cpdc1030

Hello, I am flying SMF-DEN-SMF tomorrow, Mon 4/18. Returning same evening, no overnight stay at DEN. Amex is our corporate travel agent and has somehow booked the WN and UA flights on the same ticket. I am flying WN SMF-DEN and and UA DEN-SMF.

I’m checked in on WN for SMF-DEN but the United app is telling me to check in with WN as they are operating the first flight. Clearly I cannot do that.

Would I be able to check in at the United desk at SMF before leaving for DEN on WN? Or only once I get to DEN? Thanks in advance for your help.

WineCountryUA

Once the first coupon has been used, by boarding, you should them be able to check-in with the second carrier -- at least in a normal situation.

I was under the impression WN could not be on 016 ticket stock nor could UA be on 526 ticket.

We speak of PNRs having a single ticket per passenger but not always

Suspect you may have a PNR with multiple tickets (but then you should be able to check-in with) and this

Can you see the ticket in your UA account? Likewise for the WN ticket?

Going to need a travel agent type to explain this one

cpdc1030

Amex is showing a 526 issued ticket for SMF-DEN and a 016 one for DEN-SMF with different PNRs.

I have no visibility on the UA flight in the Southwest app, but I can see the Southwest flight in United’s app.

emcampbe

Probably multiple tickets on the same reservation. Each operating airline has their own PNR for using their own flights, always.

Also, what you describe on where you can see flights is consistent with how things generally work. On the same reservation, usually a carrier can 'see' flights until their own last segment, then nothing onwards. Which is why WN wouldn't show the UA segment, but why UA can see WN.

cpdc1030

Is it likely that the UA app will open up for check-in after I’ve boarded the WN flight? It’s just a bit annoying that I am now unable to change my seat assignment.

emcampbe

This is SOP when traveling on a different airline first. You can not access the United check-in tool, including with partners, until after you've boarded the last non-UA segment. It's not usually as big a deal when its a partner who can at least check you in from their own system.

Had this issue a while back, when connecting from CX to UA on the same ticket at HKG. CX said they couldn't check my family in on the UA flight, and had to deal with it at transfer desk at HKG. Was a short connection too, and we arrived late, so that was close....literally had to run through HKG to Ua transfer desk, then run back to the new gate - we were the last party on that flight....feel like we are lucky we even made i.

cpdc1030

Thanks! I guess this is a protection against skiplagging, but it seems unnecessary when we are talking about two totally separate tickets that should have no bearing on each other. Oh well, I'll remember to make sure similar trips are booked as 2x one-way next time. Thanks for explaining.

docbert

It has nothing to do with hidden city ticketing (ie, "skiplagging") - in fact this is the exact opposite of hidden city as you've paid for 2 separate tickets (each with their own price), one for each of the 2 legs.

The logic behind not letting you checkin is the presumption that the carrier for the first segment will potentially handle check-in for both/all segments, so the last thing anyone would want is you being able to break that process by checking in for the 2nd segment yourself. All course, this isn't going to happen with WN connecting to UA, but the rule remains the same regardless. Once your WN flight 'departs' then UA will let you check-in, on the grounds that the first carrier clearly isn't going to be looking after it for you.

JimInOhio

Yes, I learned this long ago after being burned by our corporate travel agency doing exactly what you just experienced. If you end up on two unrelated airlines for a R/T itinerary, it's always best to have them made as two totally separate reservations and tickets.

PTahCha

Your travel agent should be able to change the seat assignment for your. Or call UA.

And you should be able to check into your UA flight once you are in flight, or once you land in DEN.

cpdc1030

True, though I much prefer to self service through the app: much more convenient. In the end I was able to check in on UA once I boarded the WN flight. It's just a lesson to me to not book this kind of trip as a single reservation in the future. Thanks all for your advice.