Problem with Connecting Flights on Celebrity Choice Air

[turquoisesea]

i hope someone can help with this unusual question. First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this. Due to a flight cancelation, and then going round and round with the TA and Choice Air, the flight was finally changed to an early morning flight. This resulted in my DS and DBIL arriving in PHL 6 hours before their connecting flight to Venice. (We are catching up with them in Philly and flying together to the ship in Venice. )

Their TA has told them that the airline will not accept their luggage until 4 hours before the Venice flight. She told them they must collect their luggage at PHL and hold it until 4 hours before their connecting flight and check it in again. Then go throughTSA again.

Is this possible? Can they go thru TSA twice? Do they really have to claim their luggage and hold it for two hours?

Can anyone help?

Thank you for reading my long question.

[cruisestitch]

Let's get a bit more information:

 

hope someone can help with this unusual question. First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this. Due to a flight cancelation, and then going round and round with the TA and Choice Air, the flight was finally changed to an early morning flight.

 

 

From where? What airline? Let's start with that.

 

 

This resulted in my DS and DBIL arriving in PHL 6 hours before their connecting flight to Venice.

Again, what airline? Do they have one booking number for both flights, or two different booking numbers?

 

 

(We are catching up with them in Philly and flying together to the ship in Venice. )

Their TA has told them that the airline will not accept their luggage until 4 hours before the Venice flight.

 

 

This might be true if they were originating in Philadelphia. But if they are originating elsewhere, then all that is happening is a long layover. Ideally, their luggage should be checked through from their originating airport through to Venice. Without more details, we can't say why that might not be happening in their case.

 

 

She told them they must collect their luggage at PHL and hold it until 4 hours before their connecting flight and check it in again. Then go throughTSA again.

Is this possible? Can they go thru TSA twice?

 

 

yes, they can go through TSA twice, but if it is a single ticket with just a long layover, they shouldn't have to.

 

 

Do they really have to claim their luggage and hold it for two hours?

 

 

Can anyone help?

[RDC1]

i hope someone can help with this unusual question. First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this. Due to a flight cancelation, and then going round and round with the TA and Choice Air, the flight was finally changed to an early morning flight. This resulted in my DS and DBIL arriving in PHL 6 hours before their connecting flight to Venice. (We are catching up with them in Philly and flying together to the ship in Venice. )

Their TA has told them that the airline will not accept their luggage until 4 hours before the Venice flight. She told them they must collect their luggage at PHL and hold it until 4 hours before their connecting flight and check it in again. Then go throughTSA again.

Is this possible? Can they go thru TSA twice? Do they really have to claim their luggage and hold it for two hours?

Can anyone help?

Thank you for reading my long question.

 

Are they changing airlines in PHL or flying the same airline?

 

If the airline says that they cannot book the luggage through then they do have to exit security, get the luggage in baggage claim, then recheck it at the counter and enter through security again.

 

You can go through TSA Security a dozen times as long as you have a valid boarding pass for a flight from that airport you can go through.

 

From my experience in PHL the good news is by the time they get their luggage in baggage claim they probably wont have to wait long to recheck it. Slowest airport for getting luggage out that I have seen in years. Waited there for over an hour to get bags the last time I flew there.

[turquoisesea]

Let's get a bit more information:

 

hope someone can help with this unusual question. First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this. Due to a flight cancelation, and then going round and round with the TA and Choice Air, the flight was finally changed to an early morning flight.

 

 

From where? What airline? Let's start with that.

 

 

This resulted in my DS and DBIL arriving in PHL 6 hours before their connecting flight to Venice.

Again, what airline? Do they have one booking number for both flights, or two different booking numbers?

 

 

(We are catching up with them in Philly and flying together to the ship in Venice. )

Their TA has told them that the airline will not accept their luggage until 4 hours before the Venice flight.

 

 

This might be true if they were originating in Philadelphia. But if they are originating elsewhere, then all that is happening is a long layover. Ideally, their luggage should be checked through from their originating airport through to Venice. Without more details, we can't say why that might not be happening in their case.

 

 

She told them they must collect their luggage at PHL and hold it until 4 hours before their connecting flight and check it in again. Then go throughTSA again.

Is this possible? Can they go thru TSA twice?

 

 

yes, they can go through TSA twice, but if it is a single ticket with just a long layover, they shouldn't have to.

 

 

Do they really have to claim their luggage and hold it for two hours?

 

 

Can anyone help?

 

I’m sorry. I shortened a much longer post. Guess that was a mistake

 

Choice Air booked them from Knoxville to Venice thru Philadelphia. That was so we could all take the same flight into Venice. All flights are with American Airlines. So they have a flight originating in Knoxville, connecting in PHL and arriving in Venice. They have one booking number.

Their TA told them about the luggage problem. I am thinking my best bet is to drive into Philadelphia and speak to someone in person about the luggage issue.

[hootowlrn]

In that case it should just be a long layover.

 

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[cruisestitch]

"Their TA told them about the luggage problem."

 

 

I think their TA is wrong. I would certainly call American Airlines, give them all the flight numbers and the booking number, and see what they say. If you are very close to Philly and want to make the drive to the airport, ok, but this should be easily answered by phone.

 

" First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this."

 

 

That's right. It would be up to the airline if they are willing to accept luggage ahead of time. But this should be a simple matter -- if it's all one airline and all one ticket, it's just a long layover and should not require getting the luggage and re-checking it on the way to Venice.

Now, on the way home, they will definitely have to claim their luggage at Philadelphia and re-check it to their onward flight. That is standard operating procedure. You claim luggage, go through Customs and Immigration, and immediately hand it over to airline personnel who take it from there. In Venice they will give you luggage tags for your final destination, but you will be required to claim that luggage at the first point of entry into the US, in this case, Philadelphia. The re-checking process is swift and generally painless. After turning the luggage over to American, the passenger does have to pass through security screening (TSA) in order to get to the onward flight's gate area.

[jelayne]

All within the US and same airline I can’t imagine they would have to claim luggage & recheck it. I think the TA May be mistaken. But I will say that we have never had a 6 hr layover 2-4 but never 6.

[Gonzo70]

Try posting on the Cruise Air board - lots of knowledgeable frequent flyers there. This is not a TSA issue, but would be an airline policy if what the TA is saying is true (my guess is the TA is wrong) - that may be a rule if one’s first flight is originating out that airport, but doubtfully for a connecting flight (unless involved two separate tickets, then maybe). You need to call the airline, not look up TSA info or Choice Air info for a definitive answer. Make sure you have all the flight info when you call as if it is two separate tickets (even if with the same airline) vs. one ticket with a connecting flight the answer may be different.

 

Definitely no need to go to the airport to inquire; if you can’t gt a solid answer via telephone, just have them ask at the baggage counter when they check in for the first flight if they will need to claim their luggage at the connecting airport, or if it is being checked through to their final destination.

[hootowlrn]

I did a 10 hour layover once and did not have to claim and recheck my luggage.

 

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[Ashland]

I just had a loong connecting flight LAX-DUB via PHL on AA (one booking number) and certainly did not have to claim luggage and re-check it in PHL. Sad that this TA has given such wrong information....time to find a new TA.

 

Best of luck to your DS & DBIL ...PHL isn't a place to spend so much time (dining options) :loudcry::loudcry::eek:

[waterbug123]

Their TA told them about the luggage problem. I am thinking my best bet is to drive into Philadelphia and speak to someone in person about the luggage issue.

 

Sounds like a wasted trip to me. Airlines often have rules for how far ahead one can check luggage initially, esepecially at airports with a lot of disembarking cruise pax, but when connecting on one airline/one ticket, luggage is generally checked through and doesn't need to be claimed at the connecting point.

 

And TSA doesn't car if you go through security multiple times. I arrived at CHS once and didn't realize I dropped my phone while getting out of the car curbside. Someone turned it in to the airport info desk, which is outside security. I realized after going through security that I didn't have it. My BF called it and the info desk person answered and told us they had it. I walked out to retrieve it and went back through security 5 min after going through the first time.

[wrk2cruise]

I just had a loong connecting flight LAX-DUB via PHL on AA (one booking number) and certainly did not have to claim luggage and re-check it in PHL. Sad that this TA has given such wrong information....time to find a new TA.

 

Best of luck to your DS & DBIL ...PHL isn't a place to spend so much time (dining options) :loudcry::loudcry::eek:

 

I love Legal Seafood at PHL. Sit at be bar and there are electrical outlets. I have stayed there for hours.

[dodger1964]

i hope someone can help with this unusual question. First, let me say I have read the TSA website and it doesn’t address this. Due to a flight cancelation, and then going round and round with the TA and Choice Air, the flight was finally changed to an early morning flight. This resulted in my DS and DBIL arriving in PHL 6 hours before their connecting flight to Venice....

 

Depending on where they are flying from there must be better option for shorter layover? (with a change that dramatic airline will do best to get reasonable connection with no change fees...even changing initial airports if there are valid alternatives close by).

 

Have a great cruise!

[Ashland]

I love Legal Seafood at PHL. Sit at be bar and there are electrical outlets. I have stayed there for hours.

It was closed so was Chick a filet. the only thing open as late at night that we had to stay there was Smash Burger and they too closed after awhile.....My flight ended up being delayed until midnight. One news stand was open near our gate...that was it.

[Orator]

The OP must be going from a domestic terminal to the International Terminal and is required to go through TSA screening since they will leave the secure area in one terminal and enter the secure area of the other. I've had this happen in many airports, including PHL. However, I don't understand why their checked bags would not be simply transferred. I needed to pick up bags and recheck only when returning from an International flight and continuing on a domestic flight. My bags were always rechecked once I left Customs and Immigration. I never had to take them with me to the next terminal. Perhaps things have changed since a few months ago.

[Jeremiah1212]

American will allow a max connection of 12 hours in order to through-check your bags to your final destination. If you have 8 hours there is no need to claim your bags and recheck yourself.

 

You’ll want to verify with the agent that they are checking your bags that way, but there is no reason they cannot.

 

 

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[Jeremiah1212]

The OP must be going from a domestic terminal to the International Terminal and is required to go through TSA screening since they will leave the secure area in one terminal and enter the secure area of the other. I've had this happen in many airports, including PHL. However, I don't understand why their checked bags would not be simply transferred. I needed to pick up bags and recheck only when returning from an International flight and continuing on a domestic flight. My bags were always rechecked once I left Customs and Immigration. I never had to take them with me to the next terminal. Perhaps things have changed since a few months ago.

 

 

 

You can access any terminal at PHL once you’re airside without having to re-clear security. That won’t be an issue for them since there is no customs involved.

 

 

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[turquoisesea]

I love Legal Seafood at PHL. Sit at be bar and there are electrical outlets. I have stayed there for hours.

I do too!!!! Spent a few hours there waiting for a thunderstorm to leave the area!

[turquoisesea]

Thank you everyone! I knew you could help my DS. Your information is exactly what we needed.

[agargoyle]

hi have you checked the airline website and/or the terminal website? I have left the gate area and come back, just remember your your id and boarding pass.

 

 

Some of this may depend if the check in areas are open. If there is no one there to collect your luggage than you can not leave it anywhere.

 

 

Like others have said I do not understand why their luggage is not being just automatically transferred to the next flight.

I woulds think the best information (besides from others that have done it) would be the terminal site and the airline site

[waterbug123]

I don't understand why their checked bags would not be simply transferred.... Perhaps things have changed since a few months ago.

 

Or perhaps their TA has no idea what he/she is talking about which is likely the case here. I've known friends (and read other stories in forums) in which TAs told people things that were absolutely false because they didn't know any better. Some TAs are great and travel a lot themselves so can speak from personal experience. Others not so much. I know someone IRL who became a TA a few years ago. She cruises a lot, but almost exclusively on Carnival and her travel outside of cruises, and especially Carnival cruises, is extremely limited....she is relying on info she's heard 2nd or 3rd hand, or read and misinterpreted, etc. Another friend has used her a few times and I've winced at some of what she's been told by this naive TA. Suffice to say, she often calls me for travel advice, or at least to confirm (or refute) what this TA has told her. She doesn't use her much anymore, I don't think she's given up on her completely. She's one of those who wants to "help" others so she likes to give her business to "help" her. :rolleyes: