Check-in lugguge to destination

[Member]

We, from Vancouver, Canada, will take the RCCL cruise at Barcelona in mid-May. We plan to use our British Airways (Oneworld alliance) mileage point for the YVR to BCN around-trip flights. Before the cruise, we'd like to tour Seville first. So I plan to book the connecting flight from BCN to SVQ then. The options are either by Iberia (Oneworld alliance) or Clickair (Iberia's subsidary but not Oneworld alliance). Could my luggage be ckecked-in from YVR all the way to SVQ even I booked the flights seperately with two sets of reservation numbers? Or we must pick-up ours at BCN then and check-in again there to SVQ? Thanks for your insight to this in advance.

[globalnomads]

In my experience, you'll have to collect your luggage after immigration to clear customs before checking in for your other reservation, alliance or not. This is because you have two separate bookings and not a truly "connecting" flight. There may be real TA's out there that can either confirm or deny, but we've done this many times. Just make sure you've left ample time to get through the process and even change terminals (international to domestic). I'm jealous of your side-trip to Seville!

[cruiseluv]

I agree with the PP. You can always try and if they want to be helpful, they can make it happen (especially if it's Iberia which is part of Oneworld alliance). But chances are you will not be able to.

[CathyCruises]

Well, I had cruise air booked on Lufthansa from Chicago, but had to get my own air to Chicago on AA--I showed AA my boarding pass on Lufthansa and they put my luggage through to Barcelona via Frankfurt--so it CAN happen!

[HeinBloed]

If the routing is YVR - LHR - BCN - SVQ your baggage should be through-checked.

 

Clickair and Iberia have most flights on code-share basis.

 

In Barcelona you will arrive in a spearate part of the Terminal (extra-schengen).

 

You do not go to customs clearance but immigration as you are entering the Schengen-Zone... i. e. STAY UPSTAIRS - DO NOT USE THE ESCALATORS TO COLLECT YOUR BAGGAGE... especially if they are already tagged with SVQ.

 

Once you arrived in Sevilla you collect your baggage. As your baggage from YVR has no green strips on the baggage tags the customs MIGHT ask you to follow them for customs clearance.

 

There are only few airlines like AC who refused to through check baggage on seperate tickets. But normally it's no problem - especially not with BA.

 

But if you have separate tickets:

 

Within Europe is only 23 kgs free allowance mostly (with Iberia/Clickair)

but BA only 1 piece with max 23 kgs.

 

You have a trough ticket to Barcelona: 2 x 23 kgs.

Barcelona - Sevilla on separate ticket? 1 x 23 kgs.

 

The only reason why they could refuse to through-check:

 

they cannot calculate the overbaggage from Barcelona - Sevilla and wants you to handle it with Clickair/Iberia itself.

 

Good Luck.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Globaliser]

We plan to use our British Airways (Oneworld alliance) mileage point for the YVR to BCN around-trip flights. Before the cruise, we'd like to tour Seville first. So I plan to book the connecting flight from BCN to SVQ then. The options are either by Iberia (Oneworld alliance) or Clickair (Iberia's subsidary but not Oneworld alliance). Could my luggage be ckecked-in from YVR all the way to SVQ even I booked the flights seperately with two sets of reservation numbers?

Yes, if BCN-SVQ is on Iberia - detailed reasons in my other post. HeinBloed's post offers reassurance that you do not have to collect your bags at BCN.

[brandybold]

When i bot my Usair ticket to madrid, the agent said they would check my bags all the way thru to Granada if I showed the Iberia flt info when I checked in.

So when I get to Madrid, do I go thru immigration (and not customs) and when I get to Granada do I go thru customs ?

Thanks for help on this!

[HeinBloed]

When i bot my Usair ticket to madrid, the agent said they would check my bags all the way thru to Granada if I showed the Iberia flt info when I checked in.

So when I get to Madrid, do I go thru immigration (and not customs)

 

If your flight was direct from Philadelphia, Charlotte or Pittsburgh to Madrid:

 

yes: you are entering the Schengen-Zone - so you are subject to have immigration.

 

If you fly via another Schengen-airport to Madrid like Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt: no - because immigration was already made there.

 

and when I get to Granada do I go thru customs ?

Thanks for help on this!

 

You will not find big controls like in the US as you are arriving on a domestic flight.

 

Maybe there is none at the exit but if you smuggle something use the red exit. If you are caught at the green exit you will be fined double. They can easily identify that you are not a domestic passenger as your baggage tags have no green strips.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Member]

HeinBloed and others, thanks for your inputs. This couple will check-in one, 22kg luggage each in YVR for sure. I also find that our Iberia 5662/5663 flights to SVQ are actually by ClickAir (XG2511/2510). We've 1 hr. and 15 min. in BCN that night to connect from BA7075 (by Iberia Airlines) to IB 5662 (by ClickAir 2511). Is it OK? And how challenge are the BCN terminals, both international and domestic for these non-Spanish tourists??

