I am finishing a RTW ex-JNB & immediately starting a new one this month. In the past I had no problem getting CX to thru-check my luggage on 2 separate tickets. My concern in this case is the # of flights:

RTW #1 CHC-SYD-HKG-JNB (14hr layover) RTW#2 JNB-DOH-GRU-LAX-MIA

Can I check my bag all the way thru to LAX? I prefer not to clear customs in JNB & just stay in the Protea Airport Hotel. If not to LAX, where should I check my bag to? DOH is only a 2 hour layover. And I refuse to buy Brazil visa on principle. THANKS!

In my experience, CX have been pretty relaxed about thru-checking across multiple tickets, especially when all carriers are in OneWorld.

As for the number of flights: Back in the day, I'd had SAA thru-check me on a similarly complicated routing (CPT-JNB-ADD-KRT-AMM-MAD-MIA-GIG), across three different tickets and two different alliances. Since the number of flight segments exceeded the limits of an individual bag-tag, two were generated for each piece, with one tag continuing where the other tag left off. So technically, at least, 6 or 7 sectors shouldn't be a problem.

All this said: I'm less confident about QR being as helpful in similar circumstances, however, which is unfortunate - since I have a similar question for some upcoming travel using them as the check-in carrier:

Ticket #1: CPT-DOH-MAD
Ticket #2: MAD-MIA-GIG*
Ticket #3: GIG-CGH-SJP**

*With MIA now (again) offering ITI connections, a thru-check is especially desirable, since it obviates need to collect bags.

**Though bags must be collected in Rio to pass Brazilian customs, pre-tagged bags can more quickly be dropped off, which again, makes thru-check desirable.

Any recent experience with the QR check-in staff at CPT? Are they gems or jobsworths?

Also, out of curiosity: how did you ticket an xONEx with QR as the first carrier?

You're checking in with QF at CHC. I doubt they will through check across two tickets.

If all flights are with OneWorld, my recollection is that Qantas is farily good about thru-checking across separate reservations.

And in another forum, there's link to a (2010) document that states just this:

http://www.qantas.com/agents/dyn/qf/...yFAQ191010.pdf

See specifically the OneWorld exception mentioned in Section #1.

Clarification from original poster:
1) QF will be the check-in carrier in Christchurch (I find QF hit-or-miss on customer service in these types of areas);
2) I set up the ex-JNB DONE05 with the US AA RTW desk then had an Egyptian T/A ticket;
3) Thanks - I printed out that 5-1/2 year old PDF regarding thru-checking. At least it's something to have in hand.
4) If I can't check luggage through to LAX, maybe I'll check it to JNB. Then I can not pick it up upon arrival, stay at the in-airport hotel & pick it up later that afternoon prior to my evening check-in for RTW#2. Or just pick it up, clear customs & stay at that landside airport hotel that you can walk to. Just I won't know which hotel to book in JNB until I check-in at CHC

Intriguing way to do it

Which did you pay:

• the ex-South Africa price (base fare for a DONE5 is ZAR67,880 (~USD4,454) )
• the ex-Egypt price (base fare EGP50,200 (~USD6,230) )

Also, did you have no trouble paying with a (presumably) US-based credit card (people have been reporting issues in this regard when trying to pay using AA's sales agent in South Africa)

Alas, the latter, more expensive EGP price. I've had relationship for years with them, no problem paying by email. But I was pressed for time had to get it ticketed.