[Anonymous]

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Good Morning

Thought this might be helpful for those who buy separate tickets.

“
American Airlines and US Airways are aligning baggage check-in policies as a result of our merger integration.
Effective October 15, 2014 (was October 1, 2014), customers will no longer be able to ‘through-check’ bags to their final destination when presenting separate tickets for travel on more than one carrier, that is not a oneworld® partner at the time of check-in.

Customers will still be able to ‘through-check’ bags when the separate ticket is for travel on:

•American Airlines and American Eagle

•US Airways and US Express

•oneworld® partner airline

For all other carriers, customers should claim their baggage and recheck with the airline separately ticketed.”

[MrDarwin]

I recently discovered an anomaly with baggage policies and OW airline connections in the US.

A few weeks ago I had a trip to the US on a BA ticket, travelling BA with a connecting US Airways flight (all on a single ticket).

I had change my ticket to break my return and stop over in the connecting city for 2 nights. Upon check in at US Airways, I was forced to pay for my luggage as because I wasn’t connecting straight to an international flight, they considered it as a single domestic flight (despite having 2 x 23 kgs allowance already paid for on the BA ticket).

I checked this with the TA when I got home, who checked with BA – and they confirmed this was correct.

Bizarrely, on a trip the following week to the US, same routing but connecting with United (US was full) – I wasn’t charged for my bags at all when dropping off at United check in (when the TA advised me I would have to pay for my bags because the airlines weren’t affiliated!).

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi MrDarwin

That is correct – if you have 1 single ticket that includes a domestic trip that does not connect with an international flight then you have to pay the baggage fees. If connecting through then you shouldn’t (even if the airlines aren’t affiliated) such as BA to UA.

[MrDarwin]

Thanks Tim, it just seemed a little odd and counter-intuitive to the whole focus on airline alliances etc.

Other colleagues of mine who checked in with 2 bags each had to pay an additional $100 for the second bag, a US Airways fee, which when they queried it with BA on their return received a refund for this (they were connecting straight through to LHR). I travelled back with 2 bags the last time too, and when they asked me to pay $100 I had to tell them to check the BA ticket conditions – which after they did they waived the second bag charge for me.

I’ve also noticed when checking in with US Airways and connecting to a BA flight – if I haven’t used the lounge, my name is always called at the gate when boarding the BA flight to ‘confirm I checked in for the BA flight’ and to check my baggage tag numbers which always seems odd. I’m also never able to check in online for either flight on the return, on both the BA and US Airways websites.

I think there’s a way to go with integrating US Airways systems and processes into the OW alliance…

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi MrDarwin

You should get your international flight allowance on the domestic – so 1 piece for economy, 2 pieces for full economy or premium – or 3 if Business or First. The problem can be that check in staff are on “auto-pilot” and only thinking of there normal rules – not looking into detail. This applies to through tickets. If it had been split ticket then baggage fees would apply (but that isn’t the scenario you have given).

I understand there are still issues with codeshares (not just BA/US) and frequently have issues trying to check in clients online where other OW carriers are on the itinerary – let alone non OW carriers. It seems very hit & miss. And if you do have multi airlines on a BA itinerary you can’t always add extra baggage online for the lower fees – you can only do at the airport for the higher excess baggage fees. So BA IT department still has a lot of room for improvement.

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