[TimFitzgeraldTC]

As a slight aside – a good example of why you’d book 2 separate tickets is below. If you want to book Dubai to Brussels there aren’t any direct flights – and if you have a preference for Emirates (as many people do) then the below on one through ticket (which you’d want really with only 90 minute connections) is £2691.50 for economy.

EK 47 Y 15JUL DXBFRA HS1 1430 1920
LH 1024 Y 15JUL FRABRU HS1 2050 2145
LH 1005 Y 22JUL BRUFRA HS1 0830 0935
EK 44 Y 22JUL FRADXB HS1 1100 1915

Two separate tickets is £1013.40, so even if you got a slightly longer connection sorted in FRA the saving is huge. Why there should be such huge disparities in this day and age between the 2 costs seems strange to me. Obviously most people would book an alternative carrier – or maybe with a longer layover in FRA – but this does highlight why one would take 2 separate tickets and risk missed connections / none through checking of baggage etc.

[SimonS1]

Even interlining bags or checking them straight through isn’t foolproof.

I’ve had several transit experiences in developing countries (notably Lagos and Johannesburg) where bags tagged through have come out on the belt. This got me to the point where if I have the time I stop and make sure.

It did however cause a problem in Lagos though connecting from Virgin to Virgin Nigeria where I could see my bag on the carousel but didn’t have a visa to pass through immigration. After much discussion I was escorted by an armed police guy to get it and take it back to the check in area.

[AMcWhirter]

Hello Tim

I take your point. But the wise Brussels-bound traveller would fly EK from Dubai into Amsterdam. He or she would then avoid changing at Frankfurt and from Schiphol’s own train station there are high-speed trains direct to Brussels.

It’s a pity that Fyra didn’t work out. KLM had a share in this high-speed train venture and the idea was that its passengers heading to or from Belgium would have had easier access to Schiphol (as Fyra was scheduled to run more frequently than Thalys).

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi Alex

Interesting you should say that as it does show in GAL.

EK 147 Y 15JUL DXBAMS HS1 0825 1330
9B 9364 Y 15JUL AMSZYR SS1 1531 1710 OPERATED BY THALYS
9B 9327 Y 22JUL ZYRAMS SS1 1150 1328 OPERATED BY THALYS
EK 148 Y 22JUL AMSDXB HS1 1530 2359

But it won’t price a through fare with Emirates. This is a plan B for those who are happy (and sensible?) to take the train on this leg buying the Thalys ticket separately.

[AMcWhirter]

Thanks, Tim.
A two hour connection at Schiphol might seem excessive but it allows for delays and so on. Thalys is a reliable train service but even it was affected (as was Eurostar) by the severe winter weather earlier this year. Mind you, so were the airlines and airports.

[AMcWhirter]

I’ve found another two more examples.

The first one is where a reader, using separate tickets, travelled ARN-LHR-BOM. SK would through check him to Jet Airways at LHR but BA would not.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/ask-alex/2012/no-way-through

Second example is a case where CX mislaid a passenger’s bags but then followed a dispute over which carrier would deliver it to the final address.

Full marks for CX to through check the bags (the passenger held separate tickets) for MNL-HKG-YVR then onto YYZ with Westjet.

But what a pity neither CX or AC could agree on final delivery.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/ask-alex/2013/return-of-missing-luggage

[JohnHarper]

Whatever about the rights and wrongs, it’s not good for business or reputation for BA to stick to this particularly for people arriving at LHR on UK domestic services. They will be seen as obstructive and unhelpful and that’s not the way to persuade people to fly BA.

[IanFromHKG]

Well, CX delivered the memsahib’s bag yesterday – a bit later than they had promised, and after three chaser phone calls, but at least they delivered it!

[Author]

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