QR Interlining (Baggage)
#151
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 485
Sharing my experiences from the BKK-SOF return with a separate connection to LHR. The check-in staff in Thailand tagged my bags through to LHR without any issue.
After disembarking, and despite the signage for connecting passengers, we were herded together with arrival passengers through passport control. At this stage I got a funny feeling and decided to stick around near the baggage carousel for a few minutes and sure enough our bags were on there. Not seeing any official staff besides customs I decided to proceed to the arrivals/departures hall and re-check bags with BA.
After disembarking, and despite the signage for connecting passengers, we were herded together with arrival passengers through passport control. At this stage I got a funny feeling and decided to stick around near the baggage carousel for a few minutes and sure enough our bags were on there. Not seeing any official staff besides customs I decided to proceed to the arrivals/departures hall and re-check bags with BA.
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,655
It happens. I distinctly recall a few years ago at AA DFW bag claim seeing a bag on the floor at a carousel tagged XXX-DFW-YYY (and YYY was a Caribbean island/resort destination). I went to the baggage desk and pointed it out to the AA staffer sitting behind the desk (after distracting him from the video game he was playing on his phone). His response? "Yeah, OK." And he went back to his video game. That's someone's vacation ruined.
#153
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: HH S*G SPG FPC
Posts: 30
Sharing my experiences from the BKK-SOF return with a separate connection to LHR. The check-in staff in Thailand tagged my bags through to LHR without any issue.
After disembarking, and despite the signage for connecting passengers, we were herded together with arrival passengers through passport control. At this stage I got a funny feeling and decided to stick around near the baggage carousel for a few minutes and sure enough our bags were on there. Not seeing any official staff besides customs I decided to proceed to the arrivals/departures hall and re-check bags with BA.
After disembarking, and despite the signage for connecting passengers, we were herded together with arrival passengers through passport control. At this stage I got a funny feeling and decided to stick around near the baggage carousel for a few minutes and sure enough our bags were on there. Not seeing any official staff besides customs I decided to proceed to the arrivals/departures hall and re-check bags with BA.
#154
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: HH S*G SPG FPC
Posts: 30
My flight in May will be MNL-DOH-MAD on QR and then MAD-SVQ on IB (operated by Iberia Express). These two are on separate PNRs. I also have a 3 hour connection time in MAD. I tried to ask both QR and IB if I could through check my luggage to SVQ.
QR: As we have noted that you are holding reservations on 2 separate tickets, we strongly recommend that you liaise with the Qatar Airways local office at the point of embarkation way in advance. Our colleagues at the local airport office will be in a better position to advise you if your baggage can be through checked to your final destination.
IB: When dealing with different reservations, it will be necessary to pick up your suitcase in Madrid and re-pass control to board your flight to Seville.
QR: As we have noted that you are holding reservations on 2 separate tickets, we strongly recommend that you liaise with the Qatar Airways local office at the point of embarkation way in advance. Our colleagues at the local airport office will be in a better position to advise you if your baggage can be through checked to your final destination.
IB: When dealing with different reservations, it will be necessary to pick up your suitcase in Madrid and re-pass control to board your flight to Seville.
#155
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: HH S*G SPG FPC
Posts: 30
That's interesting. This is despite the baggage tags saying DOH-SOF-LHR with the BA flight number on the LHR leg? On the two occasions I have tried to interline baggage (once BKK-DOH-OSL-LHR and another time HKT-DOH-HEL-LHR) it has failed to arrive despite the baggage being correctly tagged. However, on both occasions the bags got stuck at Doha rather than completing the Qatar sectors (or at least that's what I was told at LHR) and were delivered to me after less than 24 hours. I now only attempt interlining if there is nothing crucial in the baggage, and sometimes deliberately if they are heavy bags in the hope that they get delivered to my door instead for free rather than carrying them on the tube (albeit a little delayed!)
