klmml

First TATL in a while, and the confirmation email has a strange box stating: "If you do not check your bags through to your final destination you may incure [sic] additional charges"

Is this new? I've never seen it before and google doesn't turn up anything. Is this a way of cracking down on ex-EU journeys? Or, is this a US-only thing? That would explain the reports in previous short-checking threads about outstations unwilling to short check bags.

mikebg

Looks new. I just noticed it on my most recent (and redesigned) e-ticket receipt.

That is going to be a problem for me as I shall be flying from TLV-LHR, leaving my luggage there, going to the USA for a couple of days hand luggage only (due to tight connections) then collecting my luggage, which I will need in London, and finally returning to TLV. Note, that I have no 'hidden city' plans in place ...

I hope I have no problems, but it is a little worrying.

FlyingScientist

I also noticed that MMB does not give me any options from LGW or LCY when trying to change a booking with a final segment LHR-EDI. Is this related in any way?

BA6501

No, MMB just looks for flights LHR-EDI when changing, not LON-EDI. Always happens, even Avios bookings. Quite a pain to be honest.

LondonCapeTownAnyday

I wonder what "charges" they are referring to?!

Greg66

There are lengthy and heated threads on this.

The competing views are: (a) if you drop the last sector of an ex-EU BA is entitled to charge you for the difference between your ex-EU ticket, and an ex-LHR ticket plus a one way from EU to LHR. And possibly delete your Avios, expel you summarily from the BAEC, and pretty much anything else it can think of. (b) BA's remedy under its CoC is to refuse to carry you further on the ticket and that's the totality of its remedy, which amounts to nothing if you drop the last sector.

AFAIK whatever the position may or may not be with other airlines, BA has not taken a stand on this - yet.



The wording is slightly odd (read: inept), since the extra charges threat arises if you don't travel to your final destination. If you travel with HBO, the warning might lead one to think that there is no risk of an extra charge, which I doubt is BA's intent. Likewise if you have an airport change in London and want to (and do) take the final sector without hold luggage.

golfmad

I did exactly what you plan to do a short while ago with no problems.

I short checked my golf clubs just to London from JFK and left them in left luggage at LHR before I headed off to India for a few days and collected them on my return prior to heading to Scotland. Should be no problem.

paulieuk

This came up for us on an e-ticket that I reprinted this week and I assumed it was because the itinerary involves taking two connecting QF domestic sectors after landing on BA15 on the outbound and that not checking them all the way through could result in QF at SYD not honouring our long haul allowance and levying additional baggage charges.

As the inbound has our return to the ex-EU departure port some ten weeks after returning on BA16 then we most certainly shall not be checking luggage beyond LHR when we come back!

If the warning really was concerned with those intending to miss final sectors then surely it would say additional charges may result from not flying to your final destination rather than not sending your bags there?

LondonCapeTownAnyday

The threat of the warning is somewhat diminished by the fact they can't even spell it right. It reads:

Very important information
If you do not check your bags through to your final destination you may incure additional charges

simons1

Well done to BA on the spelling mistake, almost as professional as the Hillier/Leeds Castle gaffe.

I would always book the final leg of an ex EU from a different airport so if BA are going to check the bag through and take responsibility for transporting it from LHR to LGW then good luck to them.

gcuk

The critical word in the statement (apart from the spelling mistake ) is 'may'. I'm not a lawyer but I guess this allows them to short check bags where legitimate reasons exist but invoke additional charges where final sectors are deliberately dropped where booking that final sector resulted in a significant fare reduction.

LondonCapeTownAnyday

Does this really have to do with dropping the final sector? If it does, then they should be more direct about it!

windowontheAside

I don't think that managing to do something is proof that it should be no problem for others.

I've had both experiences when flying from the US. I've shortchecked without issue and I've faced point blank refusal backed up by the supervisor. Now I avoid the necessity to shortcheck just in case I run into the latter case again.

windowontheAside

I think the problem with that approach is the practicality of collecting such charges when the passenger would not be present. By shifting the focus to bags, the issue is addressed with the person before travel.

And outside of FT, I'd wager most long haul BA pax do check bags so it'd be a pretty easy way to discourage dropping the last sector.

JMS87

Slightly o/t...

I'm flying into LHR from MIA/CLT in a month (on US, but a BA issued ticket so it's vaguely relevant to this forum ).

I arrive into LHR at 11AM and depart for CPH at 9AM the next day. Will I have any issues short checking my bag, as I’d like to be able to get some stuff out of it while I’m stopping over. It’s all on one ticket. I’ve seen some conflicting reports while searching, some saying LHR won’t store bags overnight, some saying they do. Does anyone have any recent experience of this?

Cheers!