LO must get you to your destination if you misconnect due to circumstances outside your control. My strategy would therefore be to do what you described. That way you don't need to bother with looking for new award space. Make it their problems, not yours :)

I agree with the approach described by the810 and, to put your mind at rest, even a slight delay on arrival at WAW is likely not to compromise your connection. I did LO580 to LO269 (roughly an hour and 15 minutes’ transfer) at least twice a month last year and, on a number of occasions, I managed to make it even with 40+ minutes’ delay. Once you clear passports and security, the walk to the next gate will be relatively short even if the 269 service was to board at the very end of the Schengen side.

Thank you all for your kind advice. Assuming I do end up taking the flights, I'll be sure to report back on my success (or lack thereof).

LOT will call you I’d imagine, they have those IRREG people. You’re under the MCT, regardless if you can make it. It is possible to leave it as it is if you ask but few know about the possibility to issue tickets under MCT.

Just an update on this.
United contacted me multiple times to confirm that I wanted to keep the connection (at times trying to convince me to take an alternative route).
I managed to keep the booking without much trouble, and ensured I was able to checkin.
Unfortunately, I needed to cancel the trip at the last minute, so did not ultimately take the flight.
Just as well though, since the TLV-WAW flight departed 1:35 hours late, so definitely would not have made the 40 minute WAW-AMS connection :rolleyes:

Thanks all for your advice and comments.

I have a LOT flight on hold for June YYZ-WAW, landing at 9:50. I'm looking to book WAW-TIA on a separate ticket, either a 14:30 on LOT or 16:25 on Wizz Air.

My main concern is baggage. I'll likely be traveling with a 20 kg carry on bag. It will fit in the sizer. Though LOT has a 8 kg limit I'm flying business class on the inbound and I understand they rarely hassle those passengers about luggage weight.

Is there any chance I'll be able to do this connection airside without having to leave the secured area and check my bag?

I’d expect a flat out refusal from the staff in YYZ. Anything but a LCC would be OK. Printing the tag is probably not possible without a pen to do it yourself :D.

You’ll need to enter Poland and check the bag at the Wizz desks.

So let's forget about wizz air. I don't like LCCs anyway.

Will the LOT staff give me trouble in YYZ if I'm in business class YYZ-WAW? The first ticket is ATL-YYZ-WAW on AC/LO all in business.

I thought maybe if I book WAW-TIA separately on LOT I can just go to the gate, and if they do have a problem with bag weight they'd just make me check it there.

Or alternatively, would they through check a bag to tirana on separate tickets?

It’s very unlikely your bag is weighed.

I hope you realize that overhead bins on board have certain weight limits, perhaps for a good reason.

Tell that to BA with their 23kg cabin bag limit. I have always thought they were unsafe. Very dangerous.

Just to point out that the C carry-on allowance is two 9kg bags (not 8) except to/from the US where it’s one bag at 12kg.