GrandMoffJoseph

(Hopefully) quick question on what process I (and my bags) go through when transferring at an international airport in order to get to a third country.

For Example, my possible flight plan choices include:

STL - ORD - DUS - VIE

and

STL - JFK - MAD - VIE

QUESTION: When I arrive at either DUS or MAD, do I need to go through customs, get my bags, or any combination thereof, in order to get to the connecting flight to VIE, which is my final destination?

Thanks!

Mwenenzi

Your passport issued by which country?
Would all these flights be booked as 1 ticket/PNR ?
Are the airlines in the same alliance or have an interline aggreement ?
Is the arrival & departure in the terminal (if airport has more than 1 terminal) ?

Many countries have airside transit.

GrandMoffJoseph

1. I have a US passport
2. This would be booked as a single ticket, starting in STL and ending in VIE (this is a mile redemption ticket)
3. All airlines are OneWorld
4. No idea, to be honest. AA.com doesn't specify terminals...only that I arrive in DUS (for example) on AA, and leave there on Air Berlin to get to VIE.

Mwenenzi

In that case very unlikely you will need to collect baggage (but do not rely on my opinion)
Are all the transits a few hours? If overnight it may be different
If you google the airports, the airport web sites may give you an idea
Or ask in the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airberlin-topbonus-696/ and/or http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/iberi...eria-plus-683/
Personally I would prefer a German transit over a Spanish, it transit times are about equal

Be very careful about carry on. Most Eu carriers limit to about 7kg/15lb and have size restrictions. Nothing like what is common practise with USA airlines

GrandMoffJoseph

Thanks! The transfers would be for a few hours...half a day at most. No overnight transfers though.

jackal

The folks over in the oneworld forum may deal with transfers at these airports fairly often, so I'll move this thread there for further input.

jackal
Moderator, Information Desk

rebr

About your question regarding customs. You will go through immigration in DUS, as you are entering the schengen area there, but through customs in VIE

Unterwegs

The first question is: can you check your luggage thru? Yes, unless you are on a combination of airlines which don't allow this. It does not matter if it is one or more tickets.
You travel from/to Schengen countries (most central european countries except the UK and some others). You will pass thru immigration at the first entry into the Schengen area (DUS or MAD). You will also pass thru customs there with your carry on (but usually don't even notice because often there is nobody at the customs station and you can just walk thru).
You will pick up your checked luggage at the last airport (VIE) and pass thru customs. The customs people see from the baggage tag (green stripe on the side or not) if you are coming from an European country or from outside.

ernestnywang

That is correct. I will just add that any OW airline can interline bags with any OW airline, so OP doesn't need to pick up bags at either DUS or MAD.

coplatflyer

If important, DUS airport for oneworld is a faster connection due to smaller size; however, MAD has more shopping and restaurant choices.

JohnAx

Sorry to muddy the waters for OP but ime it's just not as predictable as it was 'in the day'.

If you transit a place on the same carrier chances are high they'll transit your bags. Otherwise, e.g.:

- recently on LHR-FCO-MAD, BA wouldn't pass my bags on to IB at FCO despite the two carriers being in OW and owned by the same holding company. Couldn't issue a bp for FCO-MAD at Heathrow.

- LAX-LHR-DUB all on BA, bag tagged to DUB but despite 2 hours didn't make the transfer and took most of a week to catch up with us. A companion joining us flying JFK-LHR-DUB on AA/BA wasn't allowed the transfer so went land-side to do the chore and of course had his bag at DUB.

So for best advice say the carriers involved, and consider the risks of baggage mis-handling vs. length of time to go landside and back at the the transit airports. Time will likely be shorter for fast-track, of course.

ernestnywang

Unless this is a very recent change, the first agent is wrong. As described in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...one-world.html, BA will through tag to separate TKTs only if it were OW. However, agents sometimes make mistakes. See http://www.britishairways.com/en-bw/...on/checking-in --> Check-in essentials --> Checking in baggage

JohnAx

The agent's supervisor (I'm seldom shy!) was also wrong. My point was that it's to far from certain to make travel plans that count on it happening.

GrandMoffJoseph

Thanks to everyone for the feedback so far. I really appreciate it!

To make sure I keep us all on the same page, allow me to clarify a couple of things on my route choices:

First option: STL-ORD-DUS-VIE
All segments of that trip are on AA, except for the DUS-VIE leg, which is handled by Air Berlin. All layovers are less than 3 hours, so would AA transfer my bags to AB for the last leg?

Alt. Option: STL-ORD-LHR-VIE
All segments are AA, except for LHR-VIE, which is handled by BA. NOTE: While my departure flight from ORD would land at 10:45pm local time in London, the LHR-VIE leg would not kick off until 7:45am the next morning.

If I took this option, would I get my check bags back and go through customs, or would AA check them through to VIE, and let BA's handlers sort it out?

Mwenenzi

People have already given there best opinions about your baggage transfer above

This is the first time you have a BA/LHR options:- a very different game. Is this a paid or award flight?

IMHO going via DUS far better than paying for an overnight hotel at LHR. Overnight (a new day) AA/BA may not (or may) transfer. LHR closes at night if I recall, as its has a curfew. Is AB in the same terminal as AA? Given an option many people (including me) chose not to transit at LHR.
Note customs and immigration are not the same.
You are making this hard for yourself