Hi all, here for my once-every-couple-of-years question. This time, looking at Afghan airline Safi Airways.

Safi announced back in January that they had signed an interline agreement with United that would allow for checked baggage and travel on a single ticket beyond the initial Kabul - Dubai leg. However I can only find the announcement on Safi's site and a slew of PR sites. Nothing on united.com or anywhere else, and can't find a website that will let me book it.

How can I go about checking into this? Oddly, with the Continental merger, my 'home airline' while at work here in Afghanistan would be the same, or at least partnered with, my preferred in the US (CO/EWR).

Cheers
Tom

Tom,

I was able to interline flying MKE-IAD-DXB-KBL on UA recently without any problems. It did take quite a bit of convincing at the UA check in at MKE - they didn't seem to know about the interline agreement. Be firm in your conviction that it is possible at check in and it should work.

I arrived in DXB at 7:35 p.m., slept in a hotel that night, and left on the Safi flight to KBL the next day at noon, and all three of my bags arrived in KBL without any problem.

Cheers,
Marc

UA is publishing fares to KBL, allowing a connection to 4Q (Safi) in KWI/DXB/FRA after the usual TATL. Probably best to call UA if you want it all on one ticket - I've done so with no problems for itins with LA on them.

Flew IAD-DXB-KBL last month with numerous colleagues, with the last leg on Safi (connected to the 3am departure, not a fun 8hr layover). My bags at IAD were tagged all the way to KBL, though one colleague traveling with me had to remind her check-in agent to tag the bags all the way through - I did not.

Try not to lose your baggage tag stubs (stickers agent hands back), as you will be asked for them when you check-in for your Safi flight (Safi check-in desk in the transfer area opens 3hrs before departure). One of my colleagues lost his and was told that due to that, it wasn't guaranteed that his bags would make the flight. Fortunately they did, along with my and all my colleague's bags, but best to avoid taking that risk.

It was a nice flight on an ex-Croatia Airlines A320 (warning stickers all in Croatian and English, and I even received Croatia Airlines sugar packets!). Have a safe trip to KBL!

Seems to me that if you are going to KBL the least of your concerns is rechecking bags!

Kabul's no problem, it's Kandahar where the fun's at. Also, the luggage you bring a place like this tends to be more unwieldy than average. Checking all the way through is a big deal (to me).

For everyone that flew in successfully--what about flying out on the other end? Has Safi been able to check you through all the way to the US?

Thanks for the input-
Tom

Any thoughts on which is better connection out of IAD going into Kabul: Dubai or Frankfurt? 14 hours direct to Dubai continuing next day into Kabul seems more trying than 8 hour flight IAD-FRA with 6 hour flight into Kabul next day seems less wear and tear on the traveler. Dubai however seems to be favored route. Any reason for this?

How is the service on Safir these days?

thanks