#156
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Berlin
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 505
Ha! Gaming the system What a great idea, thanks for that tip.
#157
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 102
My flight in May will be MNL-DOH-MAD on QR and then MAD-SVQ on IB (operated by Iberia Express). These two are on separate PNRs. I also have a 3 hour connection time in MAD. I tried to ask both QR and IB if I could through check my luggage to SVQ.
QR: As we have noted that you are holding reservations on 2 separate tickets, we strongly recommend that you liaise with the Qatar Airways local office at the point of embarkation way in advance. Our colleagues at the local airport office will be in a better position to advise you if your baggage can be through checked to your final destination.
IB: When dealing with different reservations, it will be necessary to pick up your suitcase in Madrid and re-pass control to board your flight to Seville.
QR: As we have noted that you are holding reservations on 2 separate tickets, we strongly recommend that you liaise with the Qatar Airways local office at the point of embarkation way in advance. Our colleagues at the local airport office will be in a better position to advise you if your baggage can be through checked to your final destination.
IB: When dealing with different reservations, it will be necessary to pick up your suitcase in Madrid and re-pass control to board your flight to Seville.
#158
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 935
That's interesting. This is despite the baggage tags saying DOH-SOF-LHR with the BA flight number on the LHR leg? On the two occasions I have tried to interline baggage (once BKK-DOH-OSL-LHR and another time HKT-DOH-HEL-LHR) it has failed to arrive despite the baggage being correctly tagged. However, on both occasions the bags got stuck at Doha rather than completing the Qatar sectors (or at least that's what I was told at LHR) and were delivered to me after less than 24 hours. I now only attempt interlining if there is nothing crucial in the baggage, and sometimes deliberately if they are heavy bags in the hope that they get delivered to my door instead for free rather than carrying them on the tube (albeit a little delayed!)
#159
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Berlin
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 505
When AirBerlin was still around, the FA at TransferDesk in MUC told me I MUST do this, otherwise my luggage would forever enjoy an endless luggage system ride in the dark undergrounds of MUC.
They (AB) need to connect my luggage tag in the system with their ticket system... bla bla something.
They (AB) need to connect my luggage tag in the system with their ticket system... bla bla something.
#160
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DWC
Programs: OWS, *A G
Posts: 626
This guy named Boris was very helpful. He said he could take the bags back (they were checking in for the SOF-DOH departure) but since they had QR tags he said he would genuinely be afraid the baggage handlers might load it on the QR plane At this point we agreed best course of action is to wait for the BA check in desks to open and re-tag the bags
With 3 hours between the flights this was not an issue but in the future I will probably avoid ex-SOF itineraries.
Last edited by zat_dude; Jan 6, 2018 at 12:58 am Reason: typo
#161
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
I tried HKG DOH BRU LHR FRA recently, HKG to BRU on QR PNR and BRU to FRA on BA PNR. It was ok for the hkg ground staff to check through my luggage after a few phone call. I reconfirmed with the gate agent at DOH BRU and LHR if my bag was loaded with an affirmative answer. Yet, upon arrival FRA my bag didnt appear. I was told my bad was left in Doha. The bag appeared after 3 days in my hotel.
#162
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 485
I tried HKG DOH BRU LHR FRA recently, HKG to BRU on QR PNR and BRU to FRA on BA PNR. It was ok for the hkg ground staff to check through my luggage after a few phone call. I reconfirmed with the gate agent at DOH BRU and LHR if my bag was loaded with an affirmative answer. Yet, upon arrival FRA my bag didnt appear. I was told my bad was left in Doha. The bag appeared after 3 days in my hotel.
#165
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,354
I often travel on separate tickets, separate PNRs. If I successfully get my baggage tagged through to my final destination I always go to the transfer desk to show the baggage tag and ask them to confirm that my baggage is ok in the system and will travelling with me on the same flight. I often repeat this at the gate. IME this greatly reduces the risk of baggage being left behind.