An annoyance: protection for likely CO misconnects
#17
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
No violation. Bags were already screened. Three times this past year my bags made a tight connection while controller1 only made it to a gate with a closed boarding door . . . then hit the PC.
#18
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
Final update; now confirmed on SQ
To the professional and helpful PC agents, Jairo and Jennifer ^ for working with me on this reissue.
I now have my SQ BP in possession. The agents had to walk to SQ to complete the reissue, arranging coverage here at PC. Then, I had to walk to SQ to check in with the SQ record locator. With just a slight hiccup at the SQ desk while they found the SQ locator, it worked. I heard that the reissue RQ went three levels up from the SQ desk here before it was approved.
So, an unscheduled visit to DME on the way but I arrive in SIN ahead of my original sched. This preserves my trip quite well, I only lose a breakfast appt in GUM on the outbound. My bags will follow me to SIN, after visiting GUM. I hope my suit makes it on the original flight, I need it for my appt the following day.
Without PC membership I'd be sunk. I can't imagine the CS desks in the E terminal going to these lengths to make it work.
I now have my SQ BP in possession. The agents had to walk to SQ to complete the reissue, arranging coverage here at PC. Then, I had to walk to SQ to check in with the SQ record locator. With just a slight hiccup at the SQ desk while they found the SQ locator, it worked. I heard that the reissue RQ went three levels up from the SQ desk here before it was approved.
So, an unscheduled visit to DME on the way but I arrive in SIN ahead of my original sched. This preserves my trip quite well, I only lose a breakfast appt in GUM on the outbound. My bags will follow me to SIN, after visiting GUM. I hope my suit makes it on the original flight, I need it for my appt the following day.
Without PC membership I'd be sunk. I can't imagine the CS desks in the E terminal going to these lengths to make it work.
#19
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
Kudo's to the PC staff
^^ Have a good trip.
#23
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,095
This can vary, depending on whether the pax had a choice in not flying with the bags. If the pax was delayed on another flight and tries to board the connecting flight but can't, then he didn't try to be parted from his bags, and that changes the security analysis. It also depends on the amount of screening the bags have had and by whom (eg, in-country or other-origin-country).
#24
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Rewards - LTPP
Posts: 4,240
Bags fly without PAX all the time, nothing new. I'm honestly more concerned about the lack of cargo screening than pax bags that have been through at least one screening.
#25
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: retired from SFO Terminal 3
Posts: 7,437
There was a time, post 9-11, that this was true. Sorry but I can not comment any further on this subject.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
Though clearly there are still some mechanics that have to be worked out, it's refreshing to see that CO seems to be coming around w.r.t. OAL rebookings, at least within the alliance.
Seems they protected you on UAL, and were willing to do SQ or TG, and didn't balk or give you rubbish about fare class or the usual myriad of excuses that we've become accustomed to hearing from CO.
If this is the case with others as well, maybe they're finally starting to get it.
Seems they protected you on UAL, and were willing to do SQ or TG, and didn't balk or give you rubbish about fare class or the usual myriad of excuses that we've become accustomed to hearing from CO.
If this is the case with others as well, maybe they're finally starting to get it.
#27
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
Though clearly there are still some mechanics that have to be worked out, it's refreshing to see that CO seems to be coming around w.r.t. OAL rebookings, at least within the alliance.
Seems they protected you on UAL, and were willing to do SQ or TG, and didn't balk or give you rubbish about fare class or the usual myriad of excuses that we've become accustomed to hearing from CO.
If this is the case with others as well, maybe they're finally starting to get it.
Seems they protected you on UAL, and were willing to do SQ or TG, and didn't balk or give you rubbish about fare class or the usual myriad of excuses that we've become accustomed to hearing from CO.
If this is the case with others as well, maybe they're finally starting to get it.
Now in SIN in good time for my business ^
The good: they did successfully reroute me, same day, preserving sched, on a (good) Star carrier. In an exit row.
The not-so great: this depended on a. my declining the original system auto-protect option and b. the effort and good graces of the PC agents, walking to D terminal check in to negotiate in person with the SQ handling agents (actually Menzies contractors, probably necessitating the calls three levels up to reissue). Also, the fact I had three hours in hand before SQ launched really helped me out. Less than two would have been very problematic with this high-friction reissue.
And I should have known the StarA US-Asia schedule better and I could have been more effectively proactive with my suggestions. I used to know all my NW/AF/KL options well, but I've only recently moved over fully to Star and I couldn't bring them to mind at the counter.
Now, for the really amazing thing: my bags were waiting for me at SQ SIN luggage! They routed to NRT, were pulled, and sent directly to SIN on UA that night. To my astonishment, given my original itin that included a GUM switchback, they were there when I arrived to file a missing luggage claim at Changi T3 early this morning.
We've all been critical with good reason of CO irops handling in the past but on the whole I must say this was done well - once I politely but firmly declined the systems auto protect "option" of forcing me to overnight at LAX.
Take home for OPE: know your Star options for same-day Asia departures, and don't accept the system auto-protect options that cost a whole day on short itins. And no baloney from
I do wonder what would have happened if I wasn't a PC member. I deliberately chose to initiate this at the PC, figuring I'd have better luck than downstairs at the Service Center or even on the Elite line.
Edit: sorry guys, this was originally an E class revenue coach ticket.
Last edited by redtailshark; Feb 15, 2010 at 7:10 pm Reason: Respond to questions
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
Another thing I do on trips where timing is critical is avoid hubs with few flights to the region where I'm going.
What I mean by this is avoiding hubs that are likely to have fewer reroute options. This is not just for CO, but for all carriers (e.g., avoiding DEN for Europe, IAH for Asia, CLE, MEM or CVG for anything int'l, etc.).
Had you flown TUS-LAX-XXX or TUS-SFO-XXX, this would likely have been much less stressful as there are many more reroute options out of SFO or LAX, almost all day at that. Similarly for Europe, I would prefer TUS-EWR-FRA over TUS-IAH-FRA since there's many more NYC-Euro options.