am I breaking any rules if I let friend/co-woker use my UA *A Gold for overweight bag
Feb 14, 2019, 11:13 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
As others have said, if you're willing to take full responsibility for a bag and its contents, then there's no issue here. I think that's pretty straightforward. I've had agents automatically put all bags under my name on more than one occasion when I've been the only 1K in a group -- both when it's been family and otherwise, assuming we all checked in together. Hasn't bothered me, because I wouldn't be checking in together with someone I didn't trust that thoroughly.
Feb 15, 2019, 12:00 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,331
I got into trouble at YVR last year on YVR-SFO flight.My colleague had a couple of bottles of liquid in her bag (which resulted in overweight), and the overweight bag was checked using my name to get around the overweight fee.The bag was scanned while I went to clear immigration at the US side, and officer looked at my Global Entry printout and asked me what was the content in the two bottles of liquid. Unfortunately, I had no clue. My colleague had already cleared immigration so I couldn't ask her, so I had to come clean and tell the officer the bag belonged to my colleague and I had no idea of the liquid content. In the end, I got a good scolding from the officer and warned me not to check other people's bags under my name. My colleague had to claim the bag and rechecked with United and paid the excess bag fee.I know the incident I described above is probably rare but just want to share it as a data point. At least, OP should know the exact contents of bag just in case being asked.
Feb 15, 2019, 12:46 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: IAD, DEL, IXC, BWI, DCA, YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Amex Plat, UA Club Card, National EE, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 275
I think OP intended to ask if they could just give their UA Gold physical card to their co-passenger to avoid checked bag fee. That would be a clear violation of airlines FF policy. If the agent compared names on physical card and boarding pass, they could flag both the accounts for internal follow-up (rare).
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Feb 15, 2019, 4:57 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA Gold/1MM, AS MVP 100K, AA Gold
Posts: 1,424
As one person said, it can get tricky if it’s international so I wouldn’t advise that unless you know everything that’s in the bag.
Orherwise, while unlikely, you’ll have to submit the claim if it doesn’t show up or is damaged.
Orherwise, while unlikely, you’ll have to submit the claim if it doesn’t show up or is damaged.
Feb 15, 2019, 5:10 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
the caveat to never do this internationally is a good one. “Has anyone asked you to carry anything on board”....
Feb 15, 2019, 5:20 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
This was the first thing I thought of. Just a guess, but I'd say the likelihood that an airline loses the bag is significantly higher than having a work colleague transporting illegal materials. I've only had to deal with missing/delayed bags twice. Both times were a pain. I imagine it would be worse having to deal with it on behalf of a work colleague.
Feb 15, 2019, 5:48 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
I think the actual question is "Has anyone you don't know asked you to carry anything...." The recorded PA announcement at EWR definitely add the "that you don't know" language. All the above caveats are valid though, especially the possibility that "your" bag is delayed and you have to wait at the baggage claim office to file a claim. Full disclosure at bag drop is usually the best solution.
Feb 15, 2019, 6:05 am
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Buffalo, but live from suitcase
Programs: Delta, AA, Marriott
Posts: 240
#2 has the "correct" answer and what might happen if....
but we all do it. Often if I check with friend, they automatically check together. We just put all bags on the scale at one time
but we all do it. Often if I check with friend, they automatically check together. We just put all bags on the scale at one time
Feb 15, 2019, 6:07 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
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If/when stopped by CBP/whomsoever and asked "Is this your bag?" answer = no. Airline baggage tag is immaterial and does not prove ownership.
Feb 15, 2019, 7:03 am
#27
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
It's the second time someone has asked/implied this. It says right in the OP that they are on the same flight as their friend. OP says:
Of course giving someone your UA Gold card won't work, unless you have the same name. It would be a non-started if that's what the OP had said in their first post.
Last edited by MBS MillionMiler; Feb 15, 2019 at 7:43 am
Feb 15, 2019, 7:09 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: All of them, UA-Plat, 1MM*G
Posts: 881
Indeed. When checking in with other family members, or just other people under the same PNR, the baggage goes on the belt, and only after I receive the claim checks do I even know what bag the GA ascribed to what pax.
Feb 15, 2019, 12:54 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,513
Agreed. Why bother saving other people's money? They're only clients. Best to buy full-Y if they let you while you're at it too!
Feb 15, 2019, 1:01 pm
#30
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NY State
Posts: 212
"As a tangent, for some reason when I travel with a companion on the same record and check three bags (within allowance), two are attributed to me and one to my companion. I'm not sure if that's agent streamlining or some system default."
So THEY are automatically assigning two bags to you whether they are yours or not? If you ran into the same problem the above poster ran into - liquid you cannot identify - they can't really blame you, right? They assigned them. So how does this work for security of bags? Why would it make a difference whether someone did it on purpose or if it was assigned by the airline?
So THEY are automatically assigning two bags to you whether they are yours or not? If you ran into the same problem the above poster ran into - liquid you cannot identify - they can't really blame you, right? They assigned them. So how does this work for security of bags? Why would it make a difference whether someone did it on purpose or if it was assigned by the airline?