Amy0320

Hi, I purchased two tickets for my parents. It’s a joint ticket and the first part is from Beijing to Boston by Hainan airline, then transfer to Orlando by Jetblue. I have a question about the baggage after they enter the boarder in terminal E. I think because it’s a joint ticket, the baggage could be checked all the way through to destination at MCO.

But they need to pick up baggage before the immigration and pass the customs, then do they need to take the luggage together with them to Terminal C? Or is there a Babbage collection point for Jetblue at Terminal E for them to drop off directly? They don’t speak English and the connection time is only 2 hours. I am a little worried about it. I know at Chicago ORD you do find a luggage drop off location directly post custom.


thanks!

hi55us

Jet Blue has no presence at Terminal E (the international terminal) and unfortunately don't have any way of interlining bags with their international partners. Most passengers make the quick (~5 minute) walk from E to C and handle all of the Jet Blue services in C.

What time are they landing? Customs in E during the morning should not be bad, but the afternoon/evening can be pretty bad. Fortunately Jet Blue should protect them if they booked it on one ticket. Lots of flights from Boston to Orlando.

Sicariis

If they don't want to walk outside from E to C which I wouldn't blame them in the winter with heavy bags, then a free airport shuttle to Terminal C is the way to go. Massport - Logan Airport - Interactive Map Will show them where to pick up the shuttles. Shuttle Service at Boston Logan International Airport will show which shuttles go where (though pretty much any shuttle you get on at E, will eventually get you to C).

If one didn't have any checked baggage then they could simply go back through either security checkpoint at E and you can walk airside to C.

Often1

Just one correction to the above. If HU causes a delay resulting in a misconnect, it is HU, not B6 which is responsible for rebooking. Get that taken care of before leaving the terminal.

sbm12

This is not true.

Doesn't change the fact that the OP's family should bring their bags to C to recheck them, but JetBlue absolutely does allow for baggage interlining with its international partners. That's part of the interline agreement it has.

hi55us

At what airport do they interline with partners? I thought most of their interline partners in Boston and New York operate at other terminals, therefore don't interline.

Amy0320

Thanks for the reply! They will land around 15:10 and the flight to MCO is 17:21 and it's a Tuesday. I hope there will not be a quite long line at the customs at that time.

sbm12

Interline has a very specific definition. It is not what you're talking about. A passenger flying DTW-BOS-DXB will drop a bag at DTW and pick it up in DXB. That's interline at work. And it happens at all the airports where JetBlue has interline ops with other carriers.

hi55us

Did not realize they would do that. Thanks for enlightening me. I realize a carrier like Delta/AA would, but thought B6 did not interline bags.

wrp96

B6 will interline. They just have a lot less interline partners than AA, DL, etc. Southwest, however, has no interline partners.

Amy0320

so do you mean that because Hainan airline doesn't have the interline with B6, so they still need to bring the baggage together with them from terminal E to terminal C to recheck the bag?

EasyD

Irrespective, you'll need to claim your bags, clear customs, and recheck them. BOS will be your first port of entry and there's no pre-clearance anywhere from China. Once you retrieve your bags, clear customs and passport control. On your way out of the exit, but before the final exit door, you'll see a sign pointing to the left for baggage recheck. There is a very small ticket counter looking desk. There should be someone there who can take your bags back from you to transport them to your domestic connection.

Good luck!

sbm12

No. Hainan and JetBlue absolutely have an interline agreement.

The interline agreement is what lets the two airlines sell a trip as a single ticket. If the interline didn't exist then the trip wouldn't be bookable that way. When airlines agree to interline they can choose to do ticketing or baggage or both. JetBlue does both for all its interline partners.

The "problem" in this case is that JetBlue doesn't do departures out of Terminal E where your flight on Hainan will arrive. The bag should be tagged all the way to Orlando when the passengers check in with Hainan in China. The "strange" part is that in the US all bags are claimed at the point of entry for Customs clearance. So the passengers will have bags tagged to Orlando show up at baggage claim in Boston. They must collect the bags there and go through Customs.

Once through Customs the bags get dropped back off into the airline system. The point in question here is whether JetBlue has recheck facilities in Terminal E or not. I would think it does even without departing flights since it has other international arrivals into Terminal E and those passengers might also be connecting onward. I've asked the company to clarify and will hopefully get an answer soon.

But it is absolutely not an issue of interline or not. The two airlines have an interline agreement that covers baggage and ticketing.

sbm12

Update from JetBlue. If the bag is tagged to MCO as I expect it will be you should be able to drop it at E rather than carry it to C. If not bring it to C.

Amy0320

oh that's perfect! great thanks for your help!