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Separate ticketing / PNR: AA, oneworld, through baggage & protection issues > 2016

Old Jun 18, 2016, 2:27 pm
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Last edit by: Prospero
oneworld announces alliance airlines no longer required to honor missed connections or interline baggage for those on separate PNRs

NOTE: See AA Protection on separate oneworld tickets / PNR

AA policy: Through Checked Baggage Policy Separate Tickets - see PDF available attached to post #1.

Background:
Originally Posted by OAG

According to OAGs most recent report, Self-Connection: The Rise and Roadblocks of a Growing Travel Booking Strategy, 40 percent of U.S. travellers are bypassing typical booking practices, such as through an airline, travel agency or OTA, and are beginning to self-connect when they travel.

Self-connecting passengers are defined as those that book separate tickets to fly from City A to City C, via City B.

Already popular in Europe, self-connecting is beginning to increase in popularity in the U.S. market as passengers look to save money. Passengers can mix and match airlines in order to score the best deal or connect through a city they would like to visit on the way to their final destination. But what are some of the roadblocks and challenges to successfully self-connect, and how can airlines or airports make this process easier?
oneworld airlines are not required to provide connecting passenger protection of through checked baggage to passengers on separate PNRs; individual airlines may still choose to do so, but it is not required. AA, BA, QF (9/2016) have modified their policies regarding connection protection and baggage through checking of passengers flying on separate PNRs. Read on. (Yes, it means on separate PNRs AA won't even through check on AA to AA - link to ODF.))

Qatar Airways / QR has verified as of 1 March 2017 they will interline baggage on separate PNRs. They must be the first airline (not one honoring the original oneworld policy) one checks in with, and the connection must meet MCT (usually two hours). See more in post quoted below, and link to Australian Business Traveller article. (26 Feb 2017)

MH / Malaysia Airlines STILL HONOR connection protection and through checking / interlining on separate PNRs.

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon reversed their policy and through check baggage on separate PNRs as of 1 Jan 2017. See post #1.

JL / Japan Airlines began through checking to oneworld partners again in Oct 2016.

Qatar Airways will through check baggage to oneworld partners if its the trip origin airline.

See Wikipost for this thread in oneworld forum for the list of oneworld airlines and known through checking policies.

Link to American Airlines' policy on through checking baggage as of 1 Sep 2016. Notice that different protocols are followed in IROPS / OSO conditions.

As well, if you book an award ticket and a paid ticket at the same time, there are mixed reports here of well trained agents being able to combine these into a single PNR at the time of booking, which enables bags to be through checked. But this takes a good agent, probably several HUCAs, and can only be done at the time of booking. - JJeffrey

Code:
Through Checked Baggage Policy (AA, 1 Sep 2016) (link to PDF)

To align American Airlines (AA) with our oneworld partners and to reduce
baggage mishandlings, we will now only through check customers and
baggage when all the tickets are in the same PNR.

Through check-in will be honored between the following carriers only:
  • Code:
    American Airlines and American Eagle
    • Code:
       oneworld airlines and affiliates


Code:
What if I have separate tickets in the same PNR for itineraries with
American to a non-oneworld carrier?

"Our policy on American to non-oneworld airline tickets has not changed.
We will not through check customers or bags even if the tickets are in
the same PNR."

What would be the bag charges if the customer holds separate tickets
in separate PNRs?

American will not through check a customers bag, regardless if it is
a oneworld carrier. The customer will need to collect their bag at
the final destination on the AA ticket. They will pay for the bag on the
second ticket when they recheck it. This may involve exiting the secure
area, then claiming and re-checking the bags. The Minimum Connecting
Time (MCT) will usually not be sufficient when the customer has separate
tickets issued for each airline.

International flights on separate PNRs (or to non-oneworld carriers) will usually require claiming bags, clearing customs and rechecking bags on another carrier to be continued to their next destination.

What will customers be charged if we can through check the bag?

The charges would depend on what tickets the customer holds in the same PNR.

Do Alaska and our other codeshare/interline partners count as affiliate airlines?

