Nov 25, 2016, 11:53 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
"Short Checking" -- the practice of checking bags to a location short of your travel destination is no longer permitted by UA (and many airlines). It is believed one reason for this is to discourage "Hidden City Ticketing."
There are a couple of exceptions / loopholes
-- Over nights in route stays -- you are overnight at a connecting city.
Long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated) (>12 hours)
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck
-- Port of entry for USA arrivals
At most USA port of entries, you will have clear customs and you then can exit with your baggage (or recheck).
This does not work at IAD mid-field arrivals since must clear TSA to exit.
Also PreClearance airports (where you clear immigration and customs at the departure international city -- such as most Canada-USA flights and DUB and some Caribbean)
There are a couple of exceptions / loopholes
-- Over nights in route stays -- you are overnight at a connecting city.
Long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated) (>12 hours)
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck
-- Port of entry for USA arrivals
At most USA port of entries, you will have clear customs and you then can exit with your baggage (or recheck).
This does not work at IAD mid-field arrivals since must clear TSA to exit.
Also PreClearance airports (where you clear immigration and customs at the departure international city -- such as most Canada-USA flights and DUB and some Caribbean)
Default time is 12 hours. A small number of individual stations are enabled to allow bags to be checked thru for connections greater than 12 hours. Maybe we can build a list based on people's experiences for certain connection points.
I know FCO is up to 16 hours. SIN, HND, FRA, MUC, ZRH, BRU should all allow up to 24 hours.
I know FCO is up to 16 hours. SIN, HND, FRA, MUC, ZRH, BRU should all allow up to 24 hours.
UA will not Short Check bags (but some loopholes)
Jan 9, 2017, 6:26 pm
#271
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I haven't done any EWR transits since posting that. With a > 13 hour connection you are virtually guaranteed to not have your bags tagged onwards, so there shouldn't be any issues with SDC. I've had other overnight connection (Europe-EWR-SFO + SFO-XXX), where my bags were tagged up to SFO, and I got SDC options for SFO-XXX as soon as I boarded EWR-SFO.
Jan 29, 2017, 9:48 am
#273
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As EWR will be your port of entry. you can pickup your checked bags at EWR for customs -- just don't recheck you bags (exit and go to the standard checkin counters) until you have done SDC at the airport and then manually recheck the bags. Online SDC will probably not work.
I would prefer not to have to check my second carry-on in Europe prior to arriving to EWR since I would be delayed at the carousel but in case I need to go through a lengthy check in process I might be better of. What say you?
Jan 29, 2017, 10:30 am
#274
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Hi, I have the opposite question, I will be having two carry-ons when I arrive at EWR from Europe and I would like to check on instead of re-check it at the bag drop, will the staff at the bag-drop/recheck area be able to check in my bag?
I would prefer not to have to check my second carry-on in Europe prior to arriving to EWR since I would be delayed at the carousel but in case I need to go through a lengthy check in process I might be better of. What say you?
I would prefer not to have to check my second carry-on in Europe prior to arriving to EWR since I would be delayed at the carousel but in case I need to go through a lengthy check in process I might be better of. What say you?
we just had to do that because we came in and missed our connections due to...wait for it...waiting 90 minutes for our checked bag. It took a while at the desk, But we had complications...our original onward flight was canceled after check in but prior to arriving, so agent had to re-tag our bag for a separate flight, and were on separate records (long story). If you are just checking a bag onto your existing itinerary, they should be able to do it fairly quickly.
Jan 29, 2017, 11:13 am
#275
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You can do that, but will have to walk out of the connections area to the desk, just beyond rather then drop on connections belt.
we just had to do that because we came in and missed our connections due to...wait for it...waiting 90 minutes for our checked bag. It took a while at the desk, But we had complications...our original onward flight was canceled after check in but prior to arriving, so agent had to re-tag our bag for a separate flight, and were on separate records (long story). If you are just checking a bag onto your existing itinerary, they should be able to do it fairly quickly.
we just had to do that because we came in and missed our connections due to...wait for it...waiting 90 minutes for our checked bag. It took a while at the desk, But we had complications...our original onward flight was canceled after check in but prior to arriving, so agent had to re-tag our bag for a separate flight, and were on separate records (long story). If you are just checking a bag onto your existing itinerary, they should be able to do it fairly quickly.
I'm arriving in Terminal B and departing with United Terminal C
Jan 29, 2017, 2:02 pm
#276
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i assumed inbound on UA and term. C arrival. Have never arrived in B, so I'm not sure.
