Seperate VA and UA bookings

[Phoenix-1]

I have a VA Y ADL-MEL booking (arrives 9.05am) and a separate UA J MEL-SFO (departs 13:00) booking (both award seats) on the same day. Is it possible to link these two flights? I'd hate to miss the MEL-SFO flight due to some delay. I could also rock up earlier and try to get on an earlier flight.

 

[HS-TQE]

I have a VA Y ADL-MEL booking (arrives 9.05am) and a separate UA J MEL-SFO (departs 13:00) booking (both award seats) on the same day. Is it possible to link these two flights? I'd hate to miss the MEL-SFO flight due to some delay. I could also rock up earlier and try to get on an earlier flight.

Assuming your first carrier is with VA, VA generally doesn't do interline on separate bookings.

It won't hurt to ask, but it's unlikely the person at the VA desks will link it, meaning you should also prepare to collect your bags in MEL and re-check in at the UA desk.

 

[bcworld]

I have a VA Y ADL-MEL booking (arrives 9.05am) and a separate UA J MEL-SFO (departs 13:00) booking (both award seats) on the same day. Is it possible to link these two flights? I'd hate to miss the MEL-SFO flight due to some delay. I could also rock up earlier and try to get on an earlier flight.

Even if you 'link' the bookings...its basically just a comment in the booking...it doesn't offer any protection against delays / cancellations. You'd still have two ticket numbers for this.

 

[bullerdude]

Pretty sure you won’t be able to link the booking as they are seperate tickets, especially if not both booked via VA. You need to book a connecting flight on a single itinerary to be afforded the protection against delays etc.

You might be able to interline the bags given VA and UA are partners, but it may come down to the checkin agent on the day, hence no guarantee.

 

[HS-TQE]

Pretty sure you won’t be able to link the booking as they are seperate tickets, especially if not both booked via VA. You need to book a connecting flight on a single itinerary to be afforded the protection against delays etc.

You might be able to interline the bags given VA and UA are partners, but it may come down to the checkin agent on the day, hence no guarantee.

General policy reported on this forum previously and most recently is if the first carrier is VA is that VA "don't" interline baggage if on separate tickets.

Likely they will need to collect their bags in MEL at VA domestic baggage collection and re-check the bags in at the UA desks at the MEL International Terminal.

 

[Phoenix-1]

Thanks for the information everyone