No, the oneworld affiliate airlines are generally the regional partners of the other oneworld carriers. If a customer held an AS ticket and an AA ticket in the same PNR we would not through check the bag. They would need to reclaim then recheck their bag with AS.
When issuing separate tickets it is important your customer be informed that American is unable to through-check' bags with 2 separate tickets (PNRs) if they are traveling on American and non-oneworld carriers. This will result in an airport check-in representative collecting the required baggage fees based on each airline's established policies.

Please advise the customer to allow additional time to claim their baggage, present the required travel documents to enter the country, if relevant, and meet check-in requirements for the connecting flight. The Minimum Connecting Time (MCT) will usually not be sufficient when the customer has separate tickets issued for each airline.

Link

(One PNR can be comprised of several tickets - up to 16, if memory serves.)

Australian Business Traveller (in part): Despite the two airlines' (AA and QF) joint venture across the Pacific, check-in staff are no longer obliged to tag your baggage through to your final destination from September 1 2016 if your flights are booked separately (separate ONRs) rather than under the one reservation.

Instead, those bags will only be tagged as far as the destination shown on each individual booking not where youre actually headed at the end of the trip. Both Qantas and American Airlines have confirmed the new arrangements to Australian Business Traveller.
Those also announcing they will NOT HONOR connection protection and through checking / interlining on separate PNRs, even on oneworld airline partners. (AA still honors connection protection if your next flight is on AA.)

E.g. CX new policy in line with above:

"+ oneworld Ticketing and Disruption Policy 01 Jun 2016

Separate Ticket Policy - Revised Through Check in Handling

With effect from 01 Jun 2016, all oneworld carriers have agreed that through* check-in will apply ONLY to passengers travelling on an oneworld itinerary ticketed on a single ticket or where segments are ticketed separately but in the same PNR.

*=Through services are defined as the customer and their baggage being through checked to their final destinations.

To align with the change, disruption policy will also be revised to exclude protection for passengers holding separate tickets that is not booked under the same PNR."
NOTE: CX will still offer protection and baggage interlining between Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon.

Oneworld (sic) communications chief Michael Blunt tells Australian Business Traveller that individual member airlines are free to offer service above and beyond the (Oneworld) alliance minimum standard if they so choose, so some may continue to offer through check-in for customers travelling on separate bookings.

"All our member airlines will be delighted to continue to check them and their baggage through to any of the 1,000 plus destinations on the alliance network, on multiple sectors, Blunt says, provided the itinerary is all on one booking so we are aware of where they and their baggage want to end up and we can plan accordingly and ensure the best possible customer service delivery throughout the journey.

M. Blunt, as quoted in Australian Business Traveller
Gary Leff, View from the Wing, 16 Aug 2016: reached out to American and learned this new policy goes into effect September 1 although Im not sure how they can retroactively apply it to tickets purchased before the new policy was implemented.

Theres one small saving grace. Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags. Travel must be on American or oneworld partners, and not on partners outside the oneworld alliance (like Etihad or Air Tahiti Nui). Tickets much be in the same reservation. Link
"
  • If youre booked on two separate PNRs on oneworld carriers, youve previously been able to check your bags through to your final destination
  • If youre booked on two separate tickets on oneworld carriers, youve been protected in the event of a misconnect or cancelation


As of June 1, 2016, the oneworld alliance has eliminated these benefits for passengers booked on separate tickets. Oneworld carriers no longer have to check your bags through to other oneworld carriers if booked on a separate ticket, and no longer have to protect you in the event of a misconnect when on separate tickets."

Link to full article in Boarding Area
"In a move which could cause connection chaos for many travellers, airlines belonging to the Oneworld (sic) alliance ... are no longer required to check passengers and their baggage through to their final destination on some connecting flights.

"The new scheme, which came into effect from June 1st (2016), impacts passengers whose journey involves flights on more than one airline where their travel encompasses more than one booking, rather than all flights being listed under a single booking reference. "

But, good news for those flying Qatar Airways:

Originally Posted by JDiver
Important change! Qatar Airways has announced they will no longer adhere to oneworld's draconian baggage transfer policy when flights are booked on separate PNRs.

