Just how inadvisable is it to connect on different ticket numbers?

[dfcatch]

I'm struggling with the same dilemma.

I have an outbound QF74 SFO-SYD departing at 11pm.

I need to connect from YYZ on Air Canada (direct flight) arriving at 20:20 (if on time).

I hate separate PNR's, because I would otherwise be comfortable with a 2 hour 40 min connection time.

By plan B is to go via Calgary for 1hr 30min and end up having 5hr 15min up my sleeve in SFO.

hmmmm.....

 

[docjames]

I think it also depends on the airlines / combos. The airport plays a factor as well.

Same airline, 2 tickets? Happy with MCT.

Different airlines, but same "alliance" eg QF to AA (OW, *A etc)? MCT + very small extra (say +30mins)

Non-alliance, different airlines? I'd personally want a large buffer in the hope if it falls apart the second carrier may be more reasonable when "proving" how careful you were to avoid it. Probably looking at ~5hrs.

Low cost to low cost? Probably wouldnt do it at all if possible, but if necessary, would want 24hrs.

Low cost to full service? Again a reasonable buffer as above, prob ~ 5hrs.

SIN, HKG? Shorter.
LAX, LHR? Longer.

So really, each combo is very variable and you have to make a judgement, as well as how big a problem it will create if you miss connect (both cost and inconvenience wise).

FWIW I did 2.5hr in LAX a couple of weeks ago, with separate ticketed QF BNE-LAX and AA LAX-JFK.

QF 16 was late outbound, and I missed AA2. QF rebooked me onto AA4. I took the risk based on the 2 operating carriers and the likelihood I would be looked after. Backup plan was buynew ticket and claim travel insurance, and in the knowlege that whilst bad, if I was a day later to NYC it would not be a catastrophic disaster for me.

 

[PineappleSkip]

My one such experience in HKG worked pretty well. Booked 2 itineraries BA (award) CDG-LHR-HKG connecting onto PX HKG-POM. 5 hour connect time. CDG people wouldn't check bags thru at HKG. Check in for PX opened 2 1/2 hrs prior dep. which kinda stuffed the idea of getting the train to Kowloon and meant the five hour layover was unnecessary. At the transfer desk on arrival they said come back when the PX flight opened, on return they completed a form to retrieve the bags from unclaimed luggage and tag them to POM. They arrived OK which amazed us.

Couldn't imagine LHR managing something like this!

The transfer desk at HKG is part way along the wing which is pretty central. Took maybe 12 minutes to walk to the outbound flight near the end of the wing. Longer to get from inbound flight as its on another level and you have to go through a security check on the way and get a lift; we also found it hard to find, wasn't very well signposted.

Incidentally the lady next to us at the transfer desk was very cross at being hit for excess baggage - her 22 kg was under the QF limit but over the 20kg limit for her next sector. They were polite but insistent; no pay, no board

cheers skip

 

[flychrisfly]

I thought it was possible to connect different tickets so they are logically linked. I'm certain if the different tickets are for the same airline they can easily link them, and you'd hope that this would also be possible across the airlines in an alliance. Not sure about completely independent airlines though.

Aren't tickets effectively linked when your bags are checked "all the way through" even across multiple airlines?

Maybe an industry professional might know...

 

[NM]

I thought it was possible to connect different tickets so they are logically linked. I'm certain if the different tickets are for the same airline they can easily link them, and you'd hope that this would also be possible across the airlines in an alliance. Not sure about completely independent airlines though.

Aren't tickets effectively linked when your bags are checked "all the way through" even across multiple airlines?

Maybe an industry professional might know...

logical "linking" of tickets is just that - logical. The process involves the adjacent flights appearing as "information" segments in each itinerary. The two itineraries remain separate.

While this "linking" can be helpful and lets the airlines know that you have other connecting flights, it does not in any way change the terms and conditions of the individual tickets and does not in any way impose a requirement for airlines to protect you if you mis-connect between tickets.

 

[davidj-bell]

FWIW I did 2.5hr in LAX a couple of weeks ago, with separate ticketed QF BNE-LAX and AA LAX-JFK.

QF 16 was late outbound, and I missed AA2. QF rebooked me onto AA4. I took the risk based on the 2 operating carriers and the likelihood I would be looked after. Backup plan was buynew ticket and claim travel insurance, and in the knowlege that whilst bad, if I was a day later to NYC it would not be a catastrophic disaster for me.

Did QF rebook you or AA? If it was QF, how did you get them to rebook? Or did you book it through QF?

 

[docjames]

Did QF rebook you or AA? If it was QF, how did you get them to rebook? Or did you book it through QF?

QF rebooked me whilst I was onboard QF15 so upon arrival at LAX I checked with a QF rep who advised me of the new flight details. There were plenty of others in the same situation.

It was a little more complicated as I had been kindly upgraded on AA2 and looked like I would lose the upgrade! It took some convincing, but when I rechecked the bags with AA the agent kindly agreed to transfer the UG to the new flight.

 

[davidj-bell]

QF rebooked me whilst I was onboard QF15 so upon arrival at LAX I checked with a QF rep who advised me of the new flight details. There were plenty of others in the same situation.

It was a little more complicated as I had been kindly upgraded on AA2 and looked like I would lose the upgrade! It took some convincing, but when I rechecked the bags with AA the agent kindly agreed to transfer the UG to the new flight.

As they were separate tickets, did you "link" them together? I'm just curious how QF knew about the AA flight, as I've got a few flights coming up on separate tickets (thankfully the same airline), so this is more than just academic interest.

 

[docjames]

As they were separate tickets, did you "link" them together? I'm just curious how QF knew about the AA flight, as I've got a few flights coming up on separate tickets (thankfully the same airline), so this is more than just academic interest.

