Through checking on separate itineraries: policies and experiences

[exceladdict]

Va-Va on separate PNRs: absolutely not

Ugh, that is actually the worst. Airlines refusing to cooperate with themselves...

 

[Danger]

A Qantas phone agent in Auckland just told me bags are not through checked from QF to EK on separate tickets. This is wrong, yes?

 

[Mattg]

A Qantas phone agent in Auckland just told me bags are not through checked from QF to EK on separate tickets. This is wrong, yes?

Unless Qantas has updated their policy (again) since September last year, I believe you are correct.

 

[Danger]

Unless Qantas has updated their policy (again) since September last year, I believe you are correct.

Thanks for that. It looks like it comes from a PDF. Do you know where that is online?

A second agent (in Hobart) and an online chat agent now have also told me no through check.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks for that. It looks like it comes from a PDF. Do you know where that is online?

A second agent (in Hobart) and an online chat agent now have also told me no through check.

I'm not sure, sorry. It's from an internal QF document that was sent to me a while ago. I'm not sure where it came from exactly or whether it's still current.

 

[Happy Trails]

Thanks for that. It looks like it comes from a PDF. Do you know where that is online?

A second agent (in Hobart) and an online chat agent now have also told me no through check.

Try this.
Interline and Through Checked Baggage

 

[Danger]

Try this.
Interline and Through Checked Baggage

Thanks for that. It helps but I don't think it applies to my situation.

It says "If the customers flights are all held in the same booking and are ticketed on Qantas or Qantas/Emirates and/or a oneworld airline, the baggage will be transferred between the flights and the customer will receive a boarding pass at check in for their onward flights". And then "If the customers flights are all held in the same booking and the first flight is Qantas and the other flights are not Qantas, Emirates or a oneworld airline, baggage transfer onto the next flight depends on whether a specific agreement exists between Qantas and that airline. The customer will be advised by Qantas staff at check-in".

But I'm flying QF and connecting to EK on a separate ticket (and separate PNR).

The table on the page doesn't specify whether it applies to bookings on separate tickets. Or is it not possible to have a separate PNR but with the same ticket number?

 

[Danger]

After a 26 minute phone call to QF last night, I had success. At the start the agent - once again - told me no through check. I referred him to the agents page linked above and he put me on hold to speak with a supervisor. It was a long hold. Twice, in fact. But eventually he came back saying yes, through check.

The fact four QF agents (three at the "Premium" line) told me no is just absurd and really beggars belief. Notwithstanding that, I'm always impressed with the helpfulness of the QF staff.

 

[basso]

What an odd table. They won't give a boarding pass if the separate ticket is a OneWorld carrier, but will if it is not a OneWorld carrier.

Or does that last line have its Yes and No indications mixed up?

 

[andye]

We were able to through-check MH (via CX award) to MH (revenue), SYD-KUL-TGG in March. Only thing was the luggage ended up delayed 30h

 

[dairyfloss]

We were able to through-check MH (via CX award) to MH (revenue), SYD-KUL-TGG in March. Only thing was the luggage ended up delayed 30h

Ouch - not good on the delay, but good that MH are happily continuing to through check onto any OW booking/ticket, separate or otherwise. I've done it a few times since the shake up.

 

[Danger]

What an odd table. They won't give a boarding pass if the separate ticket is a OneWorld carrier, but will if it is not a OneWorld carrier.

Or does that last line have its Yes and No indications mixed up?

Oh no. Nothing wrong with the table. It's the notsooneworld policy that was introduced last year. Pathetic.

We were able to through-check MH (via CX award) to MH (revenue), SYD-KUL-TGG in March. Only thing was the luggage ended up delayed 30h

As dairyfloss notes, it's still one world with MH (and CX, too).

 

[JohnK]

A Qantas phone agent in Auckland just told me bags are not through checked from QF to EK on separate tickets. This is wrong, yes?

