Jun 18, 2016, 2:27 pm
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:
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 it’s 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
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.)
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:
NOTE: CX will still offer protection and baggage interlining between Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon.
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
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 OAG’s 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?
According to OAG’s 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?
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 it’s 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 customer’s 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.
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 you’re actually headed at the end of the trip. Both Qantas and American Airlines have confirmed the new arrangements to Australian Business Traveller.
Instead, those bags will only be tagged as far as the destination shown on each individual booking – not where you’re actually headed at the end of the trip. Both Qantas and American Airlines have confirmed the new arrangements to Australian Business Traveller.
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."
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."
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
"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 I’m not sure how they can retroactively apply it to tickets purchased before the new policy was implemented.
There’s 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
There’s 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
"
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
- If you’re booked on two separate PNRs on oneworld carriers, you’ve previously been able to check your bags through to your final destination
- If you’re booked on two separate tickets on oneworld carriers, you’ve 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:
Link to full article on Australian Business Traveller
"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:
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)
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
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
Separate ticketing / PNR: AA, oneworld, through baggage & protection issues > 2016
Oct 28, 2017, 2:26 pm
#646
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Oct 29, 2017, 3:04 am
#647
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
You didn’t say if this an award or revenue booking.
If award it would be a change but could be on the same PNR.
If award it would be a change but could be on the same PNR.
Hi All,
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I keep getting different answers. We booked our flights on AA from LAX - LHR a few months ago, and recently decided to add LHR - MUC on BA. We have a 7 hour layover in Heathrow and I thought we could check our bags through to MUC.
Today when talking to AA, they told me that if the flights are not ticketed together I could not check my bags to the BA flight.
Not sure if it makes a difference, but I'm Platinum on AA. Any help would be appreciated since I booked the LHR - MUC flights on BA since they were oneworld.
Thanks in advance!
Reza
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I keep getting different answers. We booked our flights on AA from LAX - LHR a few months ago, and recently decided to add LHR - MUC on BA. We have a 7 hour layover in Heathrow and I thought we could check our bags through to MUC.
Today when talking to AA, they told me that if the flights are not ticketed together I could not check my bags to the BA flight.
Not sure if it makes a difference, but I'm Platinum on AA. Any help would be appreciated since I booked the LHR - MUC flights on BA since they were oneworld.
Thanks in advance!
Reza
Nov 3, 2017, 5:23 pm
#648
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 15
Hi - Thanks for the wiki and the great info in this thread 
Just wondering if I can get a recent experience or up to date correct info on the AA missed connection protections policy.
Flying on separate tickets
Paid ($) First LAS-LAX on AA then a reward ticket QF LAX-SYD-BNE Business.
I am Qantas Platinum One Status.
My understanding is that
Bags will not be checked through, I will need to collect at LAX T4 and walk them to TBIT to check in for Qantas flight
but
that in the event of a delay LAS-LAX that AA will protect me due to it being a AA-->OW connection even though it is on separate tickets.
Your advice will be appreciated
Just wondering if I can get a recent experience or up to date correct info on the AA missed connection protections policy.
Flying on separate tickets
Paid ($) First LAS-LAX on AA then a reward ticket QF LAX-SYD-BNE Business.
I am Qantas Platinum One Status.
My understanding is that
Bags will not be checked through, I will need to collect at LAX T4 and walk them to TBIT to check in for Qantas flight
but
that in the event of a delay LAS-LAX that AA will protect me due to it being a AA-->OW connection even though it is on separate tickets.
Your advice will be appreciated
Nov 5, 2017, 3:02 am
#649
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
Although the official policy may say otherwise, AA were happy to through check my baggage from DCA to LHR yesterday. The agent effectively conjoined a one way DCA-JFK 001 plated ticket with my inbound JFK-LHR 125 plated ticket as I could see on the AA app the BA flight was added to my DCA-JFK reservation.
Nov 6, 2017, 5:56 pm
#650
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 304
Not sure where to put this but I recently experienced dealing with Baggage Rule Resolution 302. I flew on AA, LAX to HKG in business, arrived in the morning and had a flight leaving for Papua New Guinea 12 hours later on the same day. The PNG trip was a separate PNR locator altogether, not at all tied with AA. I checked two bags with AA, approximately 50-55 lbs each.
