badgerface

The _Banking_Scot

Hi

On separate tickets and having to check your bags again with BA you will have to collect them at SFO ( T2 i think) and get them to the BA check in desks at the International Terminal ( A gates) and completed check in 1 h prior to departure (ie st 1835 for a 1935 departure). BA will have no obligation to assist you if you miss this deadline.

I do not know about Alaska's baggage policy but I have alerted a moderator to move this post to the alaska airline forum where the experts should be able to help ( as you will be checking in with Alaska at LAS and subject to their check in /Baggage transfer policy.

On 2 separate tickets ( esp going long haul) I would be a little uncomfortable with this schedule ( if everything runs ok it should be possible) but would consider seeing if I could get on an earlier LAS-SFO flight to give more headroom

Regards

TBS

dhuey

I'm more comfortable with this itinerary than TBS. Even a full hour delay on your SFO flight and you'd still be okay.

As he noted, you will collect your bags in Terminal 2. From there, take the elevator up to the top level for AirTrain. Take the red line train two stops to International-A. The BA check-in lines will be close to the base of the escalator down from the AirTrain.

Good luck and safe travels.

Note: Alaska has a few domestic flights into/out of International-A. I doubt your LAS flight will go to International-A, but it's possible. That would be a happy surprise for you in the unlikely event, as that's your BA departure terminal.

Eastbay1K

Yes, that can happen. Last week I had a rare scheduled A gate (domestic) departure. Then, about 4 hours before the flight, it changed to a different terminal (at a different airport)! This is really unlikely for LAS/SFO, because I think they're all on Airbus, which don't ever divert to OAK.

dhuey

Is there something about Airbus and OAK?

Eastbay1K

I think AS ground staff isn't trained on them there, so they never (as far as the advance scheduled ones) divert there.

ucdtim17

Given the switch to Airbus on N/S routes and shift to Boeing on transcon, it's a little surprising they haven't introduced the Airbii to OAK yet. I guess it's a small enough station it's more trouble than it's worth to introduce a new type, so they'll just stick with 737/E175?

Often1

These two routings are simply a matter of OP's risk tolerance. It is, of course, enough time presuming that his AS flight is approximately on time. But, as it stands, he has 1:40 to get himself and his bag to BA from the AS baggage claim. If we allow 30 minutes for the bags, that leaves 1:10 to make it with bag from AS to the front of the BA check in line.

Any delay of 30+ minutes means likely missing the cut off and perhaps having to purchase a new BA ticket.

I would take the earlier flight. There are six carriers with nonstop flights between LAS and LAX and tickets run in the $80-90 range. Even if OP abandons what he has, that is less painful than a nw TATL at walk-up prices. And that presumes that AS won't change the flight anyway.

dhuey

Huh? OP said scheduled arrival is 16:50 and departure is 19:35. That's 2:45. Give it 30 min. for baggage retrieval and it's 2:15 from bag in hand to heading off to BA check-in (two stops on AirTrain). OP could have a full hour delay and still make it to the BA bag check before cut-off.