LH-to-9W baggage interlining on separate tickets
 

My wife and daughter will be traveling IAD-FRA-BOM via UA and LH. They have a separate ticket on 9W BOM-HYD.

Despite being separate tickets, I am hoping that I will be able to have their bags tagged through all the way to HYD at checkin in the US, since UA does interline with 9W.

Upon arrival into BOM, what I'm assuming is that they will collect bags, pass through customs, and then recheck/dropoff with 9W, so they will travel BOM-HYD as domestic baggage. Can someone please confirm that this is what is supposed to happen, that despite a final destination of HYD, the bags are supposed to clear customs in BOM, and they will NOT be automatically routed to HYD international arrivals, bypassing BOM arrivals altogether?

I know that if the bags are tagged only to BOM and then rechecked everything will happen as I expect above; I'm wanting to have them tagged all the way to HYD in the event that should there be some IRROPS enroute and my some chance they are able to get routed directly to HYD, that their bags won't terminate in BOM.

I know that despite interlining, their international baggage allowance will NOT transfer to the 9W domestic flight since they're on separate tickets, so no need to discuss that issue, my question is focused solely on the issue that will they clear customs with bags in BOM, assuming everything is on time, etc.

Thanks!

Yes.. they will need to claim the bags in a chaos that is Mumbai international, clear customs, do a security check at the gate for the shuttle to the domestic terminal and finally catch the shuttle to the domestic terminal.

At the domestic terminal, they will need to check in again with their bags.. standard procedure.

I had a similar flight last week- DTW-FRA-BOM and 9W 756 to BLR as FRA-BLR was sold out.

Few things- Pls ensure that there is ample time between the connection at HYD. My flight was delayed at FRA due to a technical glitch which made me miss my original connection to BLR. LH DID NOT book me for the next flight (although this was a single booking). I had a few co-passengers with connecting flights to HYD miss their connections as well

The domestic BOM-HYD flight departs from a different airport terminal, which is a 15-20 minute taxi ride away. Baggage must pass through customs and immigration at BOM when connecting to 9W.

When flying BOM-HYD-BOM, Air India 050 and 051 continue to international destinations, so you can tag bags through to/from HYD and not have to change airport terminals. Which is a massive help, because the 2 terminals are basically 2 different airports which share a runway.

Hopping in a taxi/shuttle bus with bags in the middle of the night is not a particularly exciting prospect...

You will be Comin too late to catch ai 050. Arrive at Bom, clear your immigration, collect bags, clear customs. Then you have two options. Proceed to domestic transfers trough airport shuttle which entire procedure can take upto 2 hours or get out and take a taxi ride on your own. Since you arrive at night and your departure I am assuming is early morning there is enough time so stick with the airport transfer.

If it's an award ticket or something changeable, I'd recommend moving the ticket to DEL, BLR, MAA, or even PNQ. Changing terminals in the middle of the night at BOM is a massive hassle, especially for people who are unfamiliar with the area.

lots of good info here on connections:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...-airports.html

From personal experience one should stick with the airport bus. Only prepaid taxis are safe, but boarding a taxi in the middle of the night from the taxi stand, is risky as there have been some robberies (I was a victim once). The early AM flight from BOM to HYD on 9W is at around 5:30 am, and the LH flight arrives around 1 am, even with delays, this flight is easily doable. From the arrivals area after the customs, there is a transfer check in desk for AI and 9W, which is about 2 mins walk, you can check your bags and wait for the bus near the transfer desk area.