Often1

OP is going to find that LX is not UA and that LX is rules oriented in the extreme. If OP is ticketed to FRA, his bags are going to FRA. That will occur whether he checks them in with SA at CPT or with LX at JNB.

The sole difference is that LX will be unfailingly polite when it says, "that will not be possible."

As always, the advice for those engaging in hidden city ticketing fraud is not to check bags and to have a Plan B for IRROPS as he will be routed to his ticketed destination, not to some interim connection point.

WineCountryUA

As the key questions are LX related, will move this to the appropriate forum where those more familiar with LX's baggage policies can common on.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

oliver2002

There is no chance that you can check thru your luggage to EWR in JNB or CPT. The best option would be to check it till ZRH, which they will do since you have a 12h break. Then check it in again at ZRH. Don't mention anything about your ZRH-EWR plans to the LX agent in JNB, it may cause some activism there.

Collect your bags in ZRH and check in with UA. Make sure you cancel your checkin for the ZRH-FRA flight if you have the time, that way you won't hold up that flight.

8420PR

Last January, SAA in Capetown were happy to accept my bag:
- connecting to LH in JNB, on a separate ticket
- short checked to Munich (via FRA), where (on the separate ticket) I had a 8 hour connection.

The only hassle was explaining the flight numbers and what we needed to put on the bag check. Next time I would bring a clearer print-out, instead of showing the ticket on my phone.

In your position, I would just check the bag to Zurich, which is easily justifiable with the 12 hour layover on the connection to FRA.

LondonElite

YuropFlyer

SA will accept to check your luggage to JNB, and possible to FRA. Thus, not useful for you. Check to JNB is it.
LX will accept your luggage to FRA or ZRH, but you'll need to manually intervene. Think of a good reason why you need it in ZRH, which under no circumstances involves flying NOT to FRA.
An example would be that there is no good chocolate in your country, and you'd like to get your hands on several kilogramm of great Swiss chocolate that will need to be put into your checked baggage due to weight limitations in carry-on.
That SHOULD got you in the clean.

However, please note that Lufthansa Group (which LX is a 100% daughter of) has sued (so far without success, but apparently they're pushing the issue higher) a customer doing hidden ticketing and in case they're eventually winning that, I'd not do such thing anymore.

Also, with LX _not_ honouring EU261 "updated" rules, in case their flight into ZRH gets delayed, you'll not get any compensation. JNB is one of the routes they'll delay by 12hrs (due to it being possible, as compared to Asian destinations, where an early morning departure Ex-ZRH isn't really an option) if they're short of aircrafts or crew.

craz

I would never bring EWR into this except @ ZRH with a UA agent. I would ask that the bag/s be tagged only as far as ZRH since I/We have meetings and an event to attend where I/We will need clothing+ that will be in the checked bags. Shouldnt be a problem with a 12 hr layover an hour or 2 layover Id doubt they would comply.

Problem might be what to do with the bags @ ZRH, highly doubt that UA counters will be open 12 hrs before the OPs flight. Will probably have to pay to store them if the OP wants to head out of the airport

Nick Art

YuropFlyer

Check-in 2, Terminal 2
Abflugebene Bereich 4, Schalter 460–466

Doesn't look like LX counters to me

3hrs before the flight it is.

airoli

No. Separate counters in Terminal 2.

Nick Art

Ups! My bad!

oliver2002

OP's FRA flight is 12 hours later, but the EWR flight is only 3-4 hours later. @:-)