WineCountryUA

Where is AC saying that?
As others have mentioned, AC will provide another bag (23kg) in addition to the ticketed benefit.

dts9

It is brand new.... FREE EXTRA BAG... on my email its says star alliance gold, $55 first bag, $0 second bag.
On Star Alliance website, the benefit is now "free extra bag" or "additional weight".

WineCountryUA

Was the email from AC or UA? It is clearly wrong
As it has said for years, no change there

Some airlines use the piece count method and some use a total weight metric -- UA and AC and many others use the piece count method.

dts9

Star Alliance used to say, free "additional bag", but now says free "extra bag". Important and new distinction.
I booked AC economy standard, with United Gold, was told you pay for first bag, and get second free.
If you book FLEX, you get first and second bag free.
last month I booked the same ticket (standard to same destination) and my email confirm has $0 for first checked bag.

cfischer

there is absolutely no change. Free extra bag has always been the case where the piece concept applies. The only murky situation is with light/basic fares.
If you check on Aircanada.com you will find https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...e/checked.html

cfischer

were you charged at the airport for the bag or did some MOLA at AC tell you a story they made up?

dts9

Not charged at airport.
I book the same itinerary twice a month, and previously on my email conf, it said $0 first bag. On this booking for January 2020, it says, $55 first bag, $0 second bag.. Perhaps a mistake as when you go into the AC baggage calculator, it still says first free bag

WineCountryUA

Who says that and where? That is incorrect.
Have you actually had this occur?
Do have a reference on the AC website supporting this?

UA is notorious for reporting bad information on the partner bag allowance.

Portolan

I searched but didn't find anything more recent than many years ago, so:

I've booked tickets on Air Canada Halifax-Montreal-Washington (Dulles) in economy (K), ticketed by United. The AC flights are booked as AC, not United code-shares. The United site says that as a United *Gold, I'd still have to pay for checked bags ("Prepay & Save") though clicking through says the flights are ineligible for pre-paid bags(?). During booking, the baggage allowance link showed charges for 1st and 2nd bags ($20/$35 as I recall). The Star Alliance web site says I should get (at least) 1 free bag without any caveats. Any recent definitive experience. Of course, also bummed by the $18/segment minimum AC charge for choosing a specific seat.

Thanks.

emcampbe

bag allowance on the UA emails when starting on a partner are constantly inaccurate. You’ll get 1 free bag as a * G.

AC, itself, does not personalize the bag allowance on their emails, and gives ‘everyone’ - no status to AC super elite, the same bag allowance of 0, and then adds in the fine print that *G get an extra bag. I wonder if this is the same way it pushes through on the backend and why UA shows it this way. Also, ACs way of doing it prevents the sort of errors that are common with partner flights via UA.

Also, you can only ‘prepay and save’ for Itineraries that at least start with UA - I’m unclear if it would work where UA is the first carrier and then connecting to a partner carriers.

seat charges are standard for AC a unless buying a higher level fare. I think even for awards from other carriers. Thankfully, UA hasn’t gone down to the ‘levels’ of awards like AC, where they have different types just like AC paid fares. A base award using Aeroplan doesn’t get seat selection, for a bunch more miles it includes seat selection and some other features, and even more at other levels.

PTahCha

Have you used AC's baggage calculator? https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/...checked.html#/

*G get 1 free checked bag in coach.

Also, make sure your UA MP number is in the AC PNR. My MPnumber was not passed through to AC on my last UA booking.

Portolan

Thanks emcampbe and PTahCha. I believed that the bag (actually, bags since Ms. Portolan, also *G is along for the ride) would be free and only tried the United link to see what it would say with no intent to purchase. But very comforting to have it confirmed. I looked for the baggage information on the Air Canada web site...which is terrible...and never found it.

Not my first choice of carriers, but options are limited from Halifax, and they offered the shortest 2 segment trip at a reasonable time.

ord1027

My wife and I are traveling ORD-YYZ-KEF in June with the 2nd flight operating on Air Canada. I am Premier Gold/Star Alliance Gold. Are there any benefits to look for when flying Air Canada? Is there lounge access in Toronto for example?

Thanks for any insights this is my first international trip as a Star Alliance Gold member.

WineCountryUA

You will get the +1 bag allowance as *G. Also there is priority boarding (and security)

You can request preferred seating at the gate but that is a courtesy, not a published benefit

*G Lounge access is available to UA *G +1 traveling internationally -- include AC ML at YYZ

emcampbe

yes, you’ll get MLL access in YYZ. Have not been there in a long time, but at least per-pandemic, it included a fairly decent buffet with multiple options. There is also a Plaza Premium lounge if you have access (Amex lounge collection - or can pay-per-use) - I’ve not been in the international lounge at YYZ, just the TB one - MLLs are generally better.