Jul 8, 2016, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
UPDATED FOR 15 NOVEMBER 2016: BA will no longer accept interlining on BA-BA separate tickets / PNRs.
From 1 June 2016, the oneworld policy on accepting customers travelling on separate tickets was changed. BA, along with some other oneworld partners, has implemented this change in policy which is as follows:
Only those customers that have separate tickets issued in the same PNR/booking will be accepted for through check-in. Furthermore all sectors must be BA / oneworld / other carrier, but BA to/fron Vueling is specifically NOT allowed even on the same ticket. Aer Lingus is not specified but some be covered by "other carrier".
A PNR is a wrapper, and it can have several tickets, and other items such as hotels, in one PNR, so long as it was built that way at the time of purchase. Another (new) ticket can be inserted into an existing PNR after purchase, it is easiest to do this at a BA airport, and there is a small fee for doing this (Ł15 in the UK). However you cannot merge 2 existing PNRs into one PNR - once a reservation has reached ticketed status it can't be moved. If you have 2 PNRs you need to allow time to collect and re-check any bags at the transfer airport.
There is one exception: BA to BA transfers, on 2 PNRs, are allowed. See post 643 for details.
___
From post 947. Select "do not have IATA number"
http://www.speedbirdclub.com/ch/reservations-ticketing/rulesregulations/separatetickets/
From 1 June 2016, the oneworld policy on accepting customers travelling on separate tickets was changed. BA, along with some other oneworld partners, has implemented this change in policy which is as follows:
Only those customers that have separate tickets issued in the same PNR/booking will be accepted for through check-in. Furthermore all sectors must be BA / oneworld / other carrier, but BA to/fron Vueling is specifically NOT allowed even on the same ticket. Aer Lingus is not specified but some be covered by "other carrier".
A PNR is a wrapper, and it can have several tickets, and other items such as hotels, in one PNR, so long as it was built that way at the time of purchase. Another (new) ticket can be inserted into an existing PNR after purchase, it is easiest to do this at a BA airport, and there is a small fee for doing this (Ł15 in the UK). However you cannot merge 2 existing PNRs into one PNR - once a reservation has reached ticketed status it can't be moved. If you have 2 PNRs you need to allow time to collect and re-check any bags at the transfer airport.
___
From post 947. Select "do not have IATA number"
http://www.speedbirdclub.com/ch/reservations-ticketing/rulesregulations/separatetickets/
BA no longer through checking baggage with separate tickets
May 23, 2016, 7:34 am
#46
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
It's a shame there is so much confusion surrounding the policies of checking bags thru when traveling on multiple tickets. Most customers seems to assume that it's a right and many airline employees have no clue about the rules and just flat out refuse.
My €0.02 is that if you are traveling on multiple tickets, do so with carry-on only or expect to recheck the bag at the destination of each ticket. If you align your expectations with this, you have the worst-outcome-level of expectation and things can only become better in reality.
My €0.02 is that if you are traveling on multiple tickets, do so with carry-on only or expect to recheck the bag at the destination of each ticket. If you align your expectations with this, you have the worst-outcome-level of expectation and things can only become better in reality.
May 23, 2016, 8:06 am
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sin, HKG
Programs: SQ, BA CCR GGL
Posts: 626
The key question is : has there been a policy change?
It does not appear so, certainly as neither BA nor Oneworld have communicated any change.
Therefore it follows that this is BA staff incompetence.
It has happened to me about 5 times over the years - every time at the First check in in LHR and every time I escalated until it was successfully resolved.
It does not appear so, certainly as neither BA nor Oneworld have communicated any change.
Therefore it follows that this is BA staff incompetence.
It has happened to me about 5 times over the years - every time at the First check in in LHR and every time I escalated until it was successfully resolved.
May 23, 2016, 8:09 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
I imagine it would be possible for one to carry unnecessary luggage on a complex interline itinerary if one were perfectly capable of surviving with carry on, just to reap the (meagre) compensation should it get lost somewhere along the way.
