Qantas/Latam/Delta
Nov 24, 2022, 8:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: CHA
Programs: DL-DM (1.75MM), Bonvoy LifeTi, Hertz-PC
Posts: 618
Qantas/Latam/Delta
Had an unexpectedly pleasant issue in Australia earlier this month (Nov 22):
Have business in NZ and Oz every year, sans the covid regime. I used to fly DL metal to SYD via LAX, then partner Virgin Australia to AKL....but VA sold all their international birds during covid.
That left me choosing between Air New Zealand, Qantas or Jetstar - with ANZ having a baggage agreement 'from' Delta (but not 'to' Delta), but Qantas has the greater carry on baggage allowance.
As I was traveling with a carnet and photo gear nearing $40k and 40Kg that I like to keep on me, I hoped that Qantas didn't actually check their carry on allowance of 14kg (Jetstar is like 7kg and they check from last I remember)
One of the options around the preferred time (4 hour connection time) to hop across the Tasman sea happened to be on a Qantas partner: Latam, on a 787 no less, so I chose that to fly Latam for the first time and see what coach was like in a 787.
Turns out, that 4 hours was cutting it close as I had to: Immigrate (have APEC card), get bags: 6 of them, 4 from oversize, clear my carnet in customs, store two bags in airport not needed in AKL, clear carnet in customs again for outbound, then check in before immigration again and security.
Security happened to be at it's peak and I made it to the gate with about 5 minutes to spare - but part of what saved me was the Latam line.
The Qantas check in line was atrocious - so many flights...so many people. At Latam, I was like 3rd in line.
But the Delta notation about all of this was my baggage fees.
I'm a DM and travel with media bags, so my first 3 bags traveled free, the other were at media rate: $70 each to get across the lake.
Having to recheck my bags in SYD, on a different airline, I was expecting to get hit with a LOT more....so I purchased a Qantas club membership at 50% off about a month prior (get an additional 12kg over their normal 30kg allowance on Intl flights)
Upon checking in at Latam, she said my allowance was the 'normal' 30kg of Qantas - that the club membership had no basis with their codeshare agreement.
Then I remembered that Delta owns (last I heard) 20% of Latam, so I asked if Delta's status mattered?
She said she thinks so, what level was I, and do I have documentation - for which I showed her my app card and number.
She went over to the manager's desk and returned about 10 minutes later, said yes, but she had to get all the weights inputted and see....I'm traveling with 88kg of checked bags to AKL (with 57kg in storage at this point)
Back to the manager's desk, 3 mins return, puts numbers in the computer, and says they are all FREE!?!?!
She sees that I'm stunned and tells me that she's surprised also, but isn't going to question what the computer was telling her.
So, YMMV, but if/when traveling on Latam as a codeshare, ask.
Have business in NZ and Oz every year, sans the covid regime. I used to fly DL metal to SYD via LAX, then partner Virgin Australia to AKL....but VA sold all their international birds during covid.
That left me choosing between Air New Zealand, Qantas or Jetstar - with ANZ having a baggage agreement 'from' Delta (but not 'to' Delta), but Qantas has the greater carry on baggage allowance.
As I was traveling with a carnet and photo gear nearing $40k and 40Kg that I like to keep on me, I hoped that Qantas didn't actually check their carry on allowance of 14kg (Jetstar is like 7kg and they check from last I remember)
One of the options around the preferred time (4 hour connection time) to hop across the Tasman sea happened to be on a Qantas partner: Latam, on a 787 no less, so I chose that to fly Latam for the first time and see what coach was like in a 787.
Turns out, that 4 hours was cutting it close as I had to: Immigrate (have APEC card), get bags: 6 of them, 4 from oversize, clear my carnet in customs, store two bags in airport not needed in AKL, clear carnet in customs again for outbound, then check in before immigration again and security.
Security happened to be at it's peak and I made it to the gate with about 5 minutes to spare - but part of what saved me was the Latam line.
The Qantas check in line was atrocious - so many flights...so many people. At Latam, I was like 3rd in line.
But the Delta notation about all of this was my baggage fees.
I'm a DM and travel with media bags, so my first 3 bags traveled free, the other were at media rate: $70 each to get across the lake.
Having to recheck my bags in SYD, on a different airline, I was expecting to get hit with a LOT more....so I purchased a Qantas club membership at 50% off about a month prior (get an additional 12kg over their normal 30kg allowance on Intl flights)
Upon checking in at Latam, she said my allowance was the 'normal' 30kg of Qantas - that the club membership had no basis with their codeshare agreement.
Then I remembered that Delta owns (last I heard) 20% of Latam, so I asked if Delta's status mattered?
She said she thinks so, what level was I, and do I have documentation - for which I showed her my app card and number.
She went over to the manager's desk and returned about 10 minutes later, said yes, but she had to get all the weights inputted and see....I'm traveling with 88kg of checked bags to AKL (with 57kg in storage at this point)
Back to the manager's desk, 3 mins return, puts numbers in the computer, and says they are all FREE!?!?!
She sees that I'm stunned and tells me that she's surprised also, but isn't going to question what the computer was telling her.
So, YMMV, but if/when traveling on Latam as a codeshare, ask.
Nov 25, 2022, 12:53 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,035
Had an unexpectedly pleasant issue in Australia earlier this month (Nov 22):
Have business in NZ and Oz every year, sans the covid regime. I used to fly DL metal to SYD via LAX, then partner Virgin Australia to AKL....but VA sold all their international birds during covid.
That left me choosing between Air New Zealand, Qantas or Jetstar - with ANZ having a baggage agreement 'from' Delta (but not 'to' Delta), but Qantas has the greater carry on baggage allowance.
As I was traveling with a carnet and photo gear nearing $40k and 40Kg that I like to keep on me, I hoped that Qantas didn't actually check their carry on allowance of 14kg (Jetstar is like 7kg and they check from last I remember)....
Have business in NZ and Oz every year, sans the covid regime. I used to fly DL metal to SYD via LAX, then partner Virgin Australia to AKL....but VA sold all their international birds during covid.
That left me choosing between Air New Zealand, Qantas or Jetstar - with ANZ having a baggage agreement 'from' Delta (but not 'to' Delta), but Qantas has the greater carry on baggage allowance.
As I was traveling with a carnet and photo gear nearing $40k and 40Kg that I like to keep on me, I hoped that Qantas didn't actually check their carry on allowance of 14kg (Jetstar is like 7kg and they check from last I remember)....
The VA B777's were repossessed by the lessors/banks, but AU-NZ was always operated by the VA B737. VA are now back flying BNE-ZQN, SYD-ZQN & MEL-ZQN.
AA now fly LAX-SYD & DFW-AKL And UA SFO-AKL. Guessing open jaws tickets USA-AKL and SYD-USA don't work for you. AirAsia, China Airlines & QR also operate trans Tasman AU<---->NZ. EK scheduled to restart.