Conundrum: Checking all the way through
 

Ok folks -- if you want to weigh in here on my question, feel free.

Background, due to business conditions, I am flying PHX-ATL-INC-KUL in 10 days or so and I'll be packing in such a way that I have to check my bag. The legs listed here were purchased in separate segments due to cost and itinerary changes (don't ask why; it is what it is for the purposes of this thread).

Here's the breakdown:

PHX-ATL (DL)
ATL-INC (KE from DL code share)
INC - KUL (MH with 7 hour layover in INC)

Note: all three legs above were purchased separately with unique record locators and I'm not concerned about checked bag fees (I am DM and can expense charges).

Currently, I am planning to check my bag at PHX to INC and then going through customs / immigration in INC to claim my bag and then march to the MH ticket counter for my boarding pass and check my bags to KUL from there.

The above plan is due to my paranoia that checking in PHX to KUL (via INC and changing airlines, separate record locators) would increase the risk to an uncomfortable level that my bag won't be there when I arrive in KUL (I am confident it would arrive in INC via DL / KE).

What say you? Overly paranoid? Properly paranoid? Any challenges that I may be walking into by going through immigration just to get to the ticket counter?

Mackeraldreams

Should we assume no status and discount coach tickets? Are you concerned about checked bag fees being paid several times?

Very confused... is KUL the final destination? Don't you mean a 7 hour layover in ICN? Sounds like it should work, before rechecking into MH.

I edited my original post and to the two questions here:

1) I don't care about checked bag fees (I can expense them if needed/ DM on DL) and for all flights; I'm in economy.
2) Typo on the connection -- I am indeed in INC for 7 hours.

My concern is simply ensuring my bag makes it to KUL (from PHX) and the question of whether to check all the way to KUL from PHX knowing there's an airline switch from KE to MH in INC.

My impression is that INC is efficient and reliable for connections, so my remaining concern would be MH.

Can you take what you really need for the flights and the first day or so in carry on, so that it is not so bad if the bag arrives into KUL after you do and is delivered to your hotel a day later?

I don't think you increase the chances that your bag makes it to KUL, I would through-check it and make sure that the MH gate agent knows that I have bags checked from an incoming flight and can check on the load list, that they indeed got them. That's what I did on a very similar layover in PRG between OK and LX last year. LX, in fact, did not load my bag until I boarded the plane to make sure I was indeed on this flight.

+1

I've traveled with checked bags to KUL many times, switching from DL to MH at SIN. I only had a problem one time and the bag was delivered to my hotel the next day. If you do check them all the way through, be sure you have your bag receipt handy in INC. When you get to the transfer desk to check into your MH flight, they'll need the bag numbers.