Making Same Day Connection on Two Separate Tickets
 

I have several questions with the issue of interlining when one makes a connection from one airline to another on the same day on two different tickets.

For example, one is flying a Oneworld carrier then connecting same day to a *A carrier (which will bring them to the final destination). The flight on the Oneworld carrier and the flight on the onward *A carrier are on two separate tickets. However, there is an interlining agreement between the two airlines. I've read many threads that because of this, the Oneworld carrier can tag my bags to my final destination if one shows the Oneworld carrier's check-in agent his/her separate *A carrier ticket. So when the Oneworld carrier tags the bags to the final destination, will it be one tag showing both the oneworld carrier's flight number and the connecting *A carrier flight number on the same tag or will they actually print two baggage tags: one for the oneworld flight number and the second for the *A airline flight number? Also with the interlining agreement in place, does this mean that the oneworld carrier's check-in agent can also print the boarding pass for the connecting flight on the *A carrier on it's own stock when one shows the agent the separate *A carrier ticket during check-in or can they only go as far as tagging the bags to the final destination?

i think what you're asking for depends more on the airline itself than the airline alliance.

eg: Air Canada (*A) will not through-check your luggage to another carrier if you purchase separate tickets regardless of their interline agreements.

If the oneworld carrier you are referring to is AA, then I believe that yes, they will through-check your luggage. And it will all be on the same bagtag.

As for the connecting boarding pass, they *may* be able to issue it, you'll only know when you check-in. The agent can enter your connection into their system, and the system will send a request to the other airline's system to check you in, but there's no guarantee that it works.

The only thing you should be aware of is that should there be any delay/cancellation for whatever reason on your first flight, the oneworld carrier is only responsible to get you to the final destination shown on your first ticket... and not necessarily in time for your connection.

Starting in 2006 many airlines have cracked down on interlining on separate tickets. Most will not interline except within the same alliance. All will interline on single tickets. And prior to 2005 it was no problem to interline with separate tickets.

So it all depends on the 2 airlines involved. Some have agreements and will do it with separate tickets, some won't. And many of these agreements are not symmetrical (so you can sometimes interline in one direction, but not on the return trip, for example). The airlines do this to get you to buy a single ticket. They have figured out that people are buying separate tickets to save money, and are using interlining as one of the justifications for paying more for a single ticket. Your alternative if you must check your luggage through is to ship it as air freight (costs for this vary, but is typically a few hundred dollars).

In general even if you can get bags through tagged you will not be able to check in for both tickets at the same time.

Through checking bags is subject to many rules and variations - it is impossible to give a definitive answer without a lot more information. Who are you flying and where. Codeshare flight number or not. Where is the break between tickets. Is this an overnight transit or same day. Short transit or long. Domestic or international. Etc.

What if I bought 2 seperate flights on 2 seperate itineraries ut both of them with CO? I assume that they will not make me claim my luggage, and then check it back in right?
This especially concerns me on my next trip since I will be paying for 3 extra peices of checked luggage.

I've interlined bags while connecting on two tickets on many occasions, including the recent past.

It works for me about 90% of the time and depends on a number of factors:

Being in the same alliance certainly helps.

Your originating carrier must allow interlining - some do and some don't. I always start my trip with UA, and they seem to check your bag through to almost anybody. BMI, for example, does not.

The ability of the person to work the computer system to make it happen.

But, assuming they'll do it, here's the drill.

Check your bag with the first carrier and be very clear that you want to "check your bag through to airline xxx at airport xxx" and show them your receipt (or paper tickets, if you have such an arcane thing). They should then enter that into the system and print you a single bag tag and a little receipt that they'll stick on your paperwork somewhere - don't lose that! This is one time that I make sure to take a good long look at the tag to be sure they have it correct.

I've never been able to get onward BPs unless I was flying on a single ticket. UA, for example, was unable to print me LH BPs. However, with the advent of online checkin, I've usually been able to print my onward BPs before my first flight, as long as I'm within the 24 window.

When you get to your transfer airport go to the first agent for the onward airline that you can find. Usually there will be a transfer desk somewhere inside security, but you can also go to the gate. If you have access to the lounge they'll also take care of you there. If you have received your BP show them that - they'll probably print you a new one, often with a different seat, in my experience. If you're expecting miles for the flight be sure they have your mileage number in their record, often they don't.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, show them your bag check stub, since they will want to get that number into their system. This information doesn't seem to automatically transfer from system to system, and in the odd case when I didn't show them my stub they actually paged me at the gate and said "Mr. Milepig, do you have a bag checked", since they had an odd bag for the flight without anything on their manifest. It wasn't a problem, but since there is an easy solution I just make a habit of being proactive.

Even so, there is always that moment where I'm standing at the baggage claim at my final airport thinking "will it come down the chute or not!"

This is yet one more reason that I avoid checking luggage at all cost.