Flying Redhead

I booked a business ticket ORD-HKG-HAN with Cathay and Dragonair using AA miles. However, since the CID-ORD leg wasn't available using miles and I didn't want to risk losing the award ticket on Cathay, I simply purchased that leg separately using cash.

Ticket 1: CID-ORD = economy, AA
Ticket 2: ORD onwards = business, Cathay/Dragonair

Do I have to pay to check a bag for that CID-ORD leg since it's on a separate ticket, even though it's on the same trip? I no longer have any useful status.

AA customer support can't seem to give me a straight answer for if I'll be charged for checking a bag from CID-ORD or not. They only say that it's up to the counter agent when I check in. Does anyone know if there's any kind of policy/procedure/guidance of any kind or any experience with this type of multiple ticket situation?

Thanks!

miamigrad

As American Airlines and US Airways are still operating as distinct carriers, this question is being moved to the pre-merger American Airlines forum.

/Moderator

Often1

Here is the chart. The fee is $25 unless you have a waiver such as for status (not apparent from your profile).

There is the possibility that a kindly agent may as a customer service gesture waive the fee because you are flying onward, but that is purely a matter of discretion and is nothing you will know about in advance.

If you look at your e-ticket receipt for the CID-ORD ticket, you will see your baggage allowance listed at the bottom. That is what the agent will see at check-in.

Flying Redhead

Thanks! I'm planning on taking a checked bag of items to donate for a group and they've asked if there's a bag fee.

I was just hoping that there might be some kind of guidance available to agents since this is probably not a rare thing. I just double checked my receipt and it actually does not show the baggage allowance. However... I did notice that I used my AA card and remembered that I think that card actually has a free checked bag as a benefit.

I just double checked and yep, it does! I can check one bag due to the credit card I used to purchase the ticket so even if they don't want to waive the baggage fee because I'm continuing the trip, they should waive it because of the card.

I always forget that the card has benefits other than earning miles... Thanks again for the help and sorry for asking a question that I should have been able to answer on my own.