May 23, 2016, 8:17 am
#49
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 127
Forgive me for asking a dumb question, but how do you checked where the bag is on each leg? Is there a website for checking or you have to go to the desk and get the agent to check?
May 23, 2016, 8:19 am
#50
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Ask the Gate Agent before boarding starts to determine if the bag has been "seen" or loaded. They should be able to tell from their systems.
May 23, 2016, 8:24 am
#51
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: Ba Gold; Emirates Silver
Posts: 22
First checkin at Lhr
So had same experience with first checkin desks at Lhr at end of Easter holiday. Me and 2 kids ( I am gold and they both silver) and we had 5 bags on BA to Munich then qr from Munich to Doha to Muscat.
"Policy is no, only to Munich" said the rather young assistant. I politely said I knew the one world policy and her colleagues in both sides jumped to her defence and stated I was wrong. I stood my ground, my 7 year old got upset and magically a supervisor arrived who reminded the team that QR is one world and sorted it.
Must be training but out stations so much better .... In Aberdeen they had offered to put bags as far as Doha no problem but too many sectors to Muscat. I then thought first checkin desks at LHR would sort me all the way to Muscat based on that experience .... Wish I had taken the option to Doha then tried to retag perhaps with QR staff in Munich.
Not great the inconsistency or should that be consistency at LHR first desks.....
"Policy is no, only to Munich" said the rather young assistant. I politely said I knew the one world policy and her colleagues in both sides jumped to her defence and stated I was wrong. I stood my ground, my 7 year old got upset and magically a supervisor arrived who reminded the team that QR is one world and sorted it.
Must be training but out stations so much better .... In Aberdeen they had offered to put bags as far as Doha no problem but too many sectors to Muscat. I then thought first checkin desks at LHR would sort me all the way to Muscat based on that experience .... Wish I had taken the option to Doha then tried to retag perhaps with QR staff in Munich.
Not great the inconsistency or should that be consistency at LHR first desks.....
May 23, 2016, 8:28 am
#52
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
Depends what you call meagre though, I got 3000 avios and Ł60 which isn't meagre to me (though I wasn't carrying unnecessary luggage nor was the routing designed to be complex - it was just the cheapest way home, I wouldn't carry unnecessary luggage and create annoying itineraries just on the off chance of compensation!).
May 23, 2016, 8:31 am
#53
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
May 23, 2016, 10:34 am
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 384
Many thanks to all fellow FT'ers for your comments. I too subscribe to the theory of incompetence and poor training rather than a policy change - it is all too easy for check-in staff to quote 'policy' to cover up their own inadequacies. I have clarified with QR that they will definitely interline with BA irrespective of whether the booking is on a single PNR. Like others, I've almost always had issues with doing this with BA First and Club check-in staff at LHR - but never at outstations who just seem to take it in their stride.
I followed up one suggestion to raise my problem on Twitter, but sadly the BA team again quoted 'policy' and said they couldn't help.
I've had no updates at all today - complete silence, which makes me wonder whether taking to Flyertalk and Twitter has led to a reticence to commit anything to print - or am I being too suspicious? Even YouFirst are not answering email today - and they were so great yesterday, and promised to get back today with an update - but haven't.
Now sitting fingers crossed that the bag will simply turn up tomorrow (maybe?).
Thanks again for all the advice.
I followed up one suggestion to raise my problem on Twitter, but sadly the BA team again quoted 'policy' and said they couldn't help.
I've had no updates at all today - complete silence, which makes me wonder whether taking to Flyertalk and Twitter has led to a reticence to commit anything to print - or am I being too suspicious? Even YouFirst are not answering email today - and they were so great yesterday, and promised to get back today with an update - but haven't.
Now sitting fingers crossed that the bag will simply turn up tomorrow (maybe?).
Thanks again for all the advice.
