"Protecting" connection when on 2 seperate PNRs
 

I'm planning to fly BOS-EWR on a Monday in August, then to SFO on Thursday morning, and the red-eye back to BOS on Thursday night. I want to book this as a RT from BOS-EWR and a seperate RT from EWR-SFO. Is there a way to tie the records together so that if my incoming flight SFO-EWR is late, I am automatically protected on my EWR-BOS flight which is on a different record?

Be careful how you frame this when calling CO. I think what you're asking for could be considered end-on-end ticketing.

You will NOT be protected. In fact, with CO's no standby policy, you may technically not even be allowed to standby for free (you would have to pay if you get to EWR late). In fact, if you show up more than 2 hours late, CO would be perfectly within their rights to not allow you to check in at all.

I would strongly recommend not doing this. Any reason you want these on separate tickets?


End-on-end ticketing is almost always perfectly fine. I wouldn't be too worried about this.

In the last few years, any time I've asked, "to be protected" on another flight in case of a misconnect the agent has managed to screw up my reservation. This was with a single reservation, not two as you propose. With two reservations you have no recourse under a strict interpretation of the rules. You might find an agreeable agent who understands that your delay was really caused by CO and a delayed inbound flight. Then again, you might not. I agree with channa -- don't do this unless there is a real and compelling reason to book it as two records.

Just a thought: this may be legit when one flight is paid by work/client and the other one is personal...

1. No, there's no way of really doing this.

2. Part of what you're paying for when you buy a through itinerary is the right to reaccomodation in the event you have a misconnection or other flight irregularity.

With two separate tickets, you are taking your chances.

It wasn't possible (or cost-effective?) to multi-city one record?

It has to be cost effective to book it together. If booking it separately is cheaper, most systems will still price it that way even if they're on the same record. In fact, it will be a bit less in taxes.

thanks for all your replys. I should think this would be legal because what it amounts to is flying to New York on the first leg of a round trip and then taking a trip to SFO while I was in New York. I can see that some might say it was a little dicey when booked essentially at the same time, but would CO ever question someone if they booked a flight to EWR, then while at in New York booked a RT flight for whatever reason to San Francisco, then returned to their origin on the original RT. I would think this often happens when someone goes on a business trip, and then while at their destination finds they need to go somewhere eles for a day or two.

I do understand the protection problems (that's why I asked the question) and I'll book a one record .

If you check a bag through on both itineraries, having them record the other PNR in the "comments" field, there might be a greater likelihood they will get you on the plane with your bag.