AA award connecting to QF award... but on a separate ticket

[flyingfan121]

Hi, hoping for some advice.

I have a QF J award ticket booked for June, LAX to SYD departing at 23:40 (2x pax, booked with Qantas points). I am connecting from an AA J award ticket arriving into LAX from JFK at 19:36 (booked using AAdvantage miles)

These are two separate bookings/tickets. As I understand it, AA will not check through baggage from one award booking to another award booking on any Oneworld airline (although apparently, they will if it was a paid booking to an award booking…)

I had been thinking 4 hours is sufficient for a separate ticket D>I connection in LAX. Plenty of time to pick up bags at T4 and check in with Qantas at TBIT… however assuming bag drop closes 90 minutes before the flight, any delay over ~2 hours on my incoming AA flight would mean I would be cutting it fine.

I guess my question is, if there was to be a delay, I would likely know this at JFK. This would be at least 10 hours prior to the QF departure later that night. If so, would Qantas be of any assistance in accommodating a new flight if I let them know I will miss the connection that far out? Or because it Is not on the same ticket, and is within 24 hours, I’d be out of luck?

Is there any chance the check-in agent might be able to check through the bags, even if against official policy?

I am QF platinum if it makes a difference.

Thanks!

 

[justinbrett]

AA won't do anything with separate bookings, even AA to AA. I believe even the mix of points & revenue bookings is also gone (but QF still does it).

I think your situation is too risky. I would be getting an earlier flight into LAX. At very least use the AA same day change if you can't book an earlier flight now. There's not much QF can do even T-10, because there won't be any award availability, the best you can do is cancel and pay your own way.

When you do get to LAX, use the T4 security point, it's a lot faster than TBIT that time of day.

 

[flyingfan121]

AA won't do anything with separate bookings, even AA to AA. I believe even the mix of points & revenue bookings is also gone (but QF still does it).

I think your situation is too risky. I would be getting an earlier flight into LAX. At very least use the AA same day change if you can't book an earlier flight now. There's not much QF can do even T-10, because there won't be any award availability, the best you can do is cancel and pay your own way.

When you do get to LAX, use the T4 security point, it's a lot faster than TBIT that time of day.

Thanks for the advice!

I have family traveling on the next AA flight from JFK to LAX, departing an hour later, and connecting to the same QF flight (all on the same ticket). So I guess another alternative is to wear the additional checked bag fee on their booking (I think $100 USD per bag) and that way I know bags will make their way to Sydney. Presumably, in this case, I won’t need to exit the terminal at all – Can staff at the QF F lounge check me in/print boarding passes?

This would buy me another hour or so buffer to connect if I’m not able to get on an earlier flight.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Can confirm that QF F lounge angels can print boarding passes. With a smile.

 

[jpp42]

As I understand it, AA will not check through baggage from one award booking to another award booking on any Oneworld airline (although apparently, they will if it was a paid booking to an award booking…)

Just confirming this appears still to be the case, earlier this week I was on an AA paid booking (domestic) connecting on separate PNR to an award booking on Qantas, and they could not through-check my luggage (I am QF WP). The experienced check-in agent advised they haven't been able to do do this for several years.

I had taken a similar risk but at DFW rather than LAX; we had 4.5 hours to connect at DFW. In this case, collecting bags and changing terminals took about an hour, plus an hour's incoming flight delay, so we were happy for the buffer. I was willing to take the risk as US travel in May prior to Memorial Day weekend is relatively benign, it's before the peak summer season and good weather nearly everywhere - weather is usually the key thing that causes the networks to melt down. Later in summer, DFW is risky due to thunderstorms, and therefore the rest of the AA network as so many planes go through there. For June I'd be allowing a bit more time as it's peak season with summer thunderstorms starting to crop up, although JFK and LAX are both lower risk compared to the South. Also, I'll note the JFK-LAX flights are less likely to be affected by issues at DFW as they are a dedicated fleet, not typically involving DFW earlier in the day. Good luck!

 

[QF029]

I had a similar situation in December and elected to do an 8 hour transit at LAX instead of 2 hours as they were the only options. I did an extended Lounge crawl.

 

[madrooster]

If so, would Qantas be of any assistance in accommodating a new flight if I let them know I will miss the connection that far out? Or because it Is not on the same ticket, and is within 24 hours, I’d be out of luck?

Is there any chance the check-in agent might be able to check through the bags, even if against official policy?

If there is an delay, AA would be the at fault carrier so no, QF is not obliged to do anything when you are booked on separate PNRs. If it were booked on one PNR, then AA will protect you all the way to SYD in the event of a delay.

AA are steadfast about not through-checking on separate PNRs. Even short tagging is an argument and a half with AA, even if there is a legitimate reason, eg. an 18 hour overnight transit.

So I guess another alternative is to wear the additional checked bag fee on their booking (I think $100 USD per bag) and that way I know bags will make their way to Sydney. Presumably, in this case, I won’t need to exit the terminal at all – Can staff at the QF F lounge check me in/print boarding passes?

Yes QF staff in the F lounge can issue the BP for LAX-SYD. This is a good solution that's lower risk, albeit it requires you to pay some $.