May 23, 2016, 10:57 am
#55
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,233
However, many (many) moons ago, when I did my PRS training, we had one scenario where we learned how to tag bags on separate bookings. I remember the scenario being with AA, and it had the different versions where the passenger needed to pick up his bag in JFK, or had the orange tag for MIA/DFW. Admittedly, it was something that we did only once, and to be honest I never had to do in months of working in T5 and T3, so the ignorance card would be the one I'd play.
The thing that I find extremely odd is that the OP was given a bag belonging to another person! That's something quite embarrassing... but, yet again, it doesn't surprise me. Not long ago I flew from T3, and couldn't print my BP: I picked it up at the desk, went airside and only then I found out that it had a woman's name printed on it! (I'm a bloke). Some of the agents out there are on another planet.
Last edited by 13901; May 23, 2016 at 11:07 am
May 23, 2016, 4:04 pm
#56
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,532
Sadly many BA checkin staff simply don't have a clue either about oneworld or indeed BAs policies. Even the basics such as 3 letter codes is a mystery to many. My last ex EU was AMS DOH DPS and the agent knew neither DOH nor DPS. Worse was that they were unable to obtain the information from the system in front of them.
As for policy changes. If BA wished to go down this route that's their decision however I would expect lengthy notice. MCT is based on bags transferring automatically and anyone booking separate tickets based on current policies would be acting reasonably. If you wish me to collect the bags and checkin again then a whole new set of rules must apply.
As for policy changes. If BA wished to go down this route that's their decision however I would expect lengthy notice. MCT is based on bags transferring automatically and anyone booking separate tickets based on current policies would be acting reasonably. If you wish me to collect the bags and checkin again then a whole new set of rules must apply.
May 23, 2016, 4:08 pm
#57
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 6,265
Sadly many BA checkin staff simply don't have a clue either about oneworld or indeed BAs policies. Even the basics such as 3 letter codes is a mystery to many. My last ex EU was AMS DOH DPS and the agent knew neither DOH nor DPS. Worse was that they were unable to obtain the information from the system in front of them.
As for policy changes. If BA wished to go down this route that's their decision however I would expect lengthy notice. MCT is based on bags transferring automatically and anyone booking separate tickets based on current policies would be acting reasonably. If you wish me to collect the bags and checkin again then a whole new set of rules must apply.
As for policy changes. If BA wished to go down this route that's their decision however I would expect lengthy notice. MCT is based on bags transferring automatically and anyone booking separate tickets based on current policies would be acting reasonably. If you wish me to collect the bags and checkin again then a whole new set of rules must apply.
May 23, 2016, 4:22 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Some fares are actually not combinable, particularly if you start trying to involve more than two continents on the ticket. Even the full F fares have restrictions on combinability that simply exclude BA (and a few other Oneworld carriers) from the possible options, no matter what you want to pay. In the past an itinerary could almost always be built with generic YY fares, but BA (and many other airlines) no longer honours tickets with YY fares. I admit this is a niche issue.
May 23, 2016, 4:50 pm
#59
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,572
Some fares are actually not combinable, particularly if you start trying to involve more than two continents on the ticket. Even the full F fares have restrictions on combinability that simply exclude BA (and a few other Oneworld carriers) from the possible options, no matter what you want to pay. In the past an itinerary could almost always be built with generic YY fares, but BA (and many other airlines) no longer honours tickets with YY fares. I admit this is a niche issue.
Regardless, at the moment, it is not confirmed whether this was an agent error - or as indicated as possible by another poster, that this actually is a new policy that is going into effect
May 23, 2016, 11:29 pm
#60
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 384
I think I'm now being black-balled by BA. No response for over 24 hours to emails to YouFirst, or to two Tweets and DMs on Twitter.
Can a BA Exec Club rep on FT please now intervene and PM me with some information - whether good or bad?
6 days without baggage and no effective communication other than quoting an unpublished 'policy change' is not good enough
Can a BA Exec Club rep on FT please now intervene and PM me with some information - whether good or bad?
6 days without baggage and no effective communication other than quoting an unpublished 'policy change' is not good enough
Last edited by pjh981; May 23, 2016 at 11:36 pm