Checked baggage question
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 23,169
Checked baggage question
Since this involves two Star airlines, I decided to post it here, but it actually pertains to UA...
My wife is flying KSD-ARN-ORD on SK (paper ticket) and ORD-DEN (separate e-ticket) on 4/9 (Wednesday). The SK phone agent told me she could have her bag tagged in KSD all the way through to DEN (apparently, she can give the SK agent her e-ticket record locator, and the agent can find the reservation--dunno how true that really is).
She has a 6-hour layover in ORD, but her ticket will allow her to take an earlier flight with no penalty. When she picks up her bags at ORD customs, can she go to the UA ticket counter and check-in for an earlier flight? Would that cause any issues? Could she do this at the United connections counter right after customs? Or could she just save some (potential) headaches and just check her bag just into ORD? If possible, I would like to have her bags checked through to DEN just in case of any (possible INS-related) delays.
In the past, SK says they can't tag bags through to a final destination if the connecting domestic flight is on a separate ticket. They kept saying, "You have to pick up your bags in ORD/EWR/IAD/SEA anyways." In a past discussion in this forum, that kind of comment was attributed to laziness on the SK agent's part. When I called UA, they gave essentially same response.
Thanks in advance.
My wife is flying KSD-ARN-ORD on SK (paper ticket) and ORD-DEN (separate e-ticket) on 4/9 (Wednesday). The SK phone agent told me she could have her bag tagged in KSD all the way through to DEN (apparently, she can give the SK agent her e-ticket record locator, and the agent can find the reservation--dunno how true that really is).
She has a 6-hour layover in ORD, but her ticket will allow her to take an earlier flight with no penalty. When she picks up her bags at ORD customs, can she go to the UA ticket counter and check-in for an earlier flight? Would that cause any issues? Could she do this at the United connections counter right after customs? Or could she just save some (potential) headaches and just check her bag just into ORD? If possible, I would like to have her bags checked through to DEN just in case of any (possible INS-related) delays.
In the past, SK says they can't tag bags through to a final destination if the connecting domestic flight is on a separate ticket. They kept saying, "You have to pick up your bags in ORD/EWR/IAD/SEA anyways." In a past discussion in this forum, that kind of comment was attributed to laziness on the SK agent's part. When I called UA, they gave essentially same response.
Thanks in advance.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
I thought one was required to clear both customs and immigration at the point of entry to the US.
Once on a domestic flight, one does not pass through C&I again, so how does Customs check the old suitcase for contraband?
Once on a domestic flight, one does not pass through C&I again, so how does Customs check the old suitcase for contraband?
#3
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: MEL
Programs: BA Gold; VA Velocity Gold; LH FTL; Marriott Gold; ICHG Platinum AMB; Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,393
They can locate the separate confirmed reservation, and ticket the luggage through to DEN. However, she will have to collect the bag at ORD and re-check it immediately after customs.
If she is going to take an earlier flight, I would imagine that she can ask the United agent immediately after customs to transfer the bag to the earlier flight, but this is likely to be more complicated than simply checking in separately at ORD. I would check the bag to ORD, and then check in for DEN at the desk after customs (they can issue boarding passes there).
If she is going to take an earlier flight, I would imagine that she can ask the United agent immediately after customs to transfer the bag to the earlier flight, but this is likely to be more complicated than simply checking in separately at ORD. I would check the bag to ORD, and then check in for DEN at the desk after customs (they can issue boarding passes there).
#4
Original Member




Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,043
yes - she (SK) can get her luggaged tagged through to the Final (DEN) destination. Nedvertheless, she has to pick it up at ORD, bring it through costums, and reckeck-it right afterwards at the special UA desk right after costums. If time (and space and ticket conditions) allows, she can also be 'advanced' to an earlier flight - but she has to do so at the nearby UA counter before rechecking her luggage. She will anyhow not get her UA boarding pass for ORD-DEN from SK - so there is no additional time loss when rearranging 'things' at that counter.

