bernardh

I’m travelling BCN-SFO in a couple of weeks with an overnight stop at LHR.

As it’s all on the same ticket with a connection of around 18 hours, I should be able to check my bags through.

However, after recent disruptions it occurs to me that I might take the “belt and braces” approach to ensure they’re with me and collect them at T3, schlep to T5, and recheck (using twilight or whatever it’s known as now) before retiring to the Sofitel for the night.

Thoughts?

corporate-wage-slave

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this one.

One of the benefits of a through ticket is through checked luggage (in most cases). So to forsake that feature is throwing this benefit away, in a sense. It's true that connecting baggages are more likely to get delayed in the system than point to point trips, but we are normally dealing with small percentages. Somewhat amplified in this forum since those who get their bags returned reasonably swiftly are unlikely to start a thread on the topic. The risk reduction you have by not through checking is probably wiped out by dint of checking in the bags a second time, so an additional point of failure there.

I guess a lot depends by the location you are ending up at and the consequences of delayed baggage. If you are returning home to central London after a few weeks away then having BA doing a courier service to your door would count as a win. Going on a cruise trip with dress requirements from a port with one flight a day from London is another matter. And of course nothing in checked baggage should be so valuable that it is irreplaceable at short notice, whether that's a personal item of great sentimental value or medicines. Final factor - if you keep your eye to the news or to this forum, then you can perhaps make a late decision on this. Bad weather is rarely good news.

bernardh

Thanks CWS. We will be away for about six weeks and have an important engagement that will need formal dress from bags a couple of days after arrival. I’ll follow your advice and keep an eye on factors that might push it one way or the other,

Dave Noble

The odds on the lugagge going astray is low
If it does, then BA is liable based on the limits of the Montreal Convention which should be enough to purchase a replacement - I believe that current limit is XDR1288 ( approx USD1778 )

bernardh

That does rather depend on the value of each case and its contents.

I agree that chance of the bag going astray is low, so I’ll probably check through absent disruption on the day.

Dave Noble

$1777 per person is reaosnably high - with delayed luggage , the value of the case isn't really an issue - just the contents. bags being completely lost , as opposed to delayed, seem to be extremely rare