Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

No more "through checking" / interlining of bags when connecting from BE

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

No more "through checking" / interlining of bags when connecting from BE

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 8, 2019, 2:16 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Seperate tickets -- no. There is no interlining of bags between the majors on separate tickets -- BE or not.
UA's website at least implies otherwise...

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...-services.aspx

Whilst it doesn't explicitly state what happens for UA->UA, it does have :

​​​​​​​If you have a separate ticket on another carrier, you must claim bags at the destination of the first ticketed itinerary and check bags with the other carrier to the final destination. Baggage can be checked through to the final destination if the separate ticketed itinerary includes Star Alliance member airline-operated flights.
The file sentence there doesn't apply, as it's not "another carrier". The second sentence DOES apply as the 2nd ticket includes Star Alliance operated flights (ie, UA).
docbert is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 2:19 pm
  #17  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,885
Originally Posted by drewguy
It's not clear to me whether OP was seeking a free bag or paying for the bag. I'd be more troubled by the former.

Of course, if OP is not seeking the free bag check, why book BE in the first place? Just book the lowest non-BE fare and United should through-check the bags as before even with separate tickets (right - isn't that the practice?)
id assume the savings isn’t in the bag fees, but that PHX-NRT is a higher price ticket than PHX-LAX and LAX - NRT. By more than a little.

Is end-on-end even typically allowed per BE fare rules (serious question - I don’t actually know)?

im not really surprised to see this - makes sense from the airline perspective. As mentioned above, doing something like this isn’t a connection at all If you can’t combine BE fares with non-BE, why would an airline encourage customers to do it on their own?



emcampbe is online now  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 3:30 pm
  #18  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Originally Posted by drewguy
It's not clear to me whether OP was seeking a free bag or paying for the bag. I'd be more troubled by the former.

Of course, if OP is not seeking the free bag check, why book BE in the first place? Just book the lowest non-BE fare and United should through-check the bags as before even with separate tickets (right - isn't that the practice?)
First off, there are no ulterior motives here. Never entered my mind to do something tricky regarding bags. Look, as a 1K UA offers to accept two bags each 70 lbs on a BE ticket. I was not aware of all the angles the pros in this thread look at, I was simply thinking of the convenience that the bags would go all the way to their destination. Of course, the savings by splitting this are enormous. We have our children living in Phoenix and between all of us that's 12-20 roundtrips a year at a minimum savings of around $ 1,000.00 per trip, potentially more because I am looking for GPU upgradeable fares. Comes out of Daddy's pocket. Again, we could live with retrieving bags at LAX and re-check again. Cumbersome and annoying, but not a major sticking point. I didn't ask the agent but what would happen if I would pay the extra $ 30.00 per ticket and purchase the regular economy fare. Would that still prohibit through check? In other words I am not clear, is it because we have to separate tickets with different fare classes or is it not right because it's BE?

Originally Posted by drewguy
Well, it does seem like what you're doing is circumventing the BE fare rules by seeking to get a (presumably free) checked bag on a BE fare by indirectly pairing it with an international fare with a free checked bag.

BTW, does it also prohibit this in reverse? I.e., if you travel NRT-LAX-PHX on a paired ticket, where the checked bag from NRT to LAX would be free - do they check it through to PHX even on a BE fare?
Yes, all the time without any problems. But it is not that I have free bags on the TTP sector only and not on the BE ticket. I have two complimentary bags as 1 K on both. So please don't assume that I try to circumvent any baggage rules. That is a complete misunderstanding and was not the intention of my post. I am strictly talking about the convenience or inconvenience per se of grabbing the bags and recheck them. On the inbound trip,
though, that is sort of a given since we pick them up at customs and drop them before security.
COSPILOT, drewguy, chavala and 2 others like this.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 8, 2019 at 4:35 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Exleftseat is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 3:45 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
I suspect you'd be OK with a regular economy fare, and at $30 more, you'd still be saving a lot.
BBSHOPSINGER is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 4:40 pm
  #20  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
Originally Posted by Exleftseat
....I didn't ask the agent but what would happen if I would pay the extra $ 30.00 per ticket and purchase the regular economy fare. Would that still prohibit through check? In other words I am not clear, is it because we have to separate tickets with different fare classes or is it not right because it's BE?....
Did not the supervisor state this was a BE fare issue?

UA-UA interlining is available for separate tickets, separate fare classes (although interestingly it is more difficult for the agent than UA-*A interlining).

So, there should be not problem on a non-BE ticket -- have you had a problem with that before purchasing the BE ticket this time?

Originally Posted by docbert
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Originally Posted by fumje
Can DL's or AA's basic economy tickets interline to UA? ....
Seperate tickets -- no. There is no interlining of bags between the majors on separate tickets -- BE or not.
UA's website at least implies otherwise...