[HeinBloed]

HeinBloed and others, thanks for your inputs. This couple will check-in one, 22kg luggage each in YVR for sure. I also find that our Iberia 5662/5663 flights to SVQ are actually by ClickAir (XG2511/2510). We've 1 hr. and 15 min. in BCN that night to connect from BA7075 (by Iberia Airlines) to IB 5662 (by ClickAir 2511). Is it OK? And how challenge are the BCN terminals, both international and domestic for these non-Spanish tourists??

 

It will be very smooth:

 

It's all the same terminal building and it will be as smooth as I was transfering coming from Toronto and going for Shanghai in Vancouver.

 

http://www14.aena.es/csee/Satellite?cid=1045569607459&pagename=subHome&Language=EN_GB&SiteName=BCN&c=Page

 

On the right side you find a map of Barcelona Airport.

 

As long as your bag is tagged to SVQ you will stay on Level 1.

 

You arrive a Terminal A (totally right section is Non-Schengen section).

You pass the immigration at Terminal A.

You walk through the shopping area to Terminal B/C where Iberia is operating their flights.

 

But the airport of Barcelona is so small that even walking from one end to the other will not take you more than 10-15 minutes if you are NOT running.

 

The good thing: you stay on Level 1 for immigration. Last time I waited there for friends arriving from Switzerland (at this time also Non-Schengen-Country): there is a special immigration staying on Level 1 - and only transit-passengers like you would use it. All others leaving for Barcelona as final destination walk down to Level 0 immigration in front of the baggage claim area.

 

Therefore it would be VERY SMOOTH for you.

 

And as I told: you will not see on Level 1 that you moved from Terminal building to the next.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Globaliser]

I also find that our Iberia 5662/5663 flights to SVQ are actually by ClickAir (XG2511/2510). We've 1 hr. and 15 min. in BCN that night to connect from BA7075 (by Iberia Airlines) to IB 5662 (by ClickAir 2511). Is it OK?

I have to say that I'm not sure about this one. Although you have bought the BCN-SVQ flight from a oneworld airline, the technical description of that flight is that it is a non-oneworld (ie Clickair) flight marketed by a oneworld airline (ie Iberia).

 

This page is the official BA policy on this. It says:-

Baggage transfer onto another British Airways flight

 

Question

If I am connecting onwards with another British Airways or oneworld flight, can I check my bag in for the whole journey?

 

Answer

If you have a same day connection on a British Airways or oneworld flight you will be checked through to your final destination. You can also be checked through if you are changing terminals at Heathrow.

 

This means that your baggage will be labelled through to your onward destination and you will have a boarding card for your next flight. You will not have to check in again or collect your baggage, simply follow the Flight Connections signs and make your way to your departure terminal.

 

You will need to:

• produce proof or documentation of your onward travel
  
• have a connection within the minimum airport connection time
  
• travel on the same day
  
• meet local country restrictions
  

Strictly speaking, the Clickair flight could be said to be a non-oneworld flight, even though it has been sold by a oneworld airline, and thus BA's policy would be to say no. I think that you would probably be well advised to get some positive confirmation from BA, in writing, that it will through-check to SVQ if you want to try it; you should then take this with you to check-in at YVR in case there are problems.

 

The OAG published minimum connection time at BCN is 45 minutes, so at least the 1:15 will be enough to satisfy that criterion. However, if you have to collect at BCN and re-check, then I don't think you have enough time.

[Member]

I called BA's reservation toll-free number here about this and the replies are affirmative by one supervisor and "not possible" by another supervisor. I may just go to the YVR's BA check-in counter one day to find out myself.

 

The local travel agent here says if we let her books/issues all the said flight tickets in one (1) booking number, then our check-in luggage will be to the final distination (SVQ) all the way even though if we're flying on the completely different alliance airlines.

 

How true is this?

[HeinBloed]

The local travel agent here says if we let her books/issues all the said flight tickets in one (1) booking number, then our check-in luggage will be to the final distination (SVQ) all the way even though if we're flying on the completely different alliance airlines.

 

How true is this?

 

Go to http://www.checkmytrip.com or http://www.ba.com and see if the complete itinerary is displayed:

 

99%: yes.

 

By the way something else:

 

25. Navigator of the Seas, Mediterranean, 05/2009

26. Navigator of the Seas, Mediterranean, 05/2009

 

Maybe May 14-18, 2009??? Are we maybe on the same cruise???

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Globaliser]

The local travel agent here says if we let her books/issues all the said flight tickets in one (1) booking number, then our check-in luggage will be to the final distination (SVQ) all the way even though if we're flying on the completely different alliance airlines.

 

How true is this?

Often, but not necessarily.

 

The criterion that most airlines apply (if they care at all) is whether you are travelling on one ticket that covers both flights involved in each connection, or whether there is a flight that is on a separate ticket. (For these purposes, "one ticket" includes the situation where more than one ticket has to be written because of the limited number of coupons on each ticket, but then the tickets will expressly say that they are conjunction tickets and will be treated as one ticket.)

