Not collecting checked luggage on arrival for a couple of hours?
 

I have never done this, hence my asking:

I have 8 hours in-between two (domestic) Air Canada flights at Quebec YQB on two separate tickets next week. I want to go downtown for a little bit of sightseeing, but do not want to haul my luggage around. Apparently there is no left-luggage facility at the airport and Air Canada only allows baggage drop-off 4 hours before departure so that I cannot check-in my baggage with them immediately after arrival on the incoming flight. So the only option to leave the suitcase at the airport would be the somewhat unusual solution to not reclaim it in the baggage hall when arriving, but only when returning from the city before checking-in for the outbound flight (assuming that all unclaimed suitcases get collected at the belt after a while and are not left there on their own for a day or so).

There are lots of unclaimed suitcases at airports every day, of course, and so collecting a suitcase at a later point is not too unusual - but I am not sure if such a manoeuvre entails some risks I do not spot and should better avoid (other than the risk resulting from baggage reclaim being located landside so that everyone can access luggage - a concept I have never understood, to be honest, as passengers are not necessarily in the baggage hall befire their luggage)..

If you care at all about your your luggage, I wouldn't do it.

Air Canada allows through checking of bags on separate tickets, maybe try that instead.

I have thought about that, but both routings go via YUL and my understanding is that you cannot have the same airport on a baggage tag twice. The only workaround here would be if AC allowed my suitcase to "layover" at YUL for half a day while I am continuing to YQB in the morning and returning from there to YUL in the afternoon.

PS: Before someone starts wondering/asking - the non-refundable ticket for the routing departing YQB was booked a while ago and I then had to cut short an intended longer stay in Quebec, so I more or less have to position to YQB on another ticket to depart from there on my earlier booking.

It sounds like something I might try with my old backpack and nothing of serious value inside.

I'm guessing the odds that someone steals the bag are low. But that would be in the back of my mind during the hours I spent away from the bag, knowing it's probably just sitting there in the baggage hall. After a while, someone will toss it in a pile with other unclaimed bags but won't necessarily guard it closely. (I know I've shown up very late for whatever reason and just wandered into a pile of bags to find mine.)

Is the 4-hour check-in rule a hard rule? I've mainly found that rule in place in airports where the counter is only open certain hours or my airline's flights are worked by contractors or another airline's agents. I've walked into large busy airports many hours in advance and checked bags with airlines that have larger all-day operations. Did it in Boston last week about 5 1/2 hours prior to a Delta flight.

The obvious risk is that someone will steal the OP's checked baggage before airline personnel remove it from the baggage carousel/belt, and store it in the airline's baggage office. If the OP is willing to accept that risk, I don't foresee a problem.

Edited to add: Anyone have any idea how big a problem theft of baggage from the baggage delivery carousel/belt is at YQB?

Moving thread to Air Canada.
Please follow there...........
Thanks...
Obscure2K
TravelBuzz Moderator

When I was a kid, I traveled as an unaccompanied minor where there was a cancellation of the connecting flight. I picked up one bag but left the other one behind, not knowing any better. I never saw it again.

Funny, the airline did not send anyone to help me. I just followed the crowd to get a hotel voucher.

I did it at Heathrow 29 years ago. They were not impressed with me upon my return. The reason were IRA bombers at this time. My suitcase was all alloy Rimowa and they could not even Xray it. Really not smart on my part.Needless to say, I have never done it again.

If a little bit of sightseeing is worth losing your luggage and never seeing it again, then go for it. But, in that case, I don't understand why you would go to the bother of bringing it to the departure airport and checking it in the first place, as you could just as easily abandon your luggage at the hotel or any other point prior to travel.

If not - then do not contemplate doing something so dumb!

Would carry it downtown and leave it at one of the nicer hotels. Some charge for this (some Fairmonts I think from memory) but in most you can just make some vague noises about checking in later and you'll be fine.

No, I cannot as I will be ending my visit to Canada with the flight departing YQB without any further stopovers.

I asked a genuine question and there is no reason to be rude and call me dumb. If you actually would have read the thread, it would have become clear that the idea was based on the premise that baggage reclaim is, like in most airports around the world, not in a public space, but airside in an area to which only arriving passengers have access. Such a set-up limits the risk of theft significantly and unreclaimed luggage is taken care of the handling agent. I am aware of the fact that particularly in North America, unlike in Europe, baggage reclaim is often in a public area and that was one of the reasons I was inquiring about YQB.