checked bags/2 airlines

[NW Pacific]

Looking for experience. Have already called AA and rec reply that if I check in on an American flight and have a totally separtate ticket booked on

Alaska Air, that my bag will not have to be claimed and rechecked. Will continue on to final destination with Alaska. Since they have a partership.

 

From experience I know sometimes what info I get on the phone vs what happens can be different, so that is why I am asking.

 

Flight would be from New Orleans to DFW on American, then onto Alaska to Portland, OR. Need this info since if I have to claim and recheck would need much more layover time in DFW.

[klfrodo]

AA and AS do have Interline agreements on baggage. I've had to do this myself.

When checking in, the agent will always ask what your final destination is. Show them your ticket on the other airline, and the ticket agent will check the baggage all the way through.

[NW Pacific]

thank you for the above post- will make things much easier travelling home!

[Shorex]

Just a heads up to folks who have a similar situation, but the first carrier is Alaska. From the Alaska website:

 

Effective January 15, 2013, for tickets issued on/after November 15, 2012: Alaska Airlines will no longer check bags through to a final destination on another airline when separate tickets are presented at check-in. This policy change affects passengers who start travel on Alaska Airlines, but continue on a separately purchased ticket on another airline. Passengers using multiple tickets to reach their final destination should allow enough time to claim all checked baggage at Alaska Airlines, recheck it with the connecting airline, and pay that airline's applicable baggage fees.

Exception: Alaska Airlines will check bags, without additional fees, to another Alaska Airlines operated flight on a separate ticket, provided the applicable maximum layover time is not exceeded and travel remains wholly on Alaska Airlines.

 

 

Delta has the same new policy:

 

 

Policy Clarification: Effective for travel on or after January 15, 2013, Delta Air Lines policy will be to check a passenger's baggage between the origin and destination points that are issued on a single ticket or conjuncted ticket exclusively. If a second ticket is presented for travel on another airline beyond the destination of the first ticket, the passenger will be advised that Delta will only check the bag to the destination on the Delta ticket(s). The passenger must collect the baggage at baggage claim for their Delta ticketed destination, and then re-check their baggage with the down-line carrier for the next flight(s).

 

 

It's too bad this courtesy is being discontinued. It's yet another example of declining customer service.

[klfrodo]

Thanks for the heads up Shorex.

My first thought was :eek: ***

 

My second thought was,, maybe it's time for me to rethink my loyalty and airline of choice. First, my companion fare deal no longer allows FC booking. Now, they are eliminating their interline agreements.

What's next? They merging with Southwest? :eek:

[NW Pacific]

Thanks very much for the information- wonder how soon AA will folow suit?

[Globaliser]

Now, they are eliminating their interline agreements.

Just for clarification: It is unlikely that these airlines are eliminating their interline baggage agreements.

 

If you have a single ticket that covers travel on more than one airline, then it looks like both AS and DL will continue to through-check baggage onto the second airline. This is the intended use of interline baggage agreements, which look like they will continue.

 

What is changing is the practice of through-checking baggage when there is no true connection because there two separate tickets are involved. In theory, the first journey ends at the end of the first ticket, and the airlines have always been entitled to return your baggage to you at that point without making any arrangements for carrying it further on the new journey that starts with the beginning of the second ticket. It looks like this is now being put into practice, in common with many airlines around the world.

[klfrodo]

Just for clarification: It is unlikely that these airlines are eliminating their interline baggage agreements.

 

If you have a single ticket that covers travel on more than one airline, then it looks like both AS and DL will continue to through-check baggage onto the second airline. This is the intended use of interline baggage agreements, which look like they will continue.

 

What is changing is the practice of through-checking baggage when there is no true connection because there two separate tickets are involved. In theory, the first journey ends at the end of the first ticket, and the airlines have always been entitled to return your baggage to you at that point without making any arrangements for carrying it further on the new journey that starts with the beginning of the second ticket. It looks like this is now being put into practice, in common with many airlines around the world.

 

I understand what you're saying, but they just took away another perk of having their (AS) Visa card when it comes to compaion fares. They recently did away with booking FC with companion fares. Now, they deincentivise me to book companion fares if I need to travel to a city they don't serve.

 

For instance. I took a cruise last year out of Charleston. Booked companion fare R/T SEA - ATL. Booked Delta seperate ATL -CHS since campanion fares can only be used on AS metal. Baggage checked all the way thru.

Now, I could still book campanion fare but have to work harder to ensure enough layover to claim luggage, recheck luggage, and go thru security again.

Where is my incentive to even deal with that? Where's my incentive to even book with AS for the SEA -ATL leg? Might as well look at other alternatives for my travel needs.