 

It is sometimes possible for a travel agent to book an itinerary in one reservation in the computer system that they use, but issue that itinerary as two (or more) tickets. If they do that, you will probably be given only one booking reference or "locator" for the entire reservation. But you will still be travelling on two (or more) tickets.

 

However, most itineraries that are made in one reservation are issued on one ticket. If so, it usually doesn't matter whether the airlines are in the same alliance or not. The criterion that determines whether you are entitled to have your baggage automatically transferred from one airline to another is whether the two airlines concerned have an interline baggage agreement. Most major IATA airlines do have these with each other. You would only run into trouble on a single ticket if the airlines (unusually) do not have an agreement. Otherwise, IATA rules say that you are entitled to have your baggage transferred when connecting on a single ticket.

[Member]

Many thanks to all, particularly the "luggage handling agreement" aspect.

 

We'll be on NOS's 05/18 plus 05/23 sailings. And will tour Toulouse for 3 days after that. Still can't find the direct flight between BCN/TLN so far.

[HeinBloed]

Many thanks to all, particularly the "luggage handling agreement" aspect.

 

We'll be on NOS's 05/18 plus 05/23 sailings. And will tour Toulouse for 3 days after that. Still can't find the direct flight between BCN/TLN so far.

 

Somehow interesting for a Canadian:

 

AIR CANADA refuses to check-through on seperate tickets!!!

 

I will try to left something from the ship for you...

 

Toulon is only served from Paris Orly, Brussels, Brest, Rotterdam and Marrakesh.

 

Why do not you take the train:

 

08.45 hrs from Barcelona Francia (close to cruise terminal!!! - just 1 mile from Columbus Column)

13.22 hrs in Montpellier

14.16 hrs from Montpellier

16.38 hrs in Toulon

 

The alternative:

 

you leave the first train in Perpignan at 11.43 hrs.

Europcar has a location in the train station which is open until noon and drive yourself to Toulon.

 

Iberia has direct flights to Marseille and Nice.

 

One-way flights in Europe are extremely expensive.

 

So book a return flight with a fictive return-day and just do not use the return coupon.

 

Another very cheap option via Brussels to Nice with Brusselsairlines for just 126 EUR one-way on May 28, 2009 (I think that should be your day of debarkation).

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

Iberia has direct flights to Marseille and Nice.

 

One-way flights in Europe are extremely expensive.

 

So book a return flight with a fictive return-day and just do not use the return coupon.

 

Wow - 119 GBP for this option... fictive return on June 23, 2009...

 

18.40 hrs from Barcelona

19.40 hrs in Marseille

 

one-way was 650 GBP

 

Maybe I would do this...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Globaliser]

And will tour Toulouse for 3 days after that. Still can't find the direct flight between BCN/TLN so far.

A bit confused here: Are you wanting to go to Toulouse (TLS) or Toulon (TLN)?

[Member]

A bit confused here: Are you wanting to go to Toulouse (TLS) or Toulon (TLN)?

 

My typo... should be Toulouse (TLS).

[Globaliser]

My typo... should be Toulouse (TLS).

No direct flights between Barcelona (or the other airports in the region that sometimes masquerade as "Barcelona", depending on the integrity of the airline concerned) and Toulouse. It looks like the two nearest airports with non-stop flights from Barcelona are Bordeaux (about 250 km away) and Marseille (about 400 km away).

[HeinBloed]

It's only 5 hours by train with one change in Narbonne...

 

No real distance to fly...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Member]

No direct flights between Barcelona (or the other airports in the region that sometimes masquerade as "Barcelona", depending on the integrity of the airline concerned) and Toulouse. It looks like the two nearest airports with non-stop flights from Barcelona are Bordeaux (about 250 km away) and Marseille (about 400 km away).

 

With all the luggage to handle, we hope to get there as "direct" as possible. If train ride requires changing train and/or platform, then the direct coach ride, if any, may be more suitable.

[HeinBloed]

then the direct coach ride, if any, may be more suitable.

 

leaving 09.00 hrs from Barcelona Sants

arriving 15.45 hrs in Toulouse

 

You are right... there is a direct daily coach service...

 

http://www.eurolines.fr/sbeos/doc/file.php?nid=1363

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Member]

HeinBloed, you're great...

For English-speaking reader, go to http://www.eurolines.fr/barcelona_1 to find out more.

[Member]

HeinBloed & others,

 

I find the said Iberia's IB5662 from Barcelona to Seville on May 14 is out.... meaning it is now booked as ClickAir XG2511.

We shall fly-in to Barcelona at 7:30pm by IB7075 (from Heathrow) to catch this ClickAir 8:45pm flight. Will 1hr. 15min. be just enough to get our check-in luggage there to check-in again through customs & immigration normally!!