For my flight to PNG, I flew on Air Nuigini, they had less generous checked luggage weight limits. My work was paying for baggage fees so I didn't really care what the cost was (although this would later almost come back to kick me in the ...).
I'm at the Air Nuigini counter as soon as they open which is 3 hours before departure in HKG. They told me that my two checked luggage will have an overweight fee of 1200 HKD. I said ok, here's my card. They said we don't have a card reader so we'll have to use the manual method with carbon paper.
.... is about to hit the fan. The only CC I had that could have worked with this method was my AMEX card. You guessed it, they do not take AMEX. My Mastercard had numbers printed on, my Visa was metal but the numbers were hardly raised. My ATM card would not allow me to pull money from the ATM's. None of the PINs worked for my CC's to draw cash advances. And I had about $200 USD. These bags needed to get on my flight and I'm running around HKG trying to find any type of manual carbon paper copier. Of course no one has had these copiers in a long time.
Finally the Air Nuigini agent at the counter notices my bag tags from my AA flight. She checks the date. She asks me when I got into HKG. I said this morning. She then asks for my boarding pass. Few minutes later, after I spent 2 hours running HKG, hitting up every ATM machine, help desk, and burning minutes on my phone, she says "ok, here's your boarding pass, your bags are good to go" with 45 minutes to spare.
I went from having to pay $1200 HKD's to paying nothing. Apparently if you're transiting within a 24 hour period at an airport, most significant carrier applies for luggage rules. And AA business class was the most significant carrier in my case, which meant I could have checked two bags up to 70 lbs through Air Nuigini, which is well beyond what they accept. Did not know that! Or I just got super lucky and the Cathay Dragon desk agents working for Air Nuigini hooked it up.
For my flight to PNG, I flew on Air Nuigini, they had less generous checked luggage weight limits. My work was paying for baggage fees so I didn't really care what the cost was (although this would later almost come back to kick me in the ...).
I'm at the Air Nuigini counter as soon as they open which is 3 hours before departure in HKG. They told me that my two checked luggage will have an overweight fee of 1200 HKD. I said ok, here's my card. They said we don't have a card reader so we'll have to use the manual method with carbon paper.
.... is about to hit the fan. The only CC I had that could have worked with this method was my AMEX card. You guessed it, they do not take AMEX. My Mastercard had numbers printed on, my Visa was metal but the numbers were hardly raised. My ATM card would not allow me to pull money from the ATM's. None of the PINs worked for my CC's to draw cash advances. And I had about $200 USD. These bags needed to get on my flight and I'm running around HKG trying to find any type of manual carbon paper copier. Of course no one has had these copiers in a long time.
Finally the Air Nuigini agent at the counter notices my bag tags from my AA flight. She checks the date. She asks me when I got into HKG. I said this morning. She then asks for my boarding pass. Few minutes later, after I spent 2 hours running HKG, hitting up every ATM machine, help desk, and burning minutes on my phone, she says "ok, here's your boarding pass, your bags are good to go" with 45 minutes to spare.
I went from having to pay $1200 HKD's to paying nothing. Apparently if you're transiting within a 24 hour period at an airport, most significant carrier applies for luggage rules. And AA business class was the most significant carrier in my case, which meant I could have checked two bags up to 70 lbs through Air Nuigini, which is well beyond what they accept. Did not know that! Or I just got super lucky and the Cathay Dragon desk agents working for Air Nuigini hooked it up.
Nov 6, 2017, 6:42 pm
#651
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,595
I went from having to pay $1200 HKD's to paying nothing. Apparently if you're transiting within a 24 hour period at an airport, most significant carrier applies for luggage rules. And AA business class was the most significant carrier in my case, which meant I could have checked two bags up to 70 lbs through Air Nuigini, which is well beyond what they accept. Did not know that! Or I just got super lucky and the Cathay Dragon desk agents working for Air Nuigini hooked it up.
