Incorrect advice from Qantas check-in agent leads to missed connection.

[froggerADL]

Hi All,

I’m looking for advice following a misssed connection between QF7 to DFW and an AA flight DFW-YVR.

A friend and his 83 year old father booked a flights + cruise + hotel package with TripADeal. They departed ADL on Wednesday morning. The outbound flights were ADL-SYD-DFW-YVR. SYD-DFW was on QF7, but ticketed as AA7261.

At check-in at ADL the Qantas agent insisted that their luggage would only be checked through to DFW where they would have to collect it and then re-check it for the AA flight to YVR. They had a three hour layover at DFW.

They cleared immigration at DFW and went to collect their bags at the carousel. The bags did not arrive. After eventually being told that the bags had been checked through to YVR they then had to go through security to get the flight to YVR. Apparently, the queue for security was about 100 metres long with only two check-points operating. They arrived at their departure gate ten minutes after it had closed.

AA re-booked them on a flight departing the next morning. I do not know why they were not booked onto one of the two flights departing later that night. Anyway, they had to arrange their own accommodation at DFW. They ended up at Hyatt Regency DFW at a cost of US$299. They arrived at YVR this morning and their bags were one of the first onto the carousel. As you can imagine, this was a very stressful start to their holiday.

After all that, my question is this. Are they entitled to any compensation and if so, from whom, and for what? Their travel insurance is with Qantas Travel Insurance but I doubt that this event will be covered.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[trooper]

What did the baggage tags show? SYD-DFW-YVR?

 

[oz_mark]

Normally, they would need to recheck baggage, but DFW is an oddity with checking through on international connections. I guess the agent didn't realise.

 

[froggerADL]

What did the baggage tags show? SYD-DFW-YVR?

I don't know, but I doubt that they looked at the actual tags. They just accepted the advice from the Qantas agent in ADL. They are by no means frequent flyers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't know, but I doubt that they looked at the actual tags. They just accepted the advice from the Qantas agent in ADL. They are by no means frequent flyers.

The most important thing is that they will make the cruise! They could maybe check with their travel insurance if it will cover them for travel disruption. Their TI will advise if it’s possible to claim, and under which category. Could also write to Qantas, but that might take a bit of time. I think airlines can trace who completed check-in.

Normally, they would need to recheck baggage, but DFW is an oddity with checking through on international connections. I guess the agent didn't realise.

I didn’t know that either! Good to know!

 

[bam71]

A “Devolpment Opportunity” for the check in staff at ADL.

 

[Himeno]

Normally, they would need to recheck baggage, but DFW is an oddity with checking through on international connections. I guess the agent didn't realise.

I thought the only place that did that was IAH.

 

[snabbu]

Normally, they would need to recheck baggage, but DFW is an oddity with checking through on international connections. I guess the agent didn't realise.

Recently I flew SYD-DFW-LHR-xx_ and at check in at SYD the agent told me to collect my luggage at xx_. I questioned this as I've always had to collect bags at the first port of entry to US then drop them at the bag drop. Admittedly though I've always had domestic connections.

Agent was right, apparently only via DFW (with an international connection, and maybe IAH also as @Himeno states above) your luggage is fully checked through.

 

[dajop]

What did the baggage tags show? SYD-DFW-YVR?

Don’t bag tags show final destination even in cases where you do have to collect and drop off again after clearing customs?

 

[Himeno]

It appears that international to international baggage transfer started as a limited trial for selected flights in 2017, before expanding to all AA flights and now all international to international connections. Only at selected airports.

 

[jrfsp]

Don’t bag tags show final destination even in cases where you do have to collect and drop off again after clearing customs?

Correct

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2024

Normally, they would need to recheck baggage, but DFW is an oddity with checking through on international connections. I guess the agent didn't realise.

