns out, isn't a legal connection - for some reason, I thought 60 minutes was applicable MCT, but it's actually 75, and the connection from 837 to 147 was only 70.
I'll think in the morning about short-checking and seeing if I can further change at YYZ, but given it's currently J1 (and getting home an hour earlier isn't worth sitting in Y for 4 hours) and that would require deplaning, getting bags and getting to a concierge or SE desk in 25 minutes to re-check the bag and still make the 45-minute cut-off, I may just avoid the hassle. Especially if my BPs end up with OSS for 149 after I do OLCI.
I'll think in the morning about short-checking and seeing if I can further change at YYZ, but given it's currently J1 (and getting home an hour earlier isn't worth sitting in Y for 4 hours) and that would require deplaning, getting bags and getting to a concierge or SE desk in 25 minutes to re-check the bag and still make the 45-minute cut-off, I may just avoid the hassle. Especially if my BPs end up with OSS for 149 after I do OLCI.