The MSC rule only is applicable when it is a through journey; when on 2 bookings, then the 2nd booking's allowance applies for the 2nd booking
Nov 6, 2017, 7:07 pm
#652
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
Not sure where to put this but I recently experienced dealing with Baggage Rule Resolution 302. I flew on AA, LAX to HKG in business, arrived in the morning and had a flight leaving for Papua New Guinea 12 hours later on the same day. The PNG trip was a separate PNR locator altogether, not at all tied with AA. I checked two bags with AA, approximately 50-55 lbs each.
For my flight to PNG, I flew on Air Nuigini, they had less generous checked luggage weight limits. My work was paying for baggage fees so I didn't really care what the cost was (although this would later almost come back to kick me in the ...).
I'm at the Air Nuigini counter as soon as they open which is 3 hours before departure in HKG. They told me that my two checked luggage will have an overweight fee of 1200 HKD. I said ok, here's my card. They said we don't have a card reader so we'll have to use the manual method with carbon paper.
.... is about to hit the fan. The only CC I had that could have worked with this method was my AMEX card. You guessed it, they do not take AMEX. My Mastercard had numbers printed on, my Visa was metal but the numbers were hardly raised. My ATM card would not allow me to pull money from the ATM's. None of the PINs worked for my CC's to draw cash advances. And I had about $200 USD. These bags needed to get on my flight and I'm running around HKG trying to find any type of manual carbon paper copier. Of course no one has had these copiers in a long time.
Finally the Air Nuigini agent at the counter notices my bag tags from my AA flight. She checks the date. She asks me when I got into HKG. I said this morning. She then asks for my boarding pass. Few minutes later, after I spent 2 hours running HKG, hitting up every ATM machine, help desk, and burning minutes on my phone, she says "ok, here's your boarding pass, your bags are good to go" with 45 minutes to spare.
I went from having to pay $1200 HKD's to paying nothing. Apparently if you're transiting within a 24 hour period at an airport, most significant carrier applies for luggage rules. And AA business class was the most significant carrier in my case, which meant I could have checked two bags up to 70 lbs through Air Nuigini, which is well beyond what they accept. Did not know that! Or I just got super lucky and the Cathay Dragon desk agents working for Air Nuigini hooked it up.
For my flight to PNG, I flew on Air Nuigini, they had less generous checked luggage weight limits. My work was paying for baggage fees so I didn't really care what the cost was (although this would later almost come back to kick me in the ...).
I'm at the Air Nuigini counter as soon as they open which is 3 hours before departure in HKG. They told me that my two checked luggage will have an overweight fee of 1200 HKD. I said ok, here's my card. They said we don't have a card reader so we'll have to use the manual method with carbon paper.
.... is about to hit the fan. The only CC I had that could have worked with this method was my AMEX card. You guessed it, they do not take AMEX. My Mastercard had numbers printed on, my Visa was metal but the numbers were hardly raised. My ATM card would not allow me to pull money from the ATM's. None of the PINs worked for my CC's to draw cash advances. And I had about $200 USD. These bags needed to get on my flight and I'm running around HKG trying to find any type of manual carbon paper copier. Of course no one has had these copiers in a long time.
Finally the Air Nuigini agent at the counter notices my bag tags from my AA flight. She checks the date. She asks me when I got into HKG. I said this morning. She then asks for my boarding pass. Few minutes later, after I spent 2 hours running HKG, hitting up every ATM machine, help desk, and burning minutes on my phone, she says "ok, here's your boarding pass, your bags are good to go" with 45 minutes to spare.
I went from having to pay $1200 HKD's to paying nothing. Apparently if you're transiting within a 24 hour period at an airport, most significant carrier applies for luggage rules. And AA business class was the most significant carrier in my case, which meant I could have checked two bags up to 70 lbs through Air Nuigini, which is well beyond what they accept. Did not know that! Or I just got super lucky and the Cathay Dragon desk agents working for Air Nuigini hooked it up.
Nov 6, 2017, 9:27 pm
#653
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 304
For future reference, it should not be necessary to have a credit card with embossed numbers in order to get a non-swipe charge processed. An agent can just hand-print the necessary card data (name, card number, and expiration date) on the multi-part carbon charge slip. (Whether a particular agent will be willing to do this is another matter.)