As long as MCT / minimum connection times are met, QR will interline baggage on separate oneworld PNRs as of 1 March 2017.

Australian Business Traveller found the change in the QR ground services manual issued 23 Feb 2017, verified by a QR spokesperson.

NOTE: If one is beginning travel with a one world airline adhering to the oneworld policy and continuing on Qatar, one flying on separate PNRs is still going to have to collect baggage and recheck with QR.

E.g. SFO-LAX on AA, LAX-DOH-CMB on QR, two PNRs - the first sector on AA, remainder on QR, AA will not respect QR ground handling rules so one will have to recover baggage at LAX and transfer it to the QR checkin counter.

(Added to Wikipost 26 Feb 2017)

Link to full article on Australian Business Traveller
Link to update of Aus BT article with airline announcements of their positions

On FT: oneworld no longer interlining between separate tickets / PNRs?

On FT: BA no longer interlining baggage with separate tickets

On FT: CX will not interline to other oneworld airlines if travelling on separate PNRs

On FT: JAL will continue to interline to other oneworld carriers on separate PNRs (4 Oct 2016)

On FT: Qantas - no checking of luggage separate itineraries from 1 Sep (2016) [some exceptions]

Archived previous thread: ARCHIVE: Change to through-checking Oct 2014 (interlining) baggage on separate tickets

Updated 26 Feb 2017 - JDiver
Print Wikipost

Separate ticketing / PNR: AA, oneworld, through baggage & protection issues > 2016

Old Aug 11, 2016, 4:53 pm
  #151  
 
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Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
Ok. So we sit tight and keep our fingers crossed.
Agreed. Why don't we wait for someone to report back first. I would imagine the blogs would've been all over this. Well maybe not since they're all in bed with AA anyway.
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Old Aug 11, 2016, 5:32 pm
  #152  
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Originally Posted by no1cub17
Surprised Jonnyc hasn't weighed in yet. Not sure if that's a good thing ... Or not.
Wish I had something to add, I find the whole topic as confusing as heck! I'd think ThreeJulietTango is our best hope here.
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Old Aug 11, 2016, 8:18 pm
  #153  
 
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Originally Posted by no1cub17
Agreed. Why don't we wait for someone to report back first.
During my recent effort to check a bag through from CX to AA on separate PNRs, described here, an AA agent on the EXP line told me that if the situation had been the other way around -- if my first PNR had been with AA and the second one with CX -- AA would have checked the bags all the way through. His information might have been out of date, but at that point in our conversation he had already spent some time on the phone with colleagues who seemed to be familiar with this issue.
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Old Aug 11, 2016, 11:42 pm
  #154  
 
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Ugh. I just wish there was hope of oneworld reversing course on this. The whole thing bums me out every time I think about it because I've done the AA to CX and vice versa through check a dozen times over the last couple years and it's beautiful. But on my last run, an AA agent made a mistake and I realized when I got to YVR that my bags were tagged to stop there. I'm sure you all know how the rest of that story goes: time-consuming & frustrating. To know that will be the norm (at least on the return trip) is disheartening.
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Old Aug 14, 2016, 11:10 pm
  #155  
 
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Does anyone have an update on the possible changes to AA baggage interlining.

Connecting from AA onto a separate BA ticket with a decent connection time, although one that isn't long enough to collect and re-check bags. So if AA refuse to interline my bags at LAX I'm pretty screwed.

Obviously this is intensely frustrating given that BA have changed their policy and then applied it retrospectively so to see AA potentially following suit would really be the last nail in the coffin.

Changing rules is one thing, but changing them and impacting passengers through a retrospective application is quite another in my book.
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Old Aug 14, 2016, 11:21 pm
  #156  
 
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I know it's only been a couple of days, but does anyone have an update on AA's interlining policy?

If they refuse to through-check my bags I'll be royally screwed later this week.

Incredibly annoying that this is all being applied retrospectively!
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Old Aug 17, 2016, 12:45 pm
  #157  
 
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Originally Posted by JMurray
I know it's only been a couple of days, but does anyone have an update on AA's interlining policy?

