Who sets baggage allowance?
 

I'm buying a last minute one way ticket from RDU-MAB and am looking at next Tuesday, 12/11. I'm in a time crunch because I just got my visa today and am getting conflicting on information on baggage. Because this is a permanent move, I'm traveling with household items in rubbermaid bins and will probably be taking two extra. The problem is that there are many embargos right now with flights heading that way. One of the itineraries I'm looking at consists of 3 airlines-United, Copa, and TAM. Copa has an embargo on any additional baggage right now. United does not have one that seems to apply to me, and they claim that as the airline I'm checking in with that they would set the baggage allowance.

However, I'm seeing elsewhere that the first international leg sets the baggage allowance (in this case that would be Copa). Any experience?

Who are you buying your ticket from? Have you verified that your bags will be transferred between UA and Copa flights without you having to do so? If that's the case, Copa shouldn't be involved, but I would want to verify that with them directly. Have you phoned United and Copa? TAM shouldn't be a factor, but be prepared in case someone at the check-in or transit desk knows just how to read from their regs on domestic flight baggage allowances (we've run into that but got it straightened out each time). Copa vs. United setting the exact weight limits nd fees MAY be different from a Copa embargo on extra bags beyond the regular two allowed. If United has an interline agreement with Copa (they should) and will accept extra bags to transfer to Copa (you need to verify that), you seem in the clear. But you want to verify this, not just who sets the baggage weight allowances since an embargo could be black and white and not something the first carrier can overrule. You don't want to check in with UA and be told, sorry, we can transfer just two bags to Copa flights.

How much are you saving by taking Copa vs. someone else? Cheapest option on Expedia is American Airlines to Miami and TAM all the way from there (stops in Sao Paulo and Brasilia). Next cheapestis Delta to Sao Paulo and Gol from there. I assume you've looked into sending some items by ship. I moved to Brazil, too, and there's no way even an extra couple of bags wouldhave been enough for me.

Thanks for your response. Since prices kept going up, I bought tickets last night and now think I may have a different problem. I ended up buying two separate tickets-a domestic from RDU-MIA with US Air and another from MIA-MAB with TAM (both purchased through cheapoair). I was thinking I would take a chance on asking US Air to check the bags all the way through-AA did this for my husband with the same itinerary a few weeks ago. However I since found discussion that US Air absolutely will not check them through when there are 2 separate tickets.

I have 3 hours between fights and Miami and it's looking like I WILL have to collect the baggage and recheck it at the TAM counter. I am traveling with 6 large rubbermaid bins and my 5 year old. How feasible is this in this time frame? I'm thinking of standing by on the earlier US Air flight that morning to give myself more time. I know most airports have luggage carts, but those small ones still won't fit all our luggage..Have you seen those large flat ones available to travelers? I'm so stressed out over this move...

Three hours seems like it might be tight if you have to check-in for the international flight. I suspect there are probably porters at baggage claim who might help you with the luggage for a fee.

Have you confirmed the policy direclty with US Airways? Always a good idea. The last time we connected through MIA to Brazil on two separate tickes, we took AA from DCA to MIA, then TAM on to Brazil, and AA was able to check our bags through to Brazil, but we had to get our TAM boarding passes at the TAM check-in counter at MIA, which I believe you will have to do, too, no matter what happens with your bags. You took risks buying two separate tickets, so now you have to make the best of it. Your other problem, of course, will be that with two separately-purchased tickets, you'll likely be under domestic flight baggage allowances for RDU-MIA. Earlier discussion on who sets the limits seems irrelevant.

It's stated clearly on the US Airways website. http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...epolicies.html under "Are you travelling on more than 1 airline". There was lots of chatter about this recently on FT as well as other sites.

Too hard to draw generalizations here and it comes down to specifics on the airlines involved and their interline baggage agreements.

OP, good luck on your move. Not to add to it, but do watch that your "large rubbermaid bins" do not fall afoul of the 62 linear inch rule for TAM. If it does, each piece will get an additional charge. Last year, I watched as a group ahead of me get dinged for those large blue/gray plastic bins.