Baggage Allowance on AS "Connection"

[BriarFlyer]

A friend booked a QF Business award SYD-SFO in the recent drop of award seats. She's now decided to add an ongoing flight with AS, which necessitates an overnight stop in SFO. She called to add the flight to her existing ticket and was told that the baggage allowance from her QF J flight wouldn't carry over to the AS flight because of the overnight stop and re-check the next day. Is this correct?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

A friend booked a QF Business award SYD-SFO in the recent drop of award seats. She's now decided to add an ongoing flight with AS, which necessitates an overnight stop in SFO. She called to add the flight to her existing ticket and was told that the baggage allowance from her QF J flight wouldn't carry over to the AS flight because of the overnight stop and re-check the next day. Is this correct?

If this is a connection (i.e. the next flight takes off less than 24 hours after arrival into SFO) and the next flight isn't a separate trip in the itinerary, then IATA most significant carrier rules apply which state that the baggage rule of the first carrier which crosses an IATA zone (i.e. Asia to the Americas) applies to the entire itinerary.

-RooFlyer88

 

[MELso]

Also of relevance: https://help.qantas.com/support/s/article/Baggage-with-connecting-flights

 

[BriarFlyer]

Same ticket and less than 24 hours between flights, so she should be right with her 2 x checked bags allowance. Thanks for your help, @kangarooflyer88 and @MELso .

 

[Danger]

If this is a connection (i.e. the next flight takes off less than 24 hours after arrival into SFO) and the next flight isn't a separate trip in the itinerary, then IATA most significant carrier rules apply which state that the baggage rule of the first carrier which crosses an IATA zone (i.e. Asia to the Americas) applies to the entire itinerary.

-RooFlyer88

It's my understanding that carriers must choose to adhere to the MSC rules, it's not automatic. As far as I can tell, AS explicitly states only that MSC applies to Canadian itineraries.

A few weeks ago, I enquired with AS about the baggage allowance on a single journey PDX-SFO with AS Y, connecting to SFO-HKG with CX in J for a passenger with no oneworld status. Nicola in Seattle told me there'd no free bags; the passenger would have to pay to check even one. Murianne in Phoenix told me it would be the Qantas baggage allowance because the ticket was on Qantas stock. Reza in Phoenix told me it would be the CX allowance. Certainly Murianne is wrong and I suspect Nicola is too. The point is, though, it doesn't appear to be as cut