Which Airline Should I Check My Bags With?

[sjmbruce]

It's my first time doing this..... I am flying from Detroit to Vancouver pre-cruise, then from Anchorage to Detroit post-cruise. I'm not sure if it's considered multi city, open jaw, or what Kayak referred to as a hacker fare.

 

Regardless of the terminology, I will want to get online and prepay for checked bags. Pre-cruise, I fly from Detroit with a layover in Toronto, then on to Vancouver from Toronto. This is with WestJet.

 

However, in my detailed itinerary from WestJet, the first leg (Detroit -> Toronto) says "Operated by ENDEAVOR AIR DBA DELTA CONNECTION ".

 

 

Is this still considered WestJet? Will I still pay for my bags through WestJet's website?

 

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

[CruiserBruce]

You do it with whomever's plane you are actually going to be on. Their rules are usually the ones that apply. So, even tho you booked with Delta, the actual owner of the plane's usually apply.

 

Have you read the fine print of your reservation? The answer is probably there.

[sjmbruce]

You do it with whomever's plane you are actually going to be on. Their rules are usually the ones that apply. So, even tho you booked with Delta, the actual owner of the plane's usually apply.

 

Have you read the fine print of your reservation? The answer is probably there.

 

I booked with WestJet, the email/confirmation is with WestJet and the flight number is "WestJet ####".

 

It was the "Operated by ENDEAVOR AIR DBA DELTA CONNECTION" that confused me....and the fine print simply says "If you are traveling with one of our airline partners: Be sure to familiarize yourself with their fees as they may be different from ours."

[Twickenham]

Your flight is an open-jaw - and it appears, a codeshare flight.

 

You always check-in with the operating carrier - in this case, Delta. Any fees will be payable to them - meaning you will have to pay for checked bags. Had the first flight been with WestJet, there would have been no fee for the first checked bag.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Twickenham

[waterbug123]

However, in my detailed itinerary from WestJet, the first leg (Detroit -> Toronto) says "Operated by ENDEAVOR AIR DBA DELTA CONNECTION ".

 

 

Is this still considered WestJet? Will I still pay for my bags through WestJet's website?

 

 

What it means is that WestJet simply sold you a ticket on a Delta-operated flight, so when you get to the airport you will check your bags with Delta. It's a little more confusing here, because technically it's a Delta Connection flight; Delta uses several different companies to operate their Delta Connection flights, Endeavor being one of them, but generally speaking, the only place you will see "Endeavor" is right here on your ticket confirmation. The plane, the ticket counter, the flight attendant's uniforms, etc. will all just say "Delta."

 

Bottom line: It's the operating carrier that matters, not the carrier who sold you a ticket. :)

[sjmbruce]

Thank you all for your replies! This is the first time I have had a flight like this.

 

I will buy/check in my baggage with Delta (I too saw that WestJet didn't charge for baggage while Delta does, stinks that my flights aren't opposite!)

 

 

So....I'll get off the Delta flight in Toronto for the layover. The second part of the flight is just listed as WestJest, will I be looking for their counter and plane then? Do I need to pick up my baggage and check them in again with the new airline?

 

 

Thanks :)

[em-sk]

Westjet does not charge for your first bag. You may find it hard to pay in advance with Delta I am not certain.

 

In Detroit you check in with Delta (and ask them to tag your bags to Vancouver). They should be able to print your WestJet boarding pass.

 

When you arrive in Toronto, you will arrive in Terminal 3. Both WestJet and Delta operate out of terminal 3. You will need to clear Canadian Customs and Immigration in Toronto. Unless it has changed that usually involves picking up you bag and walking it through customs. As you leave customs there should be a transfer desk for Westjet where you put your bags back into the system. Through security and to your connecting gate.

 

The westjet agent at the transfer desk can also reissue boarding passes if it looks like you are going to miss your connection. Vancouver and Toronto are major business centres in Canada and there is a constant flow of flights between the two cities. If the Delta agent could not issue a westjet boarding pass, they will do it here for you.

 

Hint: When you get in line to go through Customs/Immigration, if it is busy they usually divide the line between connecting passengers and local Toronto destined passengers.

Edited March 25, 2014 by em-sk

[frugaltravel]

Not sure why you want to pre-pay your luggage fee. I know of at least one person who did that, but then their flight was canceled and they got re-routed onto a different airline. Guess what? They had to pay the second airline for their checked luggage too. And it took months to get the initial checked luggage fee back from the first airline.

 

I would never pre-pay my luggage fee. Absolutely no reason to. Too many things can go wrong and just not worth the additional hassles if something went wrong.

Edited March 25, 2014 by frugaltravel

[Twickenham]

Not sure why you want to pre-pay your luggage fee. I know of at least one person who did that, but then their flight was canceled and they got re-routed onto a different airline. Guess what? They had to pay the second airline for their checked luggage too. And it took months to get the initial checked luggage fee back from the first airline.

 

I would never pre-pay my luggage fee. Absolutely no reason to. Too many things can go wrong and just not worth the additional hassles if something went wrong.

 

I believe for some airlines it is cheaper to pay for checked bags online rather than the airport. However, this can be done when checking in online (have done it with Delta certainly), so no need to worry about it beforehand.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Twickenham

[frugaltravel]

I believe for some airlines it is cheaper to pay for checked bags online rather than the airport. However, this can be done when checking in online (have done it with Delta certainly), so no need to worry about it beforehand.

 

But unless the discount for prepaying is huge (and I mean 50% or more) it is not worth the risk to me to potentially have to pay twice and fight for a refund. Even when Delta offered a "discount" for prepaying, it was maybe $5/bag max. Not enough of an incentive for me, but YMMV.

Edited March 26, 2014 by frugaltravel

[Fattony]

While technically it is open jaw, airline Web sites typically use terms like multi-city (WestJet appears to use "multiple cities"; Delta uses "multi-city"). It's typically the only choice other than one way or roundtrip. What it's called isn't critical, anyway. I agree the fees would likely be paid to Delta. If in doubt, call either airline and ask them. Then you'll know for sure. To pre-pay with Delta, you may well need a Delta confirmation #, which could be different than the WestJet confirmation # you have. You can often call the airline you're flying on to pre-select seats, even if the airline you booked with says to just wait until check-in at the airport. I've run into this before. No biggie.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Fattony