Done through a TA so whilst not technically "linked" as that would imply full protection (and need to be booked as a through ticket), the bookings are "linked" so that each airline can see the onward/preceeding travel.

In QFF "My bookings" the AA flights would show when opening the 6 digit ref number for the QF flight list, although technically AA have their own (5 digit) booking number.

Any TA should be able to do it, but if doing it yourself, probably worth calling each ailine to ask them to note ("link") the connection.

Sorry, that's the best I can explain it as my TA does it routinely for me.

 

[davidj-bell]

Done through a TA so whilst not technically "linked" as that would imply full protection (and need to be booked as a through ticket), the bookings are "linked" so that each airline can see the onward/preceeding travel.

In QFF "My bookings" the AA flights would show when opening the 6 digit ref number for the QF flight list, although technically AA have their own (5 digit) booking number.

Any TA should be able to do it, but if doing it yourself, probably worth calling each ailine to ask them to note ("link") the connection.

Sorry, that's the best I can explain it as my TA does it routinely for me.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[neon_crossing]

Always a good idea to study terminal maps so you know exactly where to b-line to make the connection

 

[jrobin]

...Incidentally the lady next to us at the transfer desk was very cross at being hit for excess baggage - her 22 kg was under the QF limit but over the 20kg limit for her next sector. They were polite but insistent; no pay, no board...

Sounds like that answers my question:

... Mrs. Jrobin is on a RTW itinerary, including HKG-SGN-HKG; she has an allowance of two 23kg. pieces all the way. I also have two 23kg. pieces on the rest of my RTW itinerary..., but just one piece 20kg. for HKG-SGN-HKG because it is a separate QF award itinerary.

Sounds like I have to ask Mrs. Jrobin the non-status passenger nicely if she could work some things into her more generous two larger bag allowance to help out the Oneworld Sapphire member who has only one smaller bag permitted.

Is there any bag storage facility at HKG like at SIN?

 

[kiwitripper64]

There is a very good bag storage facility at HK

Passenger Guide - Arrivals - Baggage Storage - Hong Kong International Airport
Baggage storage

Terminal 1

A secure short-term baggage storage facility is located in the Meeters and Greeters Hall of Terminal 1. It is open from 05:30 in the morning to 01:30 at night, Monday to Sunday.
Storage rates

Type of rateHK$/ PieceHourly$10Daily$120

 

[jrobin]

There is a very good bag storage facility at HK...
Storage rates
...HK$/ Piece...Daily$120

Sounds to me like we should plan on not leaving a bag there for two weeks!:-

As I mentioned, my wife's itinerary is all a QF RTW award, including two CX flights each allowing 2 pieces@23kg.

My very similar itinerary, which is paid RTW also has an allowance on the paid part of 2 pieces@23kg, except for the same two CX flights which are award like hers, but have an allowance of one piece@20kg. because the award and the paid itineraries are separate.

Is there any way to link itineraries for baggage purposes, or to arrange for Cathay Pacific to accept that I too am on a RTW itinerary also and should be given discretion re the baggage allowance? I am just transiting HKG en route to SGN from Australia before stopping in HKG.

 

[jrobin]

...Is there any way to link itineraries for baggage purposes, or to arrange for Cathay Pacific to accept that I too am on a RTW itinerary also and should be given discretion re the baggage allowance?...

I was talking with a CX telephone agent and she said that as long as I can show proof that I was on a RTW itinerary CX would allow me two pieces of luggage on the separate PNR HKG-SGN-HKG. So it seems this potential difficulty of separate PNR's may be overcome.

Has anyone had experience with proving to CX having been en route from North America?

However, while she had my wife's PNR which includes two CX flights, she could not pull up my current PNR even given the QF ticket number. She thought it might be because there are no CX flights on it.

 

[Egg]

Anyone have experience of missing an award flight with them and what the likely outcome will be?

A couple of years ago I missed a CX connection from HKG-CDG on an award ticket, because the flight SYD-HKG on QF was late. CX put us up in a hotel and put us on the morning flight. It was a pain but it didn't cost me anything...

Having read what some of you have said, I too am a little concerned, as I am booked on an award AA flight from JFK-LAX in May 2011 (yeah, i planned ahead) arriving at 20:10 to connect with QF12 LAX-SYD which departs at 22:30. Maybe 2 hours is cutting it a little fine?? I have an award F seat on QF12 and if i miss that, I'll be devo. If i have to pay for a replacement ticket, i'll have a breakdown. It says AA arrives at Terminal 4 and QF departs from Terminal B - are they close?

 

[notzac]

It says AA arrives at Terminal 4 and QF departs from Terminal B - are they close?

Right next to each other

 

[flychrisfly]

Having read what some of you have said, I too am a little concerned, as I am booked on an award AA flight from JFK-LAX in May 2011 (yeah, i planned ahead) arriving at 20:10 to connect with QF12 LAX-SYD which departs at 22:30. Maybe 2 hours is cutting it a little fine?? I have an award F seat on QF12 and if i miss that, I'll be devo. If i have to pay for a replacement ticket, i'll have a breakdown. It says AA arrives at Terminal 4 and QF departs from Terminal B - are they close?

Plus QF12 is often late to depart. You should be fine

 

[harvyk]

Sounds to me like we should plan on not leaving a bag there for two weeks!:-

Two weeks would still be under AU$300. The exchange rate I based my decisions off for HK was AU$1 = HK$6, therefore it's only really AU$20.

 

[straitman]

Two weeks would still be under AU$300. The exchange rate I based my decisions off for HK was AU$1 = HK$6, therefore it's only really AU$20.

The current exchange rate is AU$1 = HK$7.3 so that is even better.