Baggage: to interline or not to interline?
 

*A award travel upcoming. Next week, I fly with no layovers:

PHL-LAX (US) F
LAX-ICN (OZ) F
ICN-BKK (TG) C
BKK-HKG (TG) F

My return, again with no layovers:

HKG-BKK (TG) F
BKK-ZRH (TG) F
ZRH-JFK (LX) F


Should I interline my bags all the way through each way? Or am I asking for lost baggage if I do?

My preference would be not to check bags. But if you do, what choice do you have?

For example, I could get my bags at LAX after my US flight and take them myself to my OZ flight (due to possible skepticism that US would get the bags to my OZ flight in time). But I'm not sure if that's necessary. That's why I'm asking.

I don't know if US allows you to short-check bags.

Personally, I'd send your bags all the way through. I've done this with a few carriers on Star Alliance (UA->AC and LH->SQ) and never had any problems. Of course, there's always a risk that any checked bag will go astray, but generally I think you should be fine.

That's what I'm figuring. My fear stems from several years ago when US was notorious for losing bags. When I flew PHL-LAX-AKL-SYD, everyone on the US FT board told me not to interline but to get my bags at LAX and bring them to my NZ flight myself. But US now has a much better reputation for bag handling.

Why are you doing the ICN-BKK-HKG backtrack?
Were there no seats ICN-HKG? On both TG and OZ?

If you check them thru you risk that they loose your bags somewhere - and the more short connection you have the bigger the risk.

But image what happens if one of your flights is late and there is no time to wait for the baggage before you need to go to your next flight. Your bags will be circling with you already on the next flight. And they will not be delivered to you at the final destination.

Same if your baggage is lost somewhere in between. So i would check them thru. At least you will get them a few days later. Otherwise it is likely far more problematic to get them back.

Ha. I was waiting for that question. :D

This is my first ever *A F award (expect for ICN-BKK, which is in C because that segment has no F cabin on TG), and I wanted to make the routing longer to enjoy some more of the premium-travel experience -- both in the air and on the ground.

I know that some of you frequent Asia flyers might think I'm nutty, but consider that I normally fly US Airways in the United States...

tommyleo,

bad plan. After this experience you don't want to set foot on any US airline anymore. So you need to move to Asia.

It's a sample size of 1 (2 if you include Mrs. CJ) but I checked bags on a very similar itinerary: ORD-LAX-ICN-BKK-USM, in C/F. Bags arrived in better shape than we did. Plus, the BKK-USM was a separately purchased itinerary, which UA had no problem adding to the interline.

I say, go for it!

Or I can just fly to Asia more often! :D

My first taste of the vast difference between U.S. airlines and Asian airlines was in 2008, when I flew to Penang from LAX. I took SQ in paid Y, but was still blown away by the clear difference in service. Heck, when my grandfather died while I was still in Penang and I needed to leave two days earlier than planned to attend his funeral, SQ wanted to change my SIN-HKG-LAX segments at no charge -- but all flights were booked because it was the week before the Olypmics. So what did SQ do instead? They flew me in Premium Economy, SIN-LAX, to get me to my connection in LAX on US (LAX-PHL). No charge.

Last year, I flew to TPE in C on a *A award. PHL-LAX-NRT-TPE. LAX-NRT was on UA, but I was in the upper deck of a 747 with the new C seats, so that was sweet. Then I got to hang in the NRT ANA lounge before a flight on ANA to TPE in C. The seat wasn't overly amazing, but the food was authentic Japanese and fantastic.

This year's trip will clearly top all of that. So yeah, I'll be spoiled for life. But as they day: if your not living, you're dying.

On several occasions I've checked bags from JFK through to Asia with 4 or 5 flights, 2 PNRs, 2 or 3 airlines and conjoined baggage tickets. This also includes a couple of overnight layovers with bags retained somewhere in the airport for a morning flight.

Haven't had any problems yet.

Just check your bags through and don't worry about it. Priority tags typically work in Asia as well, unlike on our American brethren carriers.

I never had a problem with interlining yet. Just follow the good practice of taking some essentials on the carry-on in worst case there's a slight delay in getting your luggage.

You're preaching to the choir on this forum; I just did an F award to Asia with similar circuitous routing to maximize the flight and lounge experiences. I have also inter-lined bags through multiple itineraries and continents before (most recently, BKK-ZRH-FRA, then FRA-DOH on a separate ticket) without incident.

Of course the risk increases the more connections you have. It would be a good idea to bring essentials with you in a carry-on in case you are without your luggage for a day or two!