China Airlines － Combine PNRs for checked baggage?
Mar 18, 2020, 12:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SIN
Programs: AA Gold/OneWorld Ruby
Posts: 100
China Airlines － Combine PNRs for checked baggage?
I am currently booked RGN → TPE on a non-stop. I would like to book TPE → SFO leaving the same day. But I have a checked bag and cannot go through immigration in Taipei to claim and recheck it due to the Taiwan government's new restrictions on passengers arriving from AESAN countries. Would it be possible to get China Airlines to combine the PNRs and let me check the bag from RGN to SFO? I am asking here because I have heard there are very long wait times (understandably) on their telephone support right now so thought I would ask here first.
Mar 24, 2020, 10:37 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SIN
Programs: AA Gold/OneWorld Ruby
Posts: 100
Just wanted to follow up by saying that while I couldn't get China Airlines on the phone, they publish email addresses for each of their overseas offices and I got a prompt response to my query from the San Francisco station. They said that they cannot formally combine PNRs but they can easily check luggage through on my ticket if I alert the check in staff at RGN.
I didn't actually put this to the test, as I ended up returning to SIN from RGN on 8M instead, but I was impressed by how quickly CI responded even during these unusual times.
I didn't actually put this to the test, as I ended up returning to SIN from RGN on 8M instead, but I was impressed by how quickly CI responded even during these unusual times.
Mar 25, 2020, 2:57 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
It's nice that CI can tag your luggage through. But how would you board TPE -SFO flight at TPE? I don't think you can get your boarding pass for TPE-SFO in RGN if it is a seperate ticket. In other words, you will still need to enter Taiwan, check in to your TPE-SFO flight at TPE check-in counter, not transfer desk.
Last edited by Mama; Mar 25, 2020 at 6:42 am
Mar 29, 2020, 9:06 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SIN
Programs: AA Gold/OneWorld Ruby
Posts: 100
The email from CI assured me that I would be able to get the TPE → SFO leg boarding pass at RGN as well. If not, I don't see why the air-side transfer desk in TPE couldn't have done so as well. The only thing I was trying to avoid was my baggage ending up landside in TPE.
Anyway, I didn't end up putting it to the test.
Anyway, I didn't end up putting it to the test.
Apr 3, 2020, 4:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
It's nice that CI can tag your luggage through. But how would you board TPE -SFO flight at TPE? I don't think you can get your boarding pass for TPE-SFO in RGN if it is a seperate ticket. In other words, you will still need to enter Taiwan, check in to your TPE-SFO flight at TPE check-in counter, not transfer desk.
Also, both CI and BR have transit desks in TPE that avoid customs.