onthesam

The language above is taken from a slide on *A's website, is not specific, is inarticulate and does not apply to all circumstances. Other *A agreement provisions and operating carrier's own policies may override. Even so, in this case, if AI is taking the position that MSC doesn't apply, it'd be extra weight and not an extra piece.

surram

Exactly...now which is the extra piece? The extra piece on top of my regular entitlement? AI argues UA allows only 1 bag from India to the US market, and offering me the 2nd bag as the *G extra bag. But AI is ignoring UA allows 3 bags for a 1K. I am not asking AI for the 4th bag free, but just allow for the MAA-BOM leg, what UA allows me for the rest of the itinerary (BOM-EWR-IAH all on UA). Is that too much to ask? Where am I going wrong, please? I don't understand AI's stand.

On the other hand, AI clearly states that it allows 2 bags for any Economy passenger that is USA bound on their own website; and Maharajah status and *G are allowed an additional piece.

Please help!

onthesam

IF AI claims MSC doesn't apply, then I am assuming their position is that your flight is not USA-bound but rather the applicable allowance relates to MAA-BOM, domestic, which is weight based. If they insist that the UA rule will apply, just show your UA itinerary and receipt showing your 3 free bags at check-in. Am I missing something?

surram

AI is saying UA only allows 1 bag for Economy passengers from India to the USA, and AI can offer an extra bag because of *G. That is all. They do not want to hear that as a 1K I am eligible for 3 bags. They want to stick to what UA would offer any economy passenger out of India. They also want to ignore that I have an upgraded class (R) and insist their system shows the original Q fare class.

findark

Ah. This was going to be my guess, but it seemed too crazy to be true. But if AI is claiming this, they unfortunately have a bit of ground to stand on.

US DOT regulations require AI to offer the baggage allowance of the first marketing carrier of the ticket, in this case United. They may choose to apply the MSC allowance (or their own allowance), but only if it is at least as generous as the FMC's allowance. Here, UA allows 1x50lbs for MAA-IAH in Economy. Because the AI segment is in Economy, and the original paid fare basis of the ticket is Economy, AI is going to treat this as an Economy ticket and offer you the UA allowance of 1x50lbs. The additional bag is then your *G benefit.

The United elite allowances are exemptions to their rules, offered by United, and don't affect the allowance required by US DOT. Here, I think AI is interpreting every rule in a punitively narrow sense to be as unfriendly as possible to you (especially because they are offering less baggage than their own allowance), but I think they are right, in the letter of the law.

surram

AI's own website shows that AI baggage rules apply for interline tickets and they allow one extra bag for *G. So that makes it 3. Will I have a leg to stand on if I show them their own website?

USA Canada Checked Baggage Allowances

WineCountryUA

A couple of quick thoughts
- MSC does not apply to itins originating or ending in the USA. The DOT rule applies instead and bag allowance is based on first marketing carrier rules (of the entire ticket, return has same rules as outbound) based on ticket policies.

- UA elite bag allowance is only valid when checking in with UA. When checking-in with another carrier, the DOT rules and ticket bag allowance will be the key factor. An *A carrier may provide additional bag allowance based on that *A carrier rules (*A rules provide for extra 20 kg (44 pounds) where the weight concept applies or an extra piece where the piece concept applies.)

onthesam

You have a 6 hour layover. Are you traveling with <45kg (99lbs)? If so, you can check them free MAA-BOM and then collect and re-check them free with UA at BOM.


Per AI for domestic economy: Checked Baggage Allowance for Domestic travel on Air India : 25Kgs + 20kgs extra for *G.http://www.airindia.in/checked-baggage-allowances.htm

WineCountryUA

The 1K allowance is not relevant here. Based on the DOT rules the 1 bag in economy will prevail on the return also plus the *G of 1 additional bag. So two total is correct.

Often1

Whether OP purchased one ticket IAH-MAA-EWR (with intermediate connections) or one ticket IAH-MAA and a second MAA-EWR, AI is correct and OP owes the excess baggage fees. This should have been clear from his e-ticket receipt(s) which should show his allowance for each segment.

MSC has not generally applied to tickets originating or terminating in the US since 2011. It is now 2018, and time for people to stop inserting MSC into the calculations. There are some limited exceptions for US tickets, but nothing that applies here.

If on one ticket, OP's base allowance for IAH-MAA as a 1K is 1 bag with a 2 bag waiver = 3 bags. On the return, his allowance on AI is 1 bag with a 1 bag waiver for *G (1K=*G).

If on two tickets, the result is the same. OP is entitled to 1 bag + a *A waiver of 1 bag.

He will need to pay excess baggage for the extra bag and perhaps for extra weight.

username

I don't know the answer but:

1- If the ticket is R/T, doesn't the outbound rule, determined by the first marketing carrier, apply to the whole journey?
2 - What does it say on the ticket receipt?
3 - What does UA's Baggage Calculator say? https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/tra...edBaggage.aspx

surram

I bought on a single eTix on UA stock (016 ticket number) for the entire round-trip (IAH-EWR-BOM-MAA & MAA-BOM-EWR-IAH).
So, it is really $200 to just get an extra bag from MAA-BOM huh? Unfortunately, I was misled by the 1k agent when I booked this itinerary as I bought this directly from UA with an eye on trying to use my GPU. So, really a dumb idea it looks like. If I would have flown LH, from IAH-FRA-MAA and MAA-FRA-IAH then I should have got 2 + 1 bags, right? Because LH's allowance to India is 2 bags for economy...is that right?

surram

This does not make sense...because if it was truly FMC (UA's) policies applies and 1K exemptions are not valid for the return, then 70 lbs is not allowed for an average UA passenger from India to the US. Only 1 bag of 50 lbs allowed.

WineCountryUA

Based on the information you have provided, on the return, you have a bag allowance of two bags
You got the upgrade, on LH if available, it would have taken twice as many GPUS.
On the "misled", if that refers to the bag allowance, depends on how the question was asked, but not sure they have easy access to the AI rules.

username

As I said, I don't know the answers. This whole baggage thing is just very confusing and I think agents just do what their computers tell them to do. I don't know how domestic flights are priced or upgraded in India. Might it be cheaper to just pay to upgrade and get some more courtesy that way?

BTW, you can use your GPU on LH but it would require 1 per segment.