Interline luggage check and the pet fee on UA. Questions
 

Mr. Moderator, if this is better in UA, please feel free to move :)

I need to transport my cat in-cabin on United HNL-BBB-CCC. I have already checked and there is "pet space" on the flights in both Y and F.

But I will be beginning this itin with a from-a-neighbor island flight (separate ticket -- the cost is literally $800 less than booking that segment as a UA codeshare. It's a peculiar market) on HA.

Many times I've had HA inter-line my luggage at my departure airport to a UA itin that begins at HNL.

I really don't want to have to exit and re-clear security when I connect in HNL to my UA flight.

Do I pay my in-cabin pet fee to UA over the phone? Will they send me a receipt to show the FAs (will the FAs even ask?) Or is this a, ahem, peculiarity where one could have the "pet reservation" note in the PNR but since not actually checking in with UA wouldn't get dinged?

Or is all of this moot because I WILL have to leave security to check-in in person?

Or -- could one simply go to the RCC in HNL and check-in there with kitty, thus staying airside?

You pay the pet fee to UA when you arrive at the airport. If your island-to-island flight is not on the same itinerary, you'll have to pay in HNL. You shouldn't have to go back out through security - I believe you can just pay the GA at your gate. In fact, you might not have to pay at all, since they may not check.

How is the cat getting to HNL - is it going in-cabin on the HA flight? Are you paying HA? Or are you picking up the cat in HNL?

Good to know :)

In cabin HA interisland flight. No charge for in-cabin inter-island on HA.

Ah, neat. Well, I'm not 100% positive but I think you'd be paying the fee to the GA. You need to pre-reserve your pet space on the UA flights - you do this over the phone. Once a pet is attached to your reservation, you will not be able to do OLCI. You'll have to check in at the airport in HNL, which you'll do at the gate... you pay the fee at that time.

That's helpful. Thank you.

I wonder if I could check in at the RCC if I slip back out again with the kitty :)

I'm sure you can check in anywhere there is a CSR. However, if your intent is to avoid paying the fee, I don't think that will work - the computer sees the PETC flag and prompts the CSR to collect the fee.

No, I just don't know if carry-on kitties are allowed in the RCC :)

ETA: Yes, found out that they are, so long as in-carrier/kennel.

An interesting wrinkle noted here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12313973-post174.html