Never knew anywhere in the US did that

 

[Himeno]

Correct

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2024

Never knew anywhere in the US did that

It happened at some ports on a limit basis for selected flights or selected airlines. The old NZ AKL-LAX-LHR flights had pax continuing onward on the same flight not having to go though CBP at all and waited in a secure room until the flight re-boarded.
The CX HKG-YVR-JFK flight had people continuing through to JFK wait in a secure room and go through US TSA screening and reboard before pax joining in YVR.

A number of the Canadian preclearance ports have baggage drop at check in, then CBP views the bags on a screen while doing the immigration check and can pull the bags for screening before they are loaded on the aircraft.

 

[SeatBackForward]

They could maybe check with their travel insurance if it will cover them for travel disruption. Their TI will advise if it’s possible to claim, and under which category. Could also write to Qantas, but that might take a bit of time. I think airlines can trace who completed check-in.

This one would be really hard to prove I suspect. If the bags were tagged all the way through, then QF will claim they were not the cause, and it will appear as if the passengers were just late through security. the TSA publishes wait times at airport security, is it possible to retrieve this information historically?

 

[madrooster]

Agent was right, apparently only via DFW (with an international connection, and maybe IAH also as @Himeno states above) your luggage is fully checked through.

There was a reason why you were sent deliberately via DFW

 

[Mwenenzi]

QF Dallas (Fort Worth) international airport

<snip>
Baggage
Passengers with checked baggage can retrieve their baggage inside the US Customs area in Terminal D. Information monitors display the actual baggage carousel used.

Passengers connecting in Dallas (Fort Worth) with direct international service, no longer have to claim their baggage through US Customs and Border Protection. You can simply claim your baggage at your final destination once passport control has been cleared.

International-To-International (ITI) baggage transfer service is available at Dallas (Fort Worth) between American Airlines (AA) and Qantas (QF) for all connecting passengers from Australia to AA without the need to clear their bags through US Customs in Dallas (Fort Worth) when transferring to a direct international destination (eg. Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, UK, Spain, France, etc.). ITI is also applicable from AA international flights connecting through Dallas (Fort Worth) to QF to Sydney.
<snip>

For ADL to YVR Canada I would not have chosen to route via USA. Are other options (routes - airline), but may have cost more.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This one would be really hard to prove I suspect. If the bags were tagged all the way through, then QF will claim they were not the cause, and it will appear as if the passengers were just late through security. the TSA publishes wait times at airport security, is it possible to retrieve this information historically?

Yes, but insurance isn’t always conditional on ‘no fault’. The pax didn’t deliberately or negligently miss their onward flight. They weren’t sitting in a bar drinking. Insurance can cover mistakes or errors by the traveller.

Worth a try. The passengers will have their new boarding pass. And an explanation as to why they were late - even a stat dec - may be enough to make a claim.

 

[Kerrodt]

Regarding their potential insurance claim - what is the actual financial loss here? A USD299 hotel bill? Is there anything else?

If it is only that much then it might be hardly worth a claim if there is an excess involved.

(There is obviously the stress, but insurance policies typically don’t cover that).

It might be worth a nicely worded email to Qantas to advise them of the incorrect advice received at checkin and suggest a bit of staff retraining.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Regarding their potential insurance claim - what is the actual financial loss here? A USD299 hotel bill? Is there anything else?

If it is only that much then it might be hardly worth a claim if there is an excess involved.

(There is obviously the stress, but insurance policies typically don’t cover that).

It might be worth a nicely worded email to Qantas to advise them of the incorrect advice received at checkin and suggest a bit of staff retraining.

AUD439, less any excess… if an excess is applicable. Some sections under travel delay don’t incur excesses.

If the original hotel cost was higher than the replacement, there might ba a claim there, too. As well as any additional meals or expenses which might have been incurred.

 

[justinbrett]

What did the cabin crew say before disembarkation? They usually give instructions.

 

[froggerADL]

QF Dallas (Fort Worth) international airport

For ADL to YVR Canada I would not have chosen to route via USA. Are other options (routes - airline), but may have cost more.

You don't get to choose your route or airline with TripADeal.