isaacchambers

Porter only interlines with its partners; B6, TS and AS. These are tickets that can be sold on PD's website.

You have a travel agency booking. That isnt really the same in terms of the airline's eyes. It actually creates two separate PNRs for each airline.

Heres what you need to do:

Pull up your YYZ flight on PDs website through "manage my booking"; If you only see the Porter flight, i suspect they will not through check the bag on to NZ. Since they are not partners, they will not add the other flights to produce a bag tag to RAR.

I would assume that you are paying baggage to PD and NZ. I would ask the travel agent why didnt they book you on AC which you can through check to NZ as they are star alliance carriers. Was the PD flight that much cheaper? (I suspect not once you factor in all the baggage fees, plus the hassle of changing carriers/alliances, etc.)

jrobin

Thanks for this. That is what I suspected.
I was pleasantly surprised when the Porter telephone agent said they would interline bags to Air New Zealand if both flights were in the same booking, but not if they were separate.

I have not made the booking yet.
I can get a single booking in Premium Economy from Air New Zealand using WS to YVR or AC to LAX. However, the fine print says that the AC or WS flights are in Economy.
Using Porter Select to the west coast and Air New Zealand from there does not cost much more than the through fare using WS or AC, and seemed a possibly better experience than straight economy on AC or WS. The main downside if interlining will not work is ending up with bags in Vancouver for perhaps 6 hours until Air New Zealand checkin opens.

The travel agent did not book me; I was about to call a travel agent and have the booking made if it facilitated interlining of bags.
Otherwise I could make the separate bookings myself.
The tradeoff seems to be better seat? for 5 hours vs it seems now likely having bags to look after for 5 hours in YVR.

isaacchambers

Im surprised that NZ will sell WS connections.....AC im sure must be upset at that!

emcampbe

I mean, it's a case of expectations, I guess. First time flying Porter in a long time so missing half of the options promoted is indeed not a good look.

Typically, a snack option isn't going to make or break my airline choice, but if all else is equal (talking non-stop flights, convenient schedule, similar comfort service, similar costs (or no cost) for bag, similar service onboard), then it might. Also depends where - all else being equal, I'm going to go for SQ to SIN vs. AC or UA due, in part, for their much better food. If I'm leaving YVR, AC is going to get a check in the advantage column for being non-stop. and if the SQ fare is much more than the AC, that is going to be a strike against them.

Again, assuming availability. I did confirm they should have all the options ex-SFO, but the issue was supply constraints. Presumably, the snacks are double-catered in YYZ, so I suspect different stations may be supply constrained one day vs. the other.

No thank you, not taking Flair ever (US-based here, and never have or will take Frontier or Spirit, though I have done AirAsia and Scoot in Asia where it made sense - for relatively short flights they are adequate, but not preferred.

Can't comment on this. Many carriers will not interline bags on separate tickets, not because they can't but it is a policy. But assuming an interline agreement/the ability to, can do it on either single PNR or separate. Obviously, easier in the former case.


Note, there are different kinds of interline agreements. While Porter may not market flights with other carriers than you mention above, possible they might have a baggage or ticket interline agreement with other carriers. Lots of carriers have interline agreements to either sell tickets or check bags through even if they don't have a marketing/codeshare/frequent flyer relationship.

Example: I once bought a ticket BKK-HKG-EWR via United, where BKK-HKG was on CX. United does not have a frequent flyer/marketing partnership with CX - but they can sell tickets with their segments on some routes, like I had above. Interestingly, their incompatible systems meant when I checked in at BKK, they could only check me onto the CX segment, and I then had to use the transfer desk at HKG to check in for the UA flight. Regardless, CX was still able to tag the bag all the way through, so I wasn't required to exit to bag claim - it all transferred.

There are plenty of times when carriers partners with OAL, even when they have alliance partners that fly same routes.

SQ, for example, sells US-domestic connections on AS and B6 rather than UA, despite UA and SQ being in *A. Multiple years ago, I booked a TK ticket to India, and the short hop to get to the ORD-IST flight was booked on AA rather than UA, again, even through they were in different alliances. Plus, my above mentioned trip via HKG on CX instead of TG to connect to UA on a UA ticket. So happens - its a matter of $ usually and what makes more sense (although I saw somewhere a while ago where SQ supposedly said they don't use UA for domestic US connections because their customers expect better quality...not sure how accurate that is).

respectable_man

That one's easy: why pay more - or even the same - for inferior service if you can avoid it? Given the level of AC service and their on-time-performance, it's debatable what is the greatest hassle.
(Agreed that Porter service on the Dash-8 is not what it used to be, but the OP would go on newer jets...)

jrobin

I got spooked at the possibility we could arrive at YYZ and not have PD check bags through to AKL, so I booked with NZ including extra length Y seats on WS from YYZ-YVR.
I liked the idea of trying PD but not if we had to look after bags for 5 hours.

bocastephen

Are there any photos or descriptions of the Porter Reserve meal options? Are snacks unlimited in Porter Reserve, or it's a single pass of the basket and that's it?

Flying LAX-YYZ next week, and only trying Porter because WS removed their business class seats from the LAX and AC leaves too early in the morning, so not sure what to expect.

emcampbe

I just flew SFO-YYZ in regular Y, but I think the Porter reserve meals are just the same as the meal boxes for the back, just free instead of charge.

as for snacks, the basket came around twice during the flight, but I also went back to the galley between and asked for another and they had no issues providing. So I think those are pretty much unlimited.

note they didn�t have everything listed on the website�as I mentioned upthread I was told due to Porters growth and the fact they use smaller, local Canadian suppliers, they can�t always get as much as they need.

bocastephen

How substantial was the snack box - from the website photos, it looks comparable to the WS business meal, but maybe in real life it's much smaller?

emcampbe

never flown Westjet, so have no idea how it might compare. I�d say they are a tad on the small side. I got the Buddha bowl which was pretty good, and while a bit on the small side, found it fairly filling.

isaacchambers

The meals are the same as in the back but free PLUS an appetizer......

Snacks are ondemand and FAs check on you often like in F class. Drinks are topped up when requested or passing through the first 4 rows.

Its essentially like a european business class.....economy seats but more attentive and free food/drinks.

You can have similar service in the Stretch seats plus buying the BOB fresh meals....but no ongoing drink top ups...

isaacchambers

With PD having VIPorter and a full elite program - i think its time for FT to provide a full section for Porter now.....

YYCCL3

I forgot to take a picture of the menu, but IIRC the food selection was the same depending on the time of day (breakfast/ after breakfast) and whether you were eastbound or westbound.

I was in Porter Stretch (basically a preferred seat with extra legroom) from YYC-YYZ on my first flight with PD last week. I bought the mango chicken bowl which was small, but filling enough and tasted very good. The snack basket came around twice. Porter Reserve had a semi-dedicated FA that went back and forth between the first 4 rows presumably offering drink refills much more frequently.

It was a good flight! E2 is a nice aircraft, just as quiet as a Dreamliner (both measured in row 6 - 69 dB on my Apple Watch).

meepmix

Flew on PD several days ago. It was ok. had a really loud seat mate and there were kids running up and down the aisle. The loaf was great as always...but I felt it used to be bigger.