If they refuse to through-check my bags I'll be royally screwed later this week.

Incredibly annoying that this is all being applied retrospectively!
As of this past Monday, at least, there has been no change to AA's policy for thru-checking bags or protecting in the event of misconnects.

If I recall correctly, when AA announced that they were going to stop thru-checking baggage to non-oneworld airlines on separate tickets a few years ago, it only applied for tickets issued on or after the date the announcement was made.
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 8:05 am
  #158  
 
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New AA Going for Great - still going strongly (or should that be strong ?)

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....world-tickets/
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 8:12 am
  #159  
 
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Originally Posted by Hollinger Clarke
New AA Going for Great - still going strongly (or should that be strong ?)

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....world-tickets/


I don't understand why they're doing this? Why is it so difficult to through-check the bags at customer's request?
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 9:31 am
  #160  
 
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Well this is interesting. Time to pop off another email to customer relations. Not that anyone will read it.

So just looking ahead - say we want to book an AA flight to LAX or ORD (for example) and a separate CX or JL PEY ticket onward but can't seem to put it together online, basically we're screwed...? Time to find a bricks and mortar travel agent who could maybe do this? Wow.

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 22, 2016 at 10:45 pm Reason: Rules
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 9:47 am
  #161  
 
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Once again, not only are they racing to the bottom, but lying about what they are planning to do. One month between announcing they will still through check American bags on two separate PNRs to now saying they won't.
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 8:01 pm
  #162  
 
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Originally Posted by no1cub17
Well this is interesting. Time to pop off another email to customer relations. Not that anyone will read it.

So just looking ahead - say we want to book an AA flight to LAX or ORD (for example) and a separate CX or JL PEY ticket onward but can't seem to put it together online, basically we're screwed...? Time to find a bricks and mortar travel agent who could maybe do this? Wow.
I'm hoping that TAs will be able to do this as this has been standard with me for many years. It would be nice if AA could arrange for their web site to add standard GDS fares end on end (the CX E class fit this I believe) or if CX would add the standard AA economy classes (Q N S) rather than the ones more typically used (L M K) with PEY long haul. I won't hold my breathe.

Happy wandering

Fred

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 22, 2016 at 10:46 pm Reason: Carrying out previous redaction
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Old Aug 18, 2016, 9:58 pm
  #163  
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Originally Posted by JMurray
Does anyone have an update on the possible changes to AA baggage interlining.

Connecting from AA onto a separate BA ticket with a decent connection time, although one that isn't long enough to collect and re-check bags. So if AA refuse to interline my bags at LAX I'm pretty screwed.

Obviously this is intensely frustrating given that BA have changed their policy and then applied it retrospectively so to see AA potentially following suit would really be the last nail in the coffin.

Changing rules is one thing, but changing them and impacting passengers through a retrospective application is quite another in my book.
BA is not interlining / through checking baggage on separate PNRs any longer.

AA:
Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags. Travel must be on American or oneworld partners, and not on partners outside the oneworld alliance (like Etihad or Air Tahiti Nui). Tickets much be in the same reservation. Eff. 1 Sep 2016 (Gary Leff, View from the Wing, 16 Aug 2016)
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Old Aug 19, 2016, 12:41 am
  #164  
 
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So what happens when you;

1) Have one ticket LAX-JFK and another JFK-LHR, where they aren't on the same reservation, both revenue tickets
2) All on AA metal
3) You are on time but your bags don't make it to the next day.

Will AA route the bags onward when you file the lost bag report? Or are you without bags for the trip if you decide to continue?
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Old Aug 19, 2016, 6:02 am
  #165  
 
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Originally Posted by beachfan
So what happens when you;

1) Have one ticket LAX-JFK and another JFK-LHR, where they aren't on the same reservation, both revenue tickets
2) All on AA metal
3) You are on time but your bags don't make it to the next day.

Will AA route the bags onward when you file the lost bag report? Or are you without bags for the trip if you decide to continue?
I don't see anything that says that AA --> AA is affected by this policy change, just AA --> OW (not AA).
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