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

NOTE: The first post was made by zpaul.

AA will not through-check baggage on separate PNRs / ticketing.

British Airways will interline to different PNRs BA-BA; not so to other airlines.

Cathay Pacific's original agent instructions, followed by more recent policy, below.

MH, QR will through-check on separate PNRs.

AA

Through Checked Baggage Policy – Separate Tickets (link to PDF)

To align American Airlines (AA) with our oneworld partners and to reduce baggage mishandlings, effective for tickets issued on/after September 1, 2016, we will now only through check customers and baggage when all of the tickets are in the same PNR.

Through check-in will be honored between the following carriers only:

 American Airlines and American Eagle
 oneworld airlines and affiliates

Frequently Asked Questions:

How does the through-check baggage policy affect customers?

For customers holding a ticket that involves other airline flights down-line from American, American will through-check bags to the next point of stopover, provided we have interline agreements with those carriers.
When the customer holds a separate ticket for down-line connecting flights booked in the same PNR, we will through-check bags to oneworld airlines to the point of stopover. Note, American, will collect the other airlines’ applicable baggage charges.

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.

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. The customer will need to collect their baggage at the final destination on the American 001 ticket. The customer is responsible for the baggage fees associated on the second ticket when the baggage is re-checked with the non-oneworld airline. This may involve exiting the secure area to claim and re-check the baggage. International flights may require clearing customs and rechecking on the other airline to the final destination.
What if I have separate tickets in the separate PNRs for itineraries with American to a oneworld carrier?
When there are separate tickets issued in separate PNR’s, customer’s baggage will be checked to the final destination of the American 001 ticket regardless if it is a oneworld carrier. The customer is responsible for the baggage fees associated on the second ticket when the baggage is re-checked with the oneworld airline. This may involve exiting the secure area to claim and re-check the baggage. International flights may require clearing customs and rechecking on the other airline to the final destination.

Will American through-check baggage when separate tickets containing “connecting” flights to an air carrier American does not have an interline agreement with, such as Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier, etc?

No - the customer is responsible for the baggage fees associated on the second ticket when the baggage is re-checked with other airline. This may involve exiting the secure area to claim and re-check the baggage. International flights may require clearing customs and rechecking on the other airline to the final destination.

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 American 001 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 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.

If I have an existing mileage award ticket in one PNR and a separate revenue ticket in a different PNR will the customer’s bags be through checked to the final stopover point?

No - the customer is responsible for the baggage fees associated on the second ticket when the baggage is re-checked with other airline. This may involve exiting the secure area to claim and re-check the baggage. International flights may require clearing customs and rechecking on the other airline to the final destination.

For future bookings it is suggested the customer have their complete travel in the same PNR to allow for the baggage to be through checked. The agency or customer should contact AAdvantage for assistance in booking their travel.

Through Checked Baggage Policy – Separate Tickets see PDF attached below.


Summary Table

The table shows what will be offered to customers who hold separate tickets in the same PNR or separate PNRs:

I have an interlining/separate tickets question-- can anyone help?

I'm flying to Heathrow on an AA award ticket, then later that day I have flights, booked via BA and both under BA numbers from Heathrow to EDI and then EDI-LSI (Shetland). The EDI-LSI leg is operated by Flybe for Loganair.

Neither Flybe nor Loganair is a member of One World. But might I still be able to check my bag all the way through since that leg is marketed by a OW partner (BA in this case)?

I'll be within my free baggage allowance on all the tickets as well, if that makes any difference.

I've got plenty of time to retrieve the bags and schlep them over to T5 if necessary, but it'd be nice not to.

oneworld not requiring connecting protection or interline baggage 1 Jun 2016
 

Even though there's a oneworld forum, I'm posting this in the AA forum since it's important info and many people don't go to the other.

This could cause many headaches:

"In a move which could cause connection chaos for many travellers, airlines belonging to the Oneworld 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, 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. "

This is a BIG DEAL for me. Changes to the FFPs haven't really made me think about leaving AA or OW, but this could be a serious deal-breaker. That is, if *A and/or ST do offer the "seamless" check-through for multiple reservations.

Story here: http://www.ausbt.com.au/did-oneworld...of-a-nightmare

Saw this post the other day:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26741114-post103.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26756274-post128.html

I hope that this will not be the first step towards refusing to rebook on IRROPS across separate tickets.

This seems like a basic part of being in an alliance.

:td: to this change.

Indeed one less reason to stay loyal to Oneworld... Thisbis a MAJOR bummer!!!!

Only negative changes lately... Luckily I have star gold so complex itinearies will go to star where I need to have seamless lugagge etc but I must say this change affects me in a HUGE way! IF AA stops protecting IRROPS on separate tickets I may have to re think my entire OW stance :(

Why? This just seems plain stupid.

There are many reasons why someone wouldn't book everything as one ticket- especially when the intermediary schedule is not know.

The why is obvious.

SFO-ZRH is a crazy low fare right now.

LAX-ZRH is not.

Easy to fly LAX-SFO for not much $$, and therefore fly LAX-SFO-ZRH for much, much less on 2 tickets vs. one.

But AA policy seems to vary from the new, very stupid and anti-passenger oneworld policy. (And a big Whisky Tango Foxtrot to BA no longer interlining with QR - whatinell is the purpose, then, of both belonging to the oneworld alliance? :mad:)

Mr. Al Baker should fly up to Londin and thump Mr. Cruz.

Doesn't QR have a ownership/investment stake in IAG? I don't get it at all.

Maybe Mr. Walsh is upset with Mr. Al Baker and spit the dummy? I'm truly puzzled and very disappointed with these developments.

BUT: before we go ballistic, the new language essentially says our baggage can be through-checked at the airlines' option (other than BA - QR) if separately booked. Such interlining among the fifteen oneworld airlines is not required any longer.

I agree - Isn't this one of the basic points of an alliance? The goal (from my point of view) of an alliance is to appear as one seamless airline to the passenger.

I guess JBA's are going to take the place of alliances.

Beachfan's example should be all one needs to understand this.

When we need destination and schedule flexibility they want us to buy flexibility with less restrictive/higher priced tickets or with high-priced last-minute tickets.

This is really annoying. Sometimes you have no choice but to book as two separate bookings. Nine of us going to Spain on miles with the first leg on Iberia and the second on Iberia Express. Everything worked except that for the last 2 people, the second leg (onward from Madrid) was not available as part of the main award ticket as it was for the other 7. The savings in the co-pay with the award ticket terminating at MAD almost equaled the cost of purchasing the second leg separately, so the cost wasn't an issue.

I spent a lot of time confirming that baggage would be checked through. Now I have to tell my son and his girlfriend that they (and only they!) have to go to baggage claim and then get back through and make sure the bags meet the requirements of the second carrier (which, because the Iberia Air flight was cancelled, has been changed to Air Nostrom). Alliance? PITA. I may restructure the whole trip and have us all drop the second leg.