tristans

I'm currently on a break in America and fly back to England on 22nd Feb. On my return journey (1 domestic flight, then 1 transatlantic one), both flights are listed as
"Airline: BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA)
Operating Airline: AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA)".
Unfortunately, AA has much less generous rules for checked baggage (AA's website says it allows bags with total dimensions added together of 62in; BA allows 35.5in x 29.5in x 16in (81in))
The bag I took with me is slightly over AA's allowance, at something like 68-69inches, and they have a ridiculous $200 charge for any oversized baggage.

So what I want to know is, whose rules apply? Because I will need to buy a new bag if it's the operating airline who decides what goes. Also, which desk should I check in at?

sbm12

Check in with the operating carrier. That means AA.

The rules on baggage fees have become much more complicated with Most Significant Carrier and the US DoT's adjusted adoption of those rules. Still, I'd assume the AA rules are going to apply and plan for the worst.

NFeldberg

I had a similar dilemma not long ago with AA. Yes, AA's rules will apply. It sucks, believe me, I know it. AA is by far the worst U.S carrier when it comes to check in baggage.

tristans

Thanks for your replies :/

AA has a charge even for just one checked bag, right? Presumably that will apply too.

EDIT - I see now that AA charges $25 for the first checked bag for domestic flights, but no charge for the first bag on trans-atlantic flights. So will I be charged the $25 for the first flight, or no?

HkCaGu

No. It's not how you fly; it's where you're checking the bag to. If it's transatlantic, then there will be no charge.

t325

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a related question.

I'm flying STL-ORD-LHR-ORD-STL, the STL-ORD legs are on AA and the ORD-LHR legs are on Virgin Atlantic. This was all booked on one ticket on Orbitz. Will I be stuck paying the AA baggage fees since they're not operating the international leg? Thanks

number_6

The MSC rule applies outside of the US (this would be the VS allowance, if you were starting in Canada or Mexico, for example); for US origin/destination, the US DoT rule applies and you get the AA allowance (DoT rule is first leg allowance applies to entire trip).

t325

So, in other words, I have baggage fees on my outbound flights but not return flight?

tristans

It sounds like you will have no baggage fees, but you'll have the AA baggage size restrictions, from what HkCaGu said

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Hypothetical situation. I fly from Australia to LAX, stopover a couple of days then fly to IAH and then a couple of days later fly back to Australia, connecting in LAX.

If I was allowed a free bag to LAX and a free bag IAH to Australia, do I get a free bag LAX-IAH or am I subject to whatever fee is applicable at LAX.

In other words, does the baggage charge (well, non-charge) stay with me throughout my itiniery, or just the travel to/from the US?

Also, Hawaiian Airlines charges for UA Premiers for a bag on a UA codeshare on interisland flight connecting to a mainland-bound flight after paying no bag fee on the inbound. Does this contradict DOT rules?

HkCaGu

According to 14 CFR 399.87, enacted in early 2012:
So the question is: Is it one itinerary? If yes, then it doesn't matter how you stop or open-jaw or whatever.

This I can't say for sure. Does MSC apply here?

wrp96

From what I understand, on UA, as a Premier (same with other airlines and elites), technically it's not that you get a high baggage allowance, but rather that due to your status as a Premier your baggage fees are waived. So say you bought an economy ticket on UA connecting to/from Hawaiian flights. Your actual baggage allowance would be zero for your ticket, but UA waives the fees due to your status. Thus the baggage allowance that would apply to your actual ticket is zero bags. So when you check in with Hawaiian they see that your baggage allowance is zero - they can choose to waive the fees due to your elite status on another airline, but the DOT rules don't require it because your actual baggage allowance is zero.

Often1

Yes. If you are on one itinerary (defined as a ticket). Thus, a ticket: AUSTRALIA-LAX-IAH-LAX-AUSTRALIA gets the AUSTRALIA-LAX allowance for all 4 segments. If, on the other hand, you purchase a separate domestic ticket for your swing through IAH, you get the allowance associated with that ticket.

UA's system is programmed that way.

As to the HA situation --- Your allowance on UA should carry through to HA. But, note that you may be thinking of a situation where your allowance is 0, but UA gives you a waiver. If not, file a DOT complaint.

seawolf

What wrp96 and Often1 posted is accurate. Baggage fee wavier for elite is just that, a waiver. The underlying allowance on the ticket will reflect the actual allowance tied to the fare paid and excludes elite status waivers.

So if you are 1KGS on UA and you get 3 bags free, your UA issued ticket will still show the baggage policy as if you were a non-status flyer.

Same would apply if you were an airline-branded credit card member. You may get free bags from the card, but the baggage policy on the ticket will still reflect the general public policy.