ObligedFriend

It’s $700 to change the ticket, plus i paid $136 directly to AA for seat upgrade.

ObligedFriend

Single ticket,

exwannabe

If you have a choice, do not check the bag. Regardless of the ability of PR to through check to the AA destination, the airport may require you to pick up bags in customs which obviously adds at least an hour (as otherwise you do not go through customs, only transit).

The MU flight choice will require you to change the full ticket. You can not simply buy another ticket and show up mid flight. Additionally, it requires a longer connection as you have to change T1->T2 (I think) which puts customs in play.

I would suggest one of two choice.

A) Suck it up and hope nothing goes wrong. Two hours should make the connection.

B) Call the travel agent who sold you this and explain your problem. Tell them that you now realize 2 hours is too short regardless of what they sold you and ask for a free (or cheap) change of the first flight. Even if departing MNL the previous day you can grab a cheap hotel.

dvs7310

Yeah, as you've gathered, you picked the worst airport to connect through. PVG operates unique from nearly every other international hub airport. So while PR and AA usually would not have an issue getting your bag checked through, it may not be allowed at PVG. Only certain airlines can do through transit at PVG and PR and AA may have the privilege. I'd do what you can to get there earlier so you don't miss your connection, 2 hours is within rules, so you'll get re-routed, but you'll miss your upgraded seat on AA if your PR flight arrives late (which often happens at both PVG and PEK). I wouldn't advise a 2 hour layover in mainland China when you "must" make the connection.

moondog

Maybe you got a low fare because there is very low demand for that routing (e.g. two bad airlines, airport that wasn't designed with connections in mimd，decent chance you won't make the AA flight). Why didn't you think about these things before buying the ticket?

ObligedFriend

Booking agent was governmentvacationsrewards.com the booking agent said two hours was more than enough time...to make connecting flight...plus I booked and prepaid 10 day rental car...and hotel. My flight scheduled to arrive Gulfport, MS...2125...now I know the rental car office closes 2000.

i have a divorce trial date on the 18th...so I must meet with attorney on the 14th or 15th. Started booking flights, I learned court date eom September...booking online showed flights were full....I called...USA from the Philippines on 2 Oct...the booking agent was in Mexico City. She claimed there was no problem transferring in PVG. AA on twitter said transfer of baggage from Manila to PVG to DFW to Gulfport was not a problem.

I tried to prebook seat on PR...but cannot online...I went to the domestic PR office in Dumaguete....they told me...baggage cannot be sent from Manila to PVG to DFW...only Manila to PVG then recheck bags in PVG on AA. AA told me this isn’t true. The travel agent said they are not responsible for baggage problems in PVG. They said 2 hours is being reported as enough time to catch the flight.

A friend said to visit flyer talk.com...they can best advise...I’m retired US Army...been to many countries. Was assigned to the POW/MIA in Hanoi...numerous flights BKK to Hanoi..no problems.

Djibouti to Oman...Addis,....Paris to Djibouti, Gulfport to Manila...Dumaguete to Kota Kinabalu. Dumaguete to Zamboanga city..and many more. JFK to Milan to Istanbul to Izmir. Izmir to Athens.

New Orleans to Naples... Cebu to Korea to Atlanta to Gulfport and return.

All had no baggage problem....never missed a flight.

ObligedFriend

When I returned from Gulfport to Dumaguete back in 2013 was on Korean airlines. I disembarked the aircraft in Seoul to transit to Cebu...about 10 minutes later reached into my rear pants pocket to get my passport....it wasn’t there. Checked carry on baggage....nothing. Returned to the aircraft...they would not let be board to look for the passport but sent someone. They returned claimed the passport wasn’t there. The crew was leaving the plane...I asked the chief flight attendant to let me look for passport...he said they looked but...it wasn’t found. I asked again...he said ok...and he came with me. Located my seat...there was no passport. I reached between the upper and lower seat..imbedded inside was my passport. It buried itself...invisible. I was relieved..thanked the FA boss. The flight attendants were waiting at the gate..surprised I found my passport.

ObligedFriend

Maybe the travel agent made a profit...booking the flight thru PVG. The return flight is Gulfport to DFW to Hong Kong to Manila.

moondog

Of course the agent probably made a profit, but as the customer, the purchase decision lies in your court. I've flown AA PVG-DFW in Y several times. The seats are painful, but the schedule is okay wrt jetlag, and I lived to tell.

ObligedFriend

If PR flight arrives on time...no checked baggage. Is 2 hours enough to transit AA. I have to get AA boarding pass in Manila. Going to overnight in Manila in a hotel near the new airport walkway. Went to Kota Kinabalu in July...no luggage. Punched in the e ticket # ...out popped the boarding pass. Air Asia was the carrier. I don’t know if I can get the AA boarding pass in Manila.

moondog

For sure, 2 hours is enough time, but that's a big "if".

ObligedFriend

American Airlines just sent me this message:

“We've double checked this, and bags do have to be reclaimed in PVG and PEK, and rechecked to the connecting flight. The only exception to their rule is when you're connecting on Cathay to HKG.“

AA message yesterday....

Yes. All of your flights are on the same ticket and we have a baggage agreement with them. They will check your bags to GPT. You will pick them up in DFW to clear customs then put them back on the carousel to your final destination.

moondog

You're wasting your time emailing AA. Part of this has to do with their own incompetence, but the bigger issue is that transit procedures at PVG T2 are a constant moving target. Someone else mentioned that they do it be alliance. This isn't entirely correct. Rather, certain 2-airline pairs work, while others do not. Furthermore, some work for physical transit (i.e. you can use the airside transfer desks to get boarding passes), but not for baggage.

ObligedFriend

I will pay the hefty fees to change flights...will go from Cebu city to Narita to DFW. I must keep the same carriers, ticketing agent says it’s my fault not theirs.

I will probably have to pay another seat upgrade. I will not change the return flight, at least I will arrive GP when the rental car agency is open. The Philippine Airlines lady was correct about the PVG baggage.

its too risky to transit PVG.

moondog

I agree that it's too risky in your case, especially in light of your hard deadlines on the other side. I also don't have many good things to say about the airport itself. That having been said, I disagree with the blanket statement that it's "too risky". Basically, inbound longhaul flights are typically on time, and intra-T1 transfers actually work pretty well. But, you'd be dealing with a regional inbound that has a spotty performance record, which may or may not have an airside transfer arrangement in place with AA (i.e. the reason you got conflicting information is because very few people are up to date on the current situation, and those that are are reluctant to put their names on the line). If you find yourself in a similar position (e.g. PVG connection is cheap) in the future, just book a longer layover (overnight is best), and all should be okay.