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Delta Confirms Through-Check Baggage Policy (11 January 2016)

Delta Confirms Through-Check Baggage Policy (11 January 2016)

Old Nov 23, 2015, 9:51 am
  #1  
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Delta Confirms Through-Check Baggage Policy (11 January 2016)

Delta.com article here (link fixed).

Effective for travel on or after January 11, 2016, Delta will check a passenger’s baggage between the origin and destination airports that are issued on a single or conjuncted* ticket exclusively. When issued on one ticket, Delta will also continue to check baggage through to the ticketed destination for interline itineraries. If a second ticket is presented for travel, Delta will only check the bag to the destination of the Delta ticket(s). Luggage may be claimed at the Delta-ticketed destination, and then re-checked by the customer with the downline carrier for the next flight.

In cases as noted below, when more than one ticket is presented, Delta will continue to through-check baggage from the origin to the destination.
  • An entire journey (itinerary) consisting of Delta-marketed / Delta-operated flights
  • SkyMiles Award plus a ticket with Delta-marketed / Delta-operated flights
  • Delta ticket plus a ticket on the Delta partner airlines listed below:
  • Aeromexico (AM)
  • Air France (AF)
  • Alitalia (AZ)
  • China Eastern (MU)
  • GOL (G3)
  • KLM (KL)
  • Virgin Atlantic (VS)
  • Virgin Australia (VA)
  • Delta ticket plus a:
  • SkyTeam pass ticket
  • Ticket with travel on a Visit USA (VUSA) fare
  • Connection to a Delta charter flight
Single ticket example:
  • Ticket 1 - ATL-LAX on a Delta flight connecting to another airline operating LAX-NRT.

Delta Policy: Delta will check the baggage from ATL to LAX to NRT.

Multi-ticket example:
  • Ticket 1 – ATL-LAX on a Delta flight
  • Ticket 2 – LAX-NRT on a different airline

Delta policy: Delta will check the baggage for the ATL to LAX flight only. Upon the flight’s arrival at LAX, the passenger will then need to collect the baggage at the Delta baggage claim and then proceed to check it with the down-line carrier for the next flight LAX to NRT.
Edit:

Customers traveling to international destinations will not be accepted if the correct documentation for the destination on the Delta ticket (e.g., visa) is not present.

Example: ATL-BRU on Delta Air Lines and BRU-ABJ on Brussels Airlines; if the customer does not have the correct visa that allows them access in BRU, the customer will not be able to claim and re-check their baggage in BRU.
For clarification, if your Delta ticket ends in BRU, then Delta will treat you like a customer traveling only to BRU, and you won't be accepted for travel if you don't have sufficient travel documents to enter BRU... this is even if BRU isn't your final destination. This is required so that customers can claim their baggage when it's checked to BRU.

FAQ

Originally Posted by jiburi
I wonder if the agreement for the reverse is true, if ticketed on a non-delta ticket, then connecting to Delta. Maybe this is an attempt to collect baggage fees among other fees for passengers ticketed on a different ticket....
In my experience, the reverse is not true. During Summer 2016, I have seen other airlines like Alaska, United, and American checking bags onto Delta flights when the Delta flights were on a separate ticket.

Last edited by Widgets; Aug 24, 2016 at 3:08 pm
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 10:04 am
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Thanks for posting. That screws up some travel I was getting ready to book on DL connecting to UA domestically.

Last time I did that with our travel agency, the DL flights were on 006 and the UA flights were on 016 which does not work under this new policy.

Guess I'd better rethink.

David
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 10:36 am
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How is this good policy? This is going to force even more folks to carry-on.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:10 am
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Originally Posted by Start_at_UIN
How is this good policy? This is going to force even more folks to carry-on.
UA has had the same policy for over two years - though enforcement has largely been at discretion of the CS staff at check-in.

It's a "good policy" for DL in that the carrier that issued the bag tags (in this case Delta) is usually responsible for co-ordinating the claim in event of a lost or delayed bag - even if the bag were to be lost or delayed by the other carrier, and on a ticket that DL earns no revenue on. Thus, DL alleviates this responsibility and it's put back on the carrier that actually has custody of the bags for that segment.

It also incentivizes folks to book multi-segment travel either on one ticket (as sold by DL) or on separate tickets but on DL partner carriers - rather than splitting that revenue on separate tickets with competing airlines.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:11 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Start_at_UIN
How is this good policy? This is going to force even more folks to carry-on.
Wait for the 2nd announcement.... "For only $50 we will check it all the way through. AMEX card holders get one for free."

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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:12 am
  #6  
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At least with AA's and UA's policies, they will check through to all the other airlines within their alliances.

Delta's policy specifically excludes some Sky Team partners (anybody fly Korean?).
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:13 am
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Originally Posted by DiverDave
Thanks for posting. That screws up some travel I was getting ready to book on DL connecting to UA domestically.

Last time I did that with our travel agency, the DL flights were on 006 and the UA flights were on 016 which does not work under this new policy.

Guess I'd better rethink.

David
This means the TA sold them as two completely separate tickets. It is possible (in a travel agency GDS, though usually not directly with the airline) to ticket competing carriers on same ticket stock provided there is an interline agreement. I have had tickets with DL outbound, and AA inbound, and even a ticket with DL and AA on the same journey - but all 006 issued.