My experiences earlier this month were different

- separate itineraries for SYD-HKG on QF followed by HKG-BKK on EK and bags checked through in SYD
- separate itineraries for BKK-HKG on EK followed by HKG-SYD on QF and bags checked through in BKK

Have a paid QF flight SYD-BNE on Sunday followed by Qantas award on EK and 3K. Will be interesting to see if they check bags through in SYD otherwise need to collect in BNE and check in again. Not a big dea.

 

[wannabaff]

I am travelling QF Melbourne-Sydney-Bangkok & then Bangkok Airways to Chiang Mai. I ended up having to book the Bangkok-Chiang Mai leg direct with Bangkok Airways rather than through Qantas. Does anyone know whether my bags (travelling with golf clubs) can get checked through from Melbourne to Chiang Mai without having to collect bags at Bangkok, go through immigration/customs again etc etc? Thanks K

 

[dairyfloss]

I am travelling QF Melbourne-Sydney-Bangkok & then Bangkok Airways to Chiang Mai. I ended up having to book the Bangkok-Chiang Mai leg direct with Bangkok Airways rather than through Qantas. Does anyone know whether my bags (travelling with golf clubs) can get checked through from Melbourne to Chiang Mai without having to collect bags at Bangkok, go through immigration/customs again etc etc? Thanks K

No chance, sorry - Qantas don't even tag through on oneworld partners with seperate bookings, unless either of the bookings is an award (non-revenue) booking. You'd need to clear immigration and customs in Bangkok anyway, so at least it's only (?!) the additional step of collecting bags and rechecking BKK-CNX.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[merc250]

I am travelling QF Melbourne-Sydney-Bangkok & then Bangkok Airways to Chiang Mai. I ended up having to book the Bangkok-Chiang Mai leg direct with Bangkok Airways rather than through Qantas. Does anyone know whether my bags (travelling with golf clubs) can get checked through from Melbourne to Chiang Mai without having to collect bags at Bangkok, go through immigration/customs again etc etc? Thanks K

I concur with dairyfloss. Done this identical run often & there's no way they'll through check onto Bangkok Airways. So for you it's immigration, baggage collection, oversize luggage collection (golf clubs), clear customs & then dash upstairs to the departure level to check in for Bangkok Airways. You'll then be a domestic passenger.

 

[wannabaff]

I concur with dairyfloss. Done this identical run often & there's no way they'll through check onto Bangkok Airways. So for you it's immigration, baggage collection, oversize luggage collection (golf clubs), clear customs & then dash upstairs to the departure level to check in for Bangkok Airways. You'll then be a domestic passenger.

Thank you both ... I feared as much Luckily I've got a few hours

 

[ozbeachbabe]

For those times when you do have the PG sector in the same booking, isn't CNX one of those 8 cities in Thailand where you can clear customs on arrival thus remaining in transit in BKK?

 

[merc250]

For those times when you do have the PG sector in the same booking, isn't CNX one of those 8 cities in Thailand where you can clear customs on arrival thus remaining in transit in BKK?

Yes, if you're able to through check your baggage all the way to Chiang Mai & have a Bangkok - Chiang Mai boarding pass (you can get a boarding pass near the CIQ area), then in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, you don't go through the normal, immigration area. You look for the 'CIQ' (no idea what it stands for) area, which is signed for transfers to Chiang Mai, coughet, Samui etc. You clear immigration here & are given a blue CIQ sticker to wear. You then pass security & take a short cut into the domestic departures area. You then board your domestic flight etc as normal.

On arrival, identified by the blue CIQ sticker you're wearing, you're directed away from the domestic baggage hall to the international baggage collection hall. Collect your bags & clear international customs. Note that CM customs are usually quite diligent & most bags are x-rayed prior to exiting. If you're being met on arrival, it's important for you to tell them you'll be arriving in the international terminal - or you could miss your ride!

 

[JohnK]

Thank you both ... I feared as much Luckily I've got a few hours

I usually leave 3-4 hours for this type of connection and as QF flight arrives late afternoon not many PG flights left.

If PG flight on the same ticket it's possible to make 7:00pm flight if QF23 on time as you're going through transit security.