Has any of you experienced short-checking a luggage with AA? We have a TPA-HND flight (with AA and JAL in one ticket) and then HND-MNL (with JAL on separate ticket). In my experience, AA staff at check in has never through checked my luggage to final destination on separate tickets. So my plan is (a) to ask the AA check in staff if they can through check my luggage and if they can't (b) ask that my luggage be short-checked so I could collect them and then check in at the JAL counter in ORD since I would have a greater chance of getting our luggage through checked to MNL with the JAL staff doing it although I was told that short-checking is not allowed. We have a 2.5 hrs. layover at ORD. Wondering if there's any other option to avoid going through immigration in HND, reclaiming luggage, then checking in (we have 3.5 hrs. layover). Would appreciate any input or guidance. Thanks.

AA will not short check your bag. AA will also not check your bag across multiple PNRs.

Your bag will be checked from TPA to HND.

I have no idea if it is a government requirement, but I don't think any airline will short check your luggage.

There is definitely no government regulation on this. And airlines will short check your luggage if it is related to an overnight connection.

In short, I'm bound to collect our bags. It is what it is. Thanks for the replies.

You can try asking at the check in counters at ORD or at the transfer counter at HND if they can check you in to HND-MNL, and manually add the flight to your bag tags. Someone would have to go find your bags and put on new tags so if they don't have the time or manpower to spare they might not be able to (or want to). But JL seems more amenable to this sort of thing than many other airlines, and worst case they just say no.

Not a process I would want to rely on.

I wouldn't rely on it, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

And it's more likely to work than asking AA to short check the bags.

See this thread: FAQ: Baggage / Luggage Rules, Allowance, Through-check on AA & Other Airlines

While it is not universally true that AA won't short-check luggage, in the OP's scenario it won't work.

Based on my experience with AA agents, they've been unwilling even to see my onward booking. They just flatly said, 'No.' So I'm not hoping although I still would ask in TPA and in ORD. And if it does not work, then in HND transfer desk. It would cost me a little time at HND but I have 3.5 hrs. between flights so if it doesn't work, then off to the baggage claim we go.

JAL baggage check-in closes 60 minutes before international flights. So you don't have 3.5 hours - you have 2.5.

I'm pretty sure that to even get to the JAL Transfer Desk at HND you have to clear through the transfer security checkpoint (e.g. the transfer desks are after the checkpoint). I personally wouldn't count on that, and then getting back into the immigration flow / area if you need to, to be "a little time"

In the extremely likely event that you don't get this sorted at TPA or ORD, I'd be headed right to immigration and baggage claim.

Or better yet - packing only carry-on.

Had to do checked baggage with a box and luggage. I guess the quickest way is to head through immigration and baggage claim.

Every time I've flown into NRT or HND, it is relatively quick to get through. It's been less than 30 minutes. Have the Japanese government stuff already filled out online and be ready to show at immigration so you don't have to stop and fill out paper forms. The time you take waiting to get through immigration is about the time you need in waiting for your luggage to come out. I normally come out and the first bag is still a couple of minutes away from coming out. You can use any open customs line for bags.