Having one ticket not only makes it easier for checked bags but in the event of schedule changes, you can be really hooped if you're not through ticketed on the same ticket. With separate tickets - as in your example - the connecting carrier effectively has no obligation to reschedule you - even if your previous / inbound connecting flight segments no longer work with the other carriers connection.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:22 am
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I wonder if the agreement for the reverse is true, if ticketed on a non-delta ticket, then connecting to Delta. Maybe this is an attempt to collect baggage fees among other fees for passengers ticketed on a different ticket....

I also notice the absence of AS and KE (tho, both are still Delta partners and can be on delta ticket, where interline baggage is still ok).....

Multi-ticket example:
Ticket 1 ATL-LAX on a Delta flight
Ticket 2 LAX-NRT on a different airline
sounds like poking at KE? (Tho I reckon NH, JL and other US airlines fly there too)

Jiburi
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:32 am
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Originally Posted by SamuelS
This means the TA sold them as two completely separate tickets. It is possible (in a travel agency GDS, though usually not directly with the airline) to ticket competing carriers on same ticket stock provided there is an interline agreement. I have had tickets with DL outbound, and AA inbound, and even a ticket with DL and AA on the same journey - but all 006 issued.

Having one ticket not only makes it easier for checked bags but in the event of schedule changes, you can be really hooped if you're not through ticketed on the same ticket. With separate tickets - as in your example - the connecting carrier effectively has no obligation to reschedule you - even if your previous / inbound connecting flight segments no longer work with the other carriers connection.
You are completely correct, I'm just not sure if our travel agency can do it on one ticket.

My next ticket has to be done manually (to use a credit from UA), so I will ask. I know for sure if I book it on-line, it will be issued as two tickets.

Originally Posted by SamuelS
It's a "good policy" for DL in that the carrier that issued the bag tags (in this case Delta) is usually responsible for co-ordinating the claim in event of a lost or delayed bag - even if the bag were to be lost or delayed by the other carrier, and on a ticket that DL earns no revenue on. Thus, DL alleviates this responsibility and it's put back on the carrier that actually has custody of the bags for that segment.
That is not correct. The last carrier to fly you is responsible for the bags. If DL hands me off to UA, then UA is responsible for my baggage. If UA hands me off to DL, then DL is responsible.

But at the end of the day, this is a wash as I would have to think this would average out.

Thank you,

David
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:40 am
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Originally Posted by SamuelS
It's a "good policy" for DL in that the carrier that issued the bag tags (in this case Delta) is usually responsible for co-ordinating the claim in event of a lost or delayed bag - even if the bag were to be lost or delayed by the other carrier, and on a ticket that DL earns no revenue on. Thus, DL alleviates this responsibility and it's put back on the carrier that actually has custody of the bags for that segment.
I'm not sure about this. Delayed bag claims are always handled by the airline that flew the passenger's last segment regardless of who issued the bag tag, who flew the passenger the most, or who issued the ticket.

Example:
Flying on AA ticket stock on AA from Europe to Seattle, and then AS from Seattle to Spokane
-> checked 1 bag in Europe with an AA bag tag
-> bag is delayed because AA failed to load in Europe
-> AS creates the delayed bag claim in Spokane and delivers the bag to the passenger, and pays out any out-of-pocket expenses, or pays the passenger if the bag is lost forever... even though AA is the airline that screwed up the bag, AS is the terminating carrier.

Originally Posted by DiverDave
But at the end of the day, this is a wash as I would have to think this would average out.
In the case of American, Delta decided that it doesn't average out but this is exactly how I explain it to people when I worked baggage service and they arrived with AS and had Delta tags and demanded my assistance.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:46 am
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Originally Posted by Widgets
In the case of American, Delta decided that it doesn't average out .
Point taken. ^ ^ ^

Another way this isn't a wash, is that it gives both carriers a chance to collect checked baggage fees.

David
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:59 am
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So, this is the policy effective January 11, 2016. Any recent success on having DL tag bags DL-->HA on two separate tickets?
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 12:12 pm
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Originally Posted by iflyalexair
So, this is the policy effective January 11, 2016. Any recent success on having DL tag bags DL-->HA on two separate tickets?
HA will not through-check bags to other airline flights or allow other airlines to through-check baggage to them if OA segments are on separate tickets.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 12:28 pm
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I am willing to bet this has far more to do with the ME3 than anyone else. DL doesn't want to provide a cheap domestic flight and make it easy for someone on the JFK/DXB or beyond on EK.

They already cxld their baggage agreement with QR and I am willing to bet with the cancellation of ATL/DXB, EK won't be far behind. EY might hang on with the AZ relationship though.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 12:58 pm
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Originally Posted by Widgets
I'm not sure about this. Delayed bag claims are always handled by the airline that flew the passenger's last segment regardless of who issued the bag tag, who flew the passenger the most, or who issued the ticket.

Example:
Flying on AA ticket stock on AA from Europe to Seattle, and then AS from Seattle to Spokane
-> checked 1 bag in Europe with an AA bag tag
-> bag is delayed because AA failed to load in Europe
-> AS creates the delayed bag claim in Spokane and delivers the bag to the passenger, and pays out any out-of-pocket expenses, or pays the passenger if the bag is lost forever... even though AA is the airline that screwed up the bag, AS is the terminating carrier.



In the case of American, Delta decided that it doesn't average out but this is exactly how I explain it to people when I worked baggage service and they arrived with AS and had Delta tags and demanded my assistance.
It could be that it is different on transborder due to customs, but in YYC here for instance, I've had issues with DL to AS with a checked bag, and because the bag tag was DL issued, DL had to do the paperwork and I called DL to check on the status.
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