maccoinnich

So, I just booked an award ticket with Delta, PDX-AMS-BHX, all in business. The ultimate goal is to reach INV (Inverness), but no skyteam airlines fly there. So, my plan is now to book a flight on flybe from BHX-INV. I'm wondering if Delta/KLM will interline my bag onto flybe when it's a separate ticket? And is it even worth it? I have a 3 hour layover, so it's not like I'm pressed for time. And if they agree to do it, do I get Delta's baggage allowance, or do I have to pay flybe's baggage charges?

rwoman

KL flies to the following that are much closer to Inverness than BHX:

Aberdeen - 113 miles
Edinburgh - 157 miles
Glasgow - 170 miles

BHX is 457 miles away, so I'm sure that'd be a bit of a train ride.

BTW, intra-Europe biz on KL (called Europe Select, I think) is just regular Y seats with an open middle seat and better food.

maccoinnich

Yes, but the last train out Edinburgh Haymarket which gets me to my ultimate ultimate destination leaves at 13:40, which would be a tight connection if KLM gets me into EDI at 12:50.

I'm returning from Edinburgh, but want to get up to the Highlands to visit my parents in as little time as possible, and strange as it may seem, Birmingham appears to be the easiest place to connect in.

mtkeller

If the ticket's booked, debating about where to fly into is a moot point unless you're PM or DM. However, if Inverness is your final destination, it seems there are later trains leaving EDB (Waverly) that call at Haymarket. On the other hand, if you're going even farther north than INV, then it could be a problem.

Anyway, it doesn't hurt to ask about interlining when you check in for the flight. Have the PNR for the other flight with you and see what they can do. You're going to have to clear immigration at BHX anyway, so worst case you take your bag over to wherever handles connections and drop it there. If DL will interline, you should be immune from bag charges, since you'll get a free bag and I can't imagine they have any clue what BE's baggage fees are. We've had a lot of interlining questions lately, and I haven't seen anyone pop in with an official list of carriers with which DL has an interline agreement.

pacer142

Doubt it; Flybe are essentially a low-cost. Beware, as well, that they aren't occasionally known as "Flymaybe" for nothing.

Neil

STBCypriot

Pacer142 is right. DL does not interline with Flybe. You'll have to collect your bags at BHX and recheck them with Flybe and pay their baggage fees.

pacer142

Worth expanding on my "Flymaybe" comment - if you have a train connection they may be a bad choice; the domestic routes out of BHX can be incredibly unpunctual and unreliable at times, unless they've improved substantially in the last couple of years.

While it wouldn't get you there same-day, perhaps travelling down to London or up to Crewe then taking the overnight train to Inverness for the first connection to Wick/Thurso/Kyle (assuming it's one of those you want) might be a better option? That or train it to Inverness on the day, stay in a B&B/hotel and head up on the first train the following day?

Neil

alex0683de

Are you sure they do not interline? I just tried to price up the OP's itinerary on Expedia, PDX-AMS(DL), AMS-BHX (KL), BHX-INV (BE). I got all the way to the payment page and could have booked it. The fare was a silly $3,000, but it would have been possible to issue such a ticket.

This suggests to me that there is an interline agreement in place. I suggest calling Delta to ask.

pacer142

As these are ex-BA flights there may be something in place. Does BHX even have connections facilities, though? I wouldn't be surprised, as it's a small airport, if you had to collect and re-check even if it was the same airline.

I would be even more surprised if they'd check through on a separate ticket.

Neil

SamOF

Airlines do this all the time—as long as they have an interline agreement.

STBCypriot

Things do change, so it is always good to doublecheck.

pacer142

Fewer and fewer all the time. And not normally low-costs, and not often at small UK airports (I'd class BHX as a fairly small airport) that often don't have the facilities to do airside connections at all.

Flybe is a low-cost that happens to have retained some codeshares as a legacy thing from their takeover of most BA regional routes.

To the OP - when you do phone Delta please let us know what they say - would be interesting to know.

Neil

NSFU

Coming a bit late to this, but: Flybe are far more punctual than they used to be, to the extent that my expectations these days are higher than when BA operated the same routes; and BHX-INV was not a BA route. I too would be amazed if they interline, but I would be relatively relaxed about the punctuality.

maccoinnich

Thanks to all who replied. Given how clueless the Delta reps I've spoken to lately have been, and this being a fairly unusual question, I think I'll just wait until I get go the airport and find out. If they do, then great. If not, it's no loss.

However, I haven't booked the flybe flight yet, as the KLM leg is coming up as 'not confirmed' online. One rep assures that this isn't a problem. I'm not sure.

pacer142

Interesting. I know from experience AMS-BHX can be heavily overbooked, but I doubt it'd cause that?

Neil