sratakhin

Hello,

I bought a one-way award using MileagePlus. I don't have any status yet as I'm new to the game. My first two flights are on United and then another two flights are on Thai Airways. United allows checking in two bags @ 50 lbs each but TG has a total limit of 66 lbs regardless of how many pieces I have. Will I be allowed to check the luggage through to my final destination?

I really want to bring as much luggage as possible as we are moving to another country. However, the flight starts in Singapore and ends in Auckland. I heard that United counters at Changi aren't open until two or three hours before the departure and if they don't allow me to check in more than 66 lbs, I will have no time to send the luggage via mail.

The complete itinerary looks like this:

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Sat, 13JUN15 UA896 SINGAPORE - HONG KONG
Sat, 13JUN15 UA117 HONG KONG - HO CHI MINH CITY
Sun, 14JUN15 TG557 HO CHI MINH CITY - BANGKOK
Mon, 15JUN15 TG491 BANGKOK - AUCKLAND


Nevermind the number of flights, I booked them with 20 hour long layovers so we can see the cities above on our trip.

username

What does it say on united.com for your PNR or on your e-ticket?

I am still pretty confused by the rules but my understanding is:

Assuming the bags are tagged directly, you would think the IATA Most Significant Carrier (MSC) rule applies. In this case, it would be TG because it crosses the IATA sub-areas. So, TG rules applies for the entire journey.

Maybe UA won't care and let you put through. I have heard people getting charged by the connecting carrier even though they thru-checked their bags.

Then the risk of more money being collected increases if they can't hold your bags for 20 hours. The risk of the bags lost increases if they hold your bag for 20 hours.

Good luck.

sratakhin

When I enter my details here by providing my reservation number and last name, http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/trav...edBaggage.aspx

It shows this

However, when I enter my flight details manually, I get different results.

Check up to two bags at no charge
1st bag - $0
2nd bag - $0
Up to 62.0 linear inches (157cm) L + W + H and 50.0 lbs (23 kg) per bag

Tchiowa

Looked a tad strange until your last sentence.

As long as UA initially tags your bags all the way through to Auckland I think you're OK. If you're trying to access your bags and re-check at those various cities then you're probably not OK.

One other thing to think about. Since you're going to be leaving the airports you might get slapped with the airport tax. Normally that is no considered for connecting flights. But when you clear Immigration and then have to check in again you might have to pay the tax yourself.

sratakhin

That's ok, I don't mind paying the tax at all as long as it's not too outrageous. I'll get to see different places and it's probably worth the cost

Another issue though is the check-through luggage at overnight stops but I already asked this question in the consolidated topic...

thai2541

Although you can look up the information or call the airlines, it will be the check-in desk that makes the final determination. Some airports do not have facilities for holding luggage for a long over-night layover. Some computer generated luggage tags can only handle 3 connections. Some airport are not known for the security of the baggage handling which would be more risky for a long layover. Thai Inter charges US$55 per kg for overweight luggage BKK to KOK. You might get lucky at the airport in Singapore but if not, it may be an expensive trip. Good luck.

sinoflyer

Looking at the itinerary, I agree with you. TG rules apply.

However, I don't know what UA agents would agree to do. If I were to surmise the best chance for UA's rules to apply, I would first check the bag to HKG and then try with UA's HKG staff to check the bag to AKL. This "oneway" itinerary looks too convoluted the way it begins in SIN such that the UA agent there might be comfortable with only tagging the bag to SGN.

Good luck OP, but like I said, other than my suggestion above (which is what I would do myself), I really don't know what UA would do.

sratakhin

I guess my best option if United refuses to check through my bags would be to check it in until HKG or SGN and then mail it when I'm in those cities.

kkg

Some transit desks at airports would be willing to re-tag your checked bags. I personally have done that in Dubai and Bangkok.

If the check-in agent only checks your bags to, say, Bangkok, you may approach the transit desk at BKK and ask the bags to be re-tagged to Auckland. In my experience they do ask how heavy the bags are.

LilAbner

Having done this from LAS to KKC (via BKK) over 50 time in the past 8 years, the UA sky cap or t/a will check your bags to the end of your itin if you request.

However, should you need to reclaim them anywhere along the line, and a TG agent puts their hands on your luggage, the bags are going on the scale and you're now playing by TG's rules.

Sometimes they are cool, but I wouldn't count on it, especially since you have NO status, as you mention.

Forget about what the stuff says when you pull it up on the UA site, on Thai Air it's "Same-Same, But Different!", which is their national motto.

poverty.jet.set

I've always been forced to claim my bag on a long (10+ hr) layover

zebranz

I have found the UA baggage computation page incorrect.
I have also checked on many occasions luggage in accordance with what I am allowed on UA but over the connecting carriers limitations. Never a problem when I "drop" off. If you do not have a through baggage tag, might be an issue.

sratakhin

Actually, I just checked my own account (I booked this trip using my friend's account) and it appears that I have silver status. Not much but still, better than nothing I guess. I checked with TG and still confused whether it gives me any extra benefits compared to not having status.

I emailed TG and received a pretty clear reply. They said if United will check my bags through to the destination, I can have what UA allows. If I have to check in my bags in SIN or BKK, it will be according to TG rules.

DHalltheway

Just note that like you mentioned above, TG's rule is 66lbs combined total, not per bag.

So don't freak out if you get charged for the overweight.

Another note is in my experience, carriers allow for check in up to 48 hours prior.

If your BKK-AKL flight is greater than 48 hours, I would be shocked if they are even able to ticket it.

username

I just looked at the schedule. UA SIN-HKG departs 6 AM and BKK-AKL departs 6:45 PM. So that is 60+ hours. So, I guess other posters are saying basically the TG reservation/check-in system will reject the check in so the bags cannot be tagged all the way to AKL.