Just confirming this appears still to be the case, earlier this week I was on an AA paid booking (domestic) connecting on separate PNR to an award booking on Qantas, and they could not through-check my luggage (I am QF WP). The experienced check-in agent advised they haven't been able to do do this for several years.

Correct, separate PNR through checks haven't been allowed since circa 2016... maybe 2017.

 

[kreuky]

I personally have been able to do it recently from SFO (AA and AS), separate paid ticket connecting to separate Qantas award. AS even sometimes prints the BP for me for LAX to SYD, while other times i just get it at the lounge. However, it is always a struggle to get them to do it. On the other way, SYD-LAX (award), separate ticket (AS/AA), qantas has told me to pound sand (even at F checkin in SYD) but not a huge deal since you have to collect bags anyway. Just a pain to drag them to T4/5 rather than use the quick drop. Although the last time i was there, the quick drop line was all the way back to customs exit..so faster to drag them to T4.
Anyway point is, doesn't hurt to be nice and ask...and ask for supervisor...but i wouldn't rely on it..i always take the earlier SFO-LAX flight in case i get rejected.

 

[justinbrett]

I personally have been able to do it recently from SFO (AA and AS), separate paid ticket connecting to separate Qantas award. AS even sometimes prints the BP for me for LAX to SYD, while other times i just get it at the lounge. However, it is always a struggle to get them to do it. On the other way, SYD-LAX (award), separate ticket (AS/AA), qantas has told me to pound sand (even at F checkin in SYD) but not a huge deal since you have to collect bags anyway. Just a pain to drag them to T4/5 rather than use the quick drop. Although the last time i was there, the quick drop line was all the way back to customs exit..so faster to drag them to T4.
Anyway point is, doesn't hurt to be nice and ask...and ask for supervisor...but i wouldn't rely on it..i always take the earlier SFO-LAX flight in case i get rejected.

AA and AS are different airlines. AS policy does allow separate PNRs, AA does not.

 

[arrow]

For what it’s worth even when I’m on a paid J ticket (LAX to Syd), I always transit back to LA from the east coast and spend a night just in case as I’ve seen so many delays and missed connections

 

[muppet]

AA won't do anything with separate bookings, even AA to AA. I believe even the mix of points & revenue bookings is also gone (but QF still does it).

QF policy says that QF will connect bags QF to Oneworld on seperate tickets with one an award and the other commercial fare. But in practice agents refuse to do it.

…. On the other way, SYD-LAX (award), separate ticket (AS/AA), qantas has told me to pound sand (even at F checkin in SYD) but not a huge deal since you have to collect bags anyway. …

Same as my experience.

 

[justinbrett]

QF policy says that QF will connect bags QF to Oneworld on seperate tickets with one an award and the other commercial fare. But in practice agents refuse to do it.



Same as my experience.

I believe they both have to be QF tickets (081-081). So oneworld award yes but only if booked with QF (ie no AAdvantage bookings) YMMV.

 

[serfty]

I believe they both have to be QF tickets (081-081). So oneworld award yes but only if booked with QF (ie no AAdvantage bookings) YMMV.

Not sure about the 081 bit, it depends on what "ticketed" means in the following. It can mean "Marketed by" as distinct from the issuing airline.

Interline and Through Checked Baggage

Checked baggage allowances are determined according to the itinerary and provided at the time of booking. Different baggage allowances may apply each time baggage is checked in. This page contains information on Interline - International Journeys and Through Checked Baggage.

www.qantas.com

QF/Oneworld to Oneworld/QF on separate tickets is a no-go unless using a combination of award travel and revenue travel.

Of course - it is all moot if one is refused at check-in despite what may be published.

 

[QF029]

QF policy says that QF will connect bags QF to Oneworld on seperate tickets with one an award and the other commercial fare. But in practice agents refuse to do it.



Same as my experience.

This was my experience in November out of MEL also. QF Award to AA Revenue.

 

[justinbrett]

Not sure about the 081 bit, it depends on what "ticketed" means in the following. It can mean "Marketed by" as distinct from the issuing airline.

Interline and Through Checked Baggage

Checked baggage allowances are determined according to the itinerary and provided at the time of booking. Different baggage allowances may apply each time baggage is checked in. This page contains information on Interline - International Journeys and Through Checked Baggage.

www.qantas.com

QF/Oneworld to Oneworld/QF on separate tickets is a no-go unless using a combination of award travel and revenue travel.

Of course - it is all moot if one is refused at check-in despite what may be published.

I imagine it’s easier for the agents when they are both QF tickets, and as we know they do connect two revenue QF flights on separate bookings.

If they have to go looking for a Sabre booking that was not copied to QF it probably gets too hard.

 

[SYD]

QF policy says that QF will connect bags QF to Oneworld on seperate tickets with one an award and the other commercial fare. But in practice agents refuse to do it.

Just a couple weeks ago, QF checked through QF (CR) SYD-LAX to AS LAX-SFO seperate tix no question, however…

I imagine it’s easier for the agents when they are both QF tickets, and as we know they do connect two revenue QF flights on separate bookings.

If they have to go looking for a Sabre booking that was not copied to QF it probably gets too hard.

Yep, they were both 081- tickets - QF paid for the seperate connecting flight on AS due to the delay in restarting non-stop flights to SFO.

Although, I have had no drama with QF (CR) to seperate AA (revenue) in the past.