[url]https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/changed-bag-rules-optional-services.aspx
Where does the UA site imply interlining between DL/AA and UA on separate tickets?
AA does not even interline to itself AA-AA, fortunately that is not an issue for UA-UA

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 8, 2019 at 4:58 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 5:05 pm
  #21  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Did not the supervisor state this was a BE fare issue?
UA-UA interlining is available for separate tickets, seperate fare classes (although interestingly it is more difficult for the agent than UA-*A interlining).
So, there should be a problem on a non-BE ticket -- have you had a problem with that before purchasing the BE ticket this time?
According to Mrs. EX that's correct. Had a problem before once but that was quickly taken care of. In any case this is not something we can't handle.
I just could not imagine that routing the bags through all the way to their final destination could be so difficult.
As long as it is not illegal to purchase two separate tickets, then we are fine. Otherwise we have to take SW to LAX, just an even longer schlepp.
Thanks everyone for all the insightful information.
Exleftseat is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 5:10 pm
  #22  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
Originally Posted by Exleftseat
... As long as it is not illegal to purchase two separate tickets, then we are fine. ....
That's a whole different discussion and it does depend on the fare rules
Consolidated Questions about Nested Ticketing on UA
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 5:11 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Originally Posted by Exleftseat
According to Mrs. EX that's correct. Had a problem before once but that was quickly taken care of. In any case this is not something we can't handle.
I just could not imagine that routing the bags through all the way to their final destination could be so difficult.
As long as it is not illegal to purchase two separate tickets, then we are fine. Otherwise we have to take SW to LAX, just an even longer schlepp.
Thanks everyone for all the insightful information.
It is not illegal to purchase two separate tickets. However, if you do that, it's better to plan a longer time at your connection airport for if your first flight is delayed.
FlyingNone likes this.
StuckinITH is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 5:20 pm
  #24  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
It is not illegal to purchase two separate tickets. .....
While not "illegal" (as UA is not a governmental agency) it is very possible a violation of the CoC. That is an issue that needs a careful reading of the fare rules, exactly what are doing and what was your intent.

Detailed discussion in Consolidated Questions about Nested Ticketing on UA

And it is very true, most airlines rarely try to enforce end-on-end ticketing restrictions except not to allow on a single ticket. But that is a discussion for the other thread.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 8:21 pm
  #25  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,885
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
That's a whole different discussion and it does depend on the fare rules
Consolidated Questions about Nested Ticketing on UA
which is why I asked about end-on-end, and if this is typically allowed on BE fares.

OP does say it saves thousands on the fare vs. booking PHX-NRT at once, exactly as I suspected. They can charge this because of the lack of competition at PHX vs. LAX. Most will just book it as one, and its not surprising that’s what UA wants - if it saves OP ‘thousands’, then guess where those $ aren’t going?
emcampbe is online now  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 8:22 pm
  #26  
In memoriam
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Programs: DL 2MM, AA MM, DL Sky Club Life, AA Admirals Club Life, Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,732
Not had a problem with major carriers like Delta-KLM-AF

Simply buy a cheap TATL to Europe in Biz then switch to a EU coach fare (separate ticket) to another city. As long as Delta can sell the tickets it implies that the computers are linked relative to who and what baggage and no problem in interlining.

YMMV
Lomapaseo is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 9:11 pm
  #27  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
Originally Posted by Lomapaseo
Not had a problem with major carriers like Delta-KLM-AF....
I think you missed the point of this discussion -- interlining bags with separate tickets (UA & partners) is fine also with UA.
Just not, now, if the originating ticket is domestic BE. A limitation, reported earlier in this thread, DL also has.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 9:16 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Originally Posted by emcampbe
which is why I asked about end-on-end, and if this is typically allowed on BE fares.
It's potentially not about the BE fare, but the business class fare. Many (most?) of the cheaper business class fares (P and Z) don't allow end-on-end within the US. eg, here's a sample Z fare on the OP's route (LAX-NRT) :

END-ON-END
END-ON-END COMBINATIONS PERMITTED WITH INTERNATIONAL FARES. VALIDATE ALL FARE COMPONENTS. SIDE TRIPS NOT PERMITTED.
END-ON-END COMBINATIONS PERMITTED WITH FARES WITHIN AREA 3. VALIDATE ALL FARE COMPONENTS. SIDE TRIPS NOT PERMITTED.
Area 3 is Asia, so you can combine with domestic flights within Japan and anywhere internationally, but not with a feeder flight within the US (Area 1).
docbert is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 9:20 pm
  #29  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Originally Posted by emcampbe
which is why I asked about end-on-end, and if this is typically allowed on BE fares.
BE fares can't be combined with non-BE fares; end of story.

In most cases, the BE fares that I've seen only allow A-B-A ticketing when combined with other BE fares, but given how haphazardly UA has rolled them out, I don't doubt that there are some exceptions.
jsloan is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2019, 10:21 pm
  #30  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
No end-on-end means they won't put it on one ticket / one reservation, and it means you may be technically violating the CoC.

But it does not mean that UA won't interline your bags if you buy separate tickets, and it does not mean that UA won't reaccomodate you if you miss your faux connection. It just means they don't have to.

The only new evidence introduced in this thread is that a supervisor told OP that they won't do this any more with BE fares. No one has introduced any evidence that United is being sticklers about checking bags through on separate UA tickets that violate end-on-end prohibitions, such as the discounted Z fare quoted above. We all know they could, given how the CoC is written. Doesn't mean they are.
narvik likes this.
threeoh is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.