Nov 6, 2017, 9:44 pm
#654
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 304
^
Dec 14, 2017, 2:58 pm
#655
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 157
AA no longer combines award and purchased tickets
The advice posted earlier this year, i.e.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
Dec 14, 2017, 10:46 pm
#656
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
The advice posted earlier this year, i.e.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
Dec 15, 2017, 7:50 am
#657
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: QF Plat, BA GGL, VA Silver, SQ Gold, IHG Gold, HH Diamond, Accor Plat, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 406
The advice posted earlier this year, i.e.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
"Customers traveling on separate tickets where one segment is an award ticket and another has been purchased can through-check bags."
seems to no longer apply. Just confirmed with AA that they no longer allow you to check-through if one of your bookings is award and the other is pay. Not sure if there was a change in policy. Cannot find anything on their website etc but they were adamant that that is no longer done.
https://www.aasaleslink.com/en-US/do...te_Tickets.pdf
"Customers combining an AAdvantage® award ticket with a oneworld airline’s ticket will receive through check baggage to the point of stopover on the American 001 ticket"
This means they will only check the bag to the stopover point on the AA award ticket.
Dec 15, 2017, 9:39 am
#658
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
Just ask for the bag to be checked through anyways
Apparently it is rather difficult for AA agents to check bags through in the new software, that said, the few times I was flying with the kids and needed to check bags, they always did it. This summer I successfully did AA-BA, AA-QR and BA-BA, none of my requests were rejected in the end. The AA-BA case required a supervisor, and the original agent insisted that he had never seen the supervisor do that. I had suggested that AA would have a way reduced risk of me needing to use AA’s misconnect policy if he checked the bags through.in the other two cases, I didn’t have to argue for it.
Dec 19, 2017, 12:33 pm
#659
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midcontinent
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 82
Sorry if this is a silly question, but how do I tell if my two tickets are in the same PNR? I have a trip that consists of two open jaws, with the intersection between them being AA-BA. All the flights show up in both the BA and AA apps and websites when I log in, so I am assuming that means I am on one PNR and thus AA will interline?
Dec 26, 2017, 1:22 pm
#660
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midcontinent
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 82
Through-check and separate tickets (to merge)
I have a booking where I am on two tickets. Ticket 1 is XXX-ORD/ATL-XXX, in Y on AA. Ticket 2 is ORD-LHR-BLR-LHR-ATL in J on BA. ORD is thus a self-connection.
I made this booking via a travel agent. It's two tickets because it priced way better that way. I have an AA record locator and a BA record locator, which I know follow different formats. So far as I can tell, this is all one PNR. If I log in to AA.com I see all segments on both tickets. Likewise on BA.com. If I enter the AA record locator on BA.com it spits back the BA record locator etc.
Based on that, and my reading of the AA interline policy, my assumption is that I can check-in all the way to Bangalore at my point of origin. My flight to Chicago is really early, so I have a long wait ahead of me, and if I am correct then I also assume I would be able to use the AA Flagship Lounge before transiting to T5 when the BA lounge opens.
My question though, is "am I right?". Am I overlooking something here? Is the whole booking showing up on the websites separate from whether it shares a PNR, and if it is, how could I tell?
I made this booking via a travel agent. It's two tickets because it priced way better that way. I have an AA record locator and a BA record locator, which I know follow different formats. So far as I can tell, this is all one PNR. If I log in to AA.com I see all segments on both tickets. Likewise on BA.com. If I enter the AA record locator on BA.com it spits back the BA record locator etc.
Based on that, and my reading of the AA interline policy, my assumption is that I can check-in all the way to Bangalore at my point of origin. My flight to Chicago is really early, so I have a long wait ahead of me, and if I am correct then I also assume I would be able to use the AA Flagship Lounge before transiting to T5 when the BA lounge opens.
My question though, is "am I right?". Am I overlooking something here? Is the whole booking showing up on the websites separate from whether it shares a PNR, and if it is, how could I tell?