Apr 7, 2017, 11:30 am
#277
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I did not know UA didn't allow short-checking bags! I flew YYZ-EWR-HNL with an overnight in EWR. Agents in YYZ refused to short check my bag, but said I would be able to retrieve it by asking the gate agent upon landing. (I know, I should have known better!) EWR GA said she couldn't help me and sent me to Terminal A baggage handling who sent me to Terminal C baggage handling where I waited for 25 mins as 2 of the 5 agents left for the night after finishing up with the passengers they were helping 
. When I finally spoke to an agent, she said it would take 1-2 hours to retrieve our bags. Since it was 21:30 and we were flying out at 07:50 the next morning, we just gave up.
Valuable lesson learned.
. When I finally spoke to an agent, she said it would take 1-2 hours to retrieve our bags. Since it was 21:30 and we were flying out at 07:50 the next morning, we just gave up.Valuable lesson learned.
Apr 7, 2017, 12:00 pm
#278
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-- Over nights in route stays -- you are overnight at a connecting city.
Long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck
Long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck
Apr 7, 2017, 2:13 pm
#279
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 1
Getting baggage before final dest
Hi I've got a trip booked with United that goes SFO>LAX>Australia
is it possible to pick up all my luggage in LAX? The layover is 4 hours. How would I ensure it's taken off and able to be picked up?
I assume I'd either ask for them to half check it, which I believe they don't do, or if I didn't take my international flight segment would they remove my bags from the LAX>Australia flight?
Thanks
is it possible to pick up all my luggage in LAX? The layover is 4 hours. How would I ensure it's taken off and able to be picked up?
I assume I'd either ask for them to half check it, which I believe they don't do, or if I didn't take my international flight segment would they remove my bags from the LAX>Australia flight?
Thanks
Apr 7, 2017, 2:24 pm
#280
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Welcome to FT!, user587
Correct, UA will not short check bags
This thread's wiki has a few exceptions but 4 hours would not qualify.
Yes, but you would delay the plane's departure, inconveniencing hundred's of people and it would be many hours before you got your bags.
Seems a better solution is to take a small carryon bag of the items you need in LAX
or do you plan not to take the SYD flight?
Hi I've got a trip booked with United that goes SFO>LAX>Australia
is it possible to pick up all my luggage in LAX? The layover is 4 hours. How would I ensure it's taken off and able to be picked up?
I assume I'd either ask for them to half check it, which I believe they don't do, ...
is it possible to pick up all my luggage in LAX? The layover is 4 hours. How would I ensure it's taken off and able to be picked up?
I assume I'd either ask for them to half check it, which I believe they don't do, ...
This thread's wiki has a few exceptions but 4 hours would not qualify.
Seems a better solution is to take a small carryon bag of the items you need in LAX
or do you plan not to take the SYD flight?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 7, 2017 at 3:03 pm Reason: spelling
Apr 7, 2017, 2:48 pm
#281
Join Date: May 2009
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Unfortunately, my experience is Shares does not enforce the no-short checking through an overnight so it is up to the CSR to override it.
Apr 8, 2017, 10:47 am
#282
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I did get 5000 miles after I wrote to UA to complain.
Apr 8, 2017, 11:27 am
#283
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Any connection over 13 hours, can force a recheck
but also (and the agent missed this (under Connecting Flights)
[quote]Making a connection that involves an overnight stay{/quote]
Apr 9, 2017, 9:12 am
#284
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Glad you got acknowledgement from UA. The first agent was wrong, for any overnight connection you can get your bag and they can short check it. Did UA say they would follow up with the YYZ station on this?
Apr 9, 2017, 9:42 am
#285
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Please accept our sincerest apology for the inconvenience that you endured at our Newark airport on April XX, 2017. We truly appreciate you taking the time to point out the issue that you faced as we work hard to correct problems brought to our attention. We apologize for the inconvenience this situation created for you.
It is never our intent to inconvenience our customers, and I am very sorry your valid expectations were not met. Your feedback will help us evaluate what has happened and allow us to make necessary adjustments as it tells us what areas we need to improve on. We appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts with us and the opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience.
It is never our intent to inconvenience our customers, and I am very sorry your valid expectations were not met. Your feedback will help us evaluate what has happened and allow us to make necessary adjustments as it tells us what areas we need to improve on. We appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts with us and the opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience.