Do I trust AA with bags DCA-DFW-SFO-SYD?
 

I am on an award ticket from DCA connecting in DFW and SFO.

It is AA DCA-DFW-SFO and QF SFO-SYD.

The schedule is:

DCA-DFW 230P-440P
DFW-SFO 535P-720P
SFO-SYD 1040P

I really don't want to take just carry ons but the problem is if the bag doesn't make it I will only be in SYD overnight and the on to NZ and PPT.

Has anyone had experience with this before?

The reason I am worried is that my parent's bag BOS-DFW (nonstop) didn't make it and they have checked in 2 hours early and then had a 3 hour delay.

An alternative is to check it just with AA as far as SFO and then re-check with QF. This is not ideal but is it a better alternative than thru-checking?

Just check it through to Sydney. In the v unlikely event that it is delayed, then QF Baggage services will sort it out and forward it to your address in AKL or PPT if need be

Dave

Would not be too worried on the SFO connection as there is plenty of time (over 3 hours).

I would be worried about the DFW connection of 55 minutes (legal but is it worth the risk?).

I'd feel safer on the 12:55pm departure since you really want your bags with you.

Your parents delay had nothing to do with preventable issues... your schedule would be better taking an earlier flight to avoid weather related delays (at DCA or DFW).

My bag made it JFK-CDG (connection through LHR) on Tuesday. Does anyone have a more recent exeprience?

I'm doing DCA-JFK-LHR-BCN on AA/BA at the end of the month and will let you know how it goes.

As Dave Noble said, check the bags through to Sydney. If there are any problems, there are enough flights to get you your bag in a timely manner.

If you are still concerned, pack 1-2 days gear in a carry-on and place the rest in checked baggage. If travelling with a companion, include some of theirs so you both aren't stuck waiting for baggage or having to purchase new clothes.

Know that even if your bags get lost/delayed on the AA connections, it becomes QF problem to get them to you since they operate the last leg of your itinerary. Learned this the hard way when my bags never made it to the LHR connection on AA and it became Aer Lingus' problem when I got to Dublin on that carrier from LHR.

Stateside I've had an itinerary from JFK-MIA-MCO-DFW-LAX with checked bags and they did arrive in LA on my flight.

I have just had some bags go astray in HEL , so now enjoying being able to go buy $500 of clothes at the travel insurance company's expense in sunny Madison; so not all bad if they do get delayed, especially if you have taken the approach of packing enough stuff for a day or 2

To me, there just seems to be excessive paranoia over luggage ; I have rarely had luggage go astray and never actually had a bag permanently lost


Dave

Also suggest just checking it straight though. I've never had an issue with Qantas, although I TRY to just carry-on - no matter where I go! I also would be worried about the DFW connection time - esp you're travelling at any time of higher weather issues - perhaps 50 weeks of the year for DFW?? :rolleyes: