Can rewards flights be linked?

[lhall85917]

We have used British Air rewards points to book flights for our Sydney trip in April. There wasn't a reward available from our home directly to Sydney that I could find in searching so I booked two separate trips using points with their partners. The first takes us from here to LAX via United, the second (on the same day) goes from LAX to Sydney on Qantas. Both are OneWorld partners with BA. This is my first time using FF miles so I may have done it completely wrong :o, but I was wondering if it is possible to link the two flights so that we don't have to pick up luggage in LA then check in again for the new flight? If I can, it will make things much easier - plus I shouldn't have to pay baggage fees since there is no charge for the overseas flight.

I'd appreciate any thoughts from anyone with FF mile experience. thanks

[frugaltravel]

Nothing to do with "linking" which is overblown anyway. Since UA and BA are interline partners, and if you have both itineraries with you when you check in and if you don't get to the airport at the last minute and if you find an accommodating check-in agent, UA should let you check in one piece of luggage for free since you are connecting to an international flight. In any case, they should check your luggage through to SYD even if they want to charge you their domestic baggage fee.

[FlyerTalker]

I seriously doubt that you have a UA flight to LAX. UA is in Star, BA/AA/QF are in OneWorld. You should double check that.

 

As for luggage, since they are two separate tickets, the originating airline is under no obligation to through check your bags. They may do it as a courtesy, but you should not count on it. Also, since you are on a completely domestic ticket for the originating flight, you are subject to domestic size/weight/number limits as well as all domestic flight baggage fees.

 

You do NOT have a connection. You have two separate and distinct flights operated by different carriers.

 

Now, had it been one ticket, you would have been under the international rules and fee schedule.

[lhall85917]

I seriously doubt that you have a UA flight to LAX. UA is in Star, BA/AA/QF are in OneWorld. You should double check that.

 

As for luggage, since they are two separate tickets, the originating airline is under no obligation to through check your bags. They may do it as a courtesy, but you should not count on it. Also, since you are on a completely domestic ticket for the originating flight, you are subject to domestic size/weight/number limits as well as all domestic flight baggage fees.

 

You do NOT have a connection. You have two separate and distinct flights operated by different carriers.

 

Now, had it been one ticket, you would have been under the international rules and fee schedule.

Oops, you are right - I told you I am a newbie at this!! :o Our originating flight from home is on American. We leave Huntsville, transfer flights in Chicago and end up in LA before taking the Qantas flight later that night to Sydney. I did know that wasn't a connection, just wasn't sure if they could link the different segments together from beginning to end. Thank you for the info, and also thanks to the first poster. We will ask at Huntsville and try to get checked all the way through.

When I look at my reservation on British Air, it shows a free baggage allowance for our domestic flights - that really surprises me - I hope its true! I've copied below...

Free baggage allowance

 

Checked baggage per passenger

Adults and children: 2 bags at 23kg (51lbs) per bag

[6rugrats]

duplicate post

[6rugrats]

Oops, you are right - I told you I am a newbie at this!! :o Our originating flight from home is on American. We leave Huntsville, transfer flights in Chicago and end up in LA before taking the Qantas flight later that night to Sydney. I did know that wasn't a connection, just wasn't sure if they could link the different segments together from beginning to end. Thank you for the info, and also thanks to the first poster. We will ask at Huntsville and try to get checked all the way through.

When I look at my reservation on British Air, it shows a free baggage allowance for our domestic flights - that really surprises me - I hope its true! I've copied below...

Free baggage allowance

 

Checked baggage per passenger

Adults and children: 2 bags at 23kg (51lbs) per bag

Yes, but you have two separate tickets; a domestic flight on AA, then you are taking an international flight on Qantas. It doesn't matter what BA's luggage policies are. You must use the checked bag policies of the operating carrier. I think you will be charged the checked bag fee for your AA flight, though you could get lucky.

 

I hope you left plenty of time to make this connection.

[lhall85917]

Yes, but you have two separate tickets; a domestic flight on AA, then you are taking an international flight on Qantas. It doesn't matter what BA's luggage policies are. You must use the checked bag policies of the operating carrier. I think you will be charged the checked bag fee for your AA flight, though you could get lucky.

 

I hope you left plenty of time to make this connection.

 

10 hours should be enough! ;)

[6rugrats]

10 hours should be enough! ;)

Yes, you should be good with that! Have a great trip and come back and report if you were charged baggage fees.

[Gardyloo]

By any chance are you traveling in first or business class?

 

Regardless, you should phone AA and ask for the "record locator" for your domestic flight. BA and American use different reservations systems, so the record locator you received from British Airways will be different from AA's, and you'll need AA's to check in (and to select seats in advance on AA's website.)

 

When you're speaking to the agent at AA, mention that you're traveling on Qantas after LAX, and have them put a notation on your reservation record (called your "PNR.") That might help in the case of any missed connections etc.

 

When you check in for your flight at Huntsville, have both the AA and the Qantas reservation information printed out. They will be able to tag your bags through to Sydney, and they might not ask for any bag fees, even though they could. (If it was all on one ticket, you'd be subject to the "most significant carrier" rule, which basically means that the baggage allowances on the longest segment apply to the whole ticket. By breaking the trip into two tickets, this rule doesn't technically apply, but the counter people at Huntsville might not hit you up. But ONLY if they know you're going to SYD and can see the LAX-SYD ticket information.)

[kenish]

Gardyloo / Flyertalker- My understanding (possibly incorrect) is baggage rules will change on Thursday with the new fare disclosure regulations. The rules of the "marketing carrier"; i.e. the one that sold the ticket will apply. Both of you probably have more detail.

[Globaliser]

... but I was wondering if it is possible to link the two flights so that we don't have to pick up luggage in LA then check in again for the new flight?

I don't know whether you will be able to avoid the AA baggage fees, seeing as you have two separate tickets, but AA will through-check the bags onto the QF flight so you don't have to deal with them at LAX. This is because both airlines are in the oneworld alliance, and AA is good at doing this for a two-ticket "connection" where both flights are oneworld flights.