16 hour layover in EWR - do I have to pick up luggage?
 

Hi everyone,

I'm traveling SFO-EWR-TLV on CO, with a long layover in EWR (arriving 6am, departing 10:40pm).

I have a feeling that I won't be able to check my luggage all the way to TLV and will have to pick it up in EWR. I tried asking a phone agent about it and they didn't seem to know, but my itinerary is split into two pieces (SFO-EWR, ERW-TLV), because this is no longer considered a connection.

So... the first question, does anyone know for sure whether I can check luggage all the way to TLV or not?

Second, if I cannot, then what is my best option for dealing with the luggage? The idea of the layover is to simply bum around NYC, meet up with a couple of friends, etc.

I understand that Penn Station has a left luggage service for Amtrak ticket holders, so that's an option (take Amtrak from EWR to PS) but not ideal for various reasons. Any other options?

Can I simply not pick up and let it sit in CO's baggage claim office for 14-15 hours? How long do they hold luggage until they try to send it somewhere (presumably to the address on the tag?) Will FBI be waiting for me when I come to claim it? ;) If the address on the tag is foreign (e.g., TLV), will they send it there?

Please share your knowledge and wisdom, thank you!

You should be able to check it through even on two different tickets and 16 hours is actually a connection, not a stop-over on an International flight.

If CO won't hold it there is a left luggage facility at baggage claim in the C terminal. Details in this thread.

CO's rule for through-checked bags is 12 hours, IIRC.

I had a similar such connection, and CO refused to override the bag tags and check it through.

This was highly annoying because the two times I had a similar issue on DL, they overrode the bag tags and took care of it.

Except that my "connecting" flight is not the first flight to my destination, so I think that's why they had to split the itinerary and it's not considered a connection anymore, but a stopover.

Anyway, thanks for the tip on the storage service! I can't believe it's not mentioned on any website (EWR, CO, storage company) in this day and age.

Well, it is on FlyerTalk. ;)

Actually, do they store luggage in PC? I am thinking of getting a day pass if I can store luggage, have breakfast and take a shower... Are these services available at any of the EWR PCs?

There are lockers in the PC between the C2 & C3 piers. A CC imprint is required as a key deposit but the lockers are free. If your bags are sized that you can carry them on and you can get them through security then that is a viable option as well.

The breakfast won't be all that great, but the shower and locker should make up for that.

Baggage will be checked to a customer's final destination or to a permissible stopover for the fare paid. Customers making connections which involve an overnight stay must claim baggage at the intermediate point and re-check baggage for the connecting flight on the following day.


The above statement is from CO's website, regarding checked bags. It would seem to me that we are required to check your bags thru to TLV. I know that alot of agents will tell you that we will only check your bags as far as EWR because of the length in time between flights. I don't agree with this view since this is the "first available" flight to you and you should not be penalized for this long gap between your two flights.

Of course I could be wrong but I would check your bags all the way to TLV, if you presented yourself to me at the ticket counter.

for more than 6 hours I have had my luggage go to the baggage claim!
(I got to experience IAH haraSSSSment security on the way back in as well, nice.....because they changed my flight to an earlier one that was full when I booked the week before.

And you let them change you to go early when your flight was full instead of waiting for the possible VDB? Am I understanding this correctly?

There is another EWR-TLV flight earlier than the one the OP is booked on, but otherwise I agree with your analysis. The OP has a lot of options available.