Experience with interlining bags?
Jan 13, 2008, 6:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,653
Experience with interlining bags?
Sister/brother-in-law are flying Milwaukee-McAllen by doing MKE-DFW on Midwest and DFW-MFE on American. The tickets were purchased as separate transactions on Midwest.com and AA.com.
Question: Will Midwest check a bag through to McAllen on the AA flight? Will the AA agent check a bag through at McAllen all the way to MKE?
I've flown with interline connections between Midwest and other airlines several times, but I avoid checking a bag if humanly possible anytime I'm doing something out of the ordinary.
I know that Midwest and American have an interline agreement, so I'm sure it is technically possible. But....
(a) Will the agents in MKE and MFE actually check the bag through, or will it be a hassle?
(b) Will the Midwest agent in MKE, or the AA agent in MFE, be able to see the connecting flight beyond Dallas on the other airline? Remember that these were not booked together.
(c) Will just showing the connecting intinerary be enough information?
They have about 2.5 hours both directions at DFW so there should be plenty of time to retrieve the bag at the carousel and check in again if necessary. But hopefully that's not necessary.
Anybody have real experience with this? Once when I was flying PDX-LAS-MKE interline (and as normal, not checking a bag) I asked the Alaska agent in Portland if she'd in theory be able to check my small bag through to MKE on Midwest. She said no, and acted as if I'd handed her three sugar cubes and asked her to turn them into a road map of Quebec. Might have just been a clueless agent? But my sister and brother-in-law are relatively infrequent travelers, and I'd like to be confident in instructing them for just such a case.
Question: Will Midwest check a bag through to McAllen on the AA flight? Will the AA agent check a bag through at McAllen all the way to MKE?
I've flown with interline connections between Midwest and other airlines several times, but I avoid checking a bag if humanly possible anytime I'm doing something out of the ordinary.
I know that Midwest and American have an interline agreement, so I'm sure it is technically possible. But....
(a) Will the agents in MKE and MFE actually check the bag through, or will it be a hassle?
(b) Will the Midwest agent in MKE, or the AA agent in MFE, be able to see the connecting flight beyond Dallas on the other airline? Remember that these were not booked together.
(c) Will just showing the connecting intinerary be enough information?
They have about 2.5 hours both directions at DFW so there should be plenty of time to retrieve the bag at the carousel and check in again if necessary. But hopefully that's not necessary.
Anybody have real experience with this? Once when I was flying PDX-LAS-MKE interline (and as normal, not checking a bag) I asked the Alaska agent in Portland if she'd in theory be able to check my small bag through to MKE on Midwest. She said no, and acted as if I'd handed her three sugar cubes and asked her to turn them into a road map of Quebec. Might have just been a clueless agent? But my sister and brother-in-law are relatively infrequent travelers, and I'd like to be confident in instructing them for just such a case.
Jan 13, 2008, 6:56 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: YX, DL, AA, HA, Hilton Honors
Posts: 9
It depends on the agent. Usually when I have a print out of the other flights they are able. Not always, but most of the time. Just let them know you don't have enough time to leave security and wait in line to check bag, then go thru security. Midwest will usually take care of ya.
Jan 13, 2008, 8:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: MKE
Programs: Midwest Miles, AirTran A+ Rewards
Posts: 1,445
The last time I had to interline was back in the mid 80's. I flew from MKE on Republic to ATL, then from ATL to FLL I flew Eastern. My bags made it alright. I have never had to interline with Midwest yet. I would ask a YX CSR in advance if I were you.
Jan 16, 2008, 3:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: DAL
Programs: DL Silver, HH diamond, Midwest Miles (RIP), NWA WP (RIP)
Posts: 530
Last month we flew YX MKE-LAS and DL LAS-SLC on one ticket...tags automatically came out with all the correct information and were through to SLC. Once in LAS, however, they didn't make the 1h15m connection. According to DL baggage in SLC, someone in MKE didn't enter all the appropriate info??? Don't know what it was, or if it's true, but just a heads up.
Every time I've gone to Hawaii we've interlined with NWA and UA, never with any problems. Just be sure to have the airline code ready for the agent...she tried for every to find Island Air (WP) and couldn't, finally after I told her it was WP at least twice, she tried it and it worked...she was quite surprised!
Every time I've gone to Hawaii we've interlined with NWA and UA, never with any problems. Just be sure to have the airline code ready for the agent...she tried for every to find Island Air (WP) and couldn't, finally after I told her it was WP at least twice, she tried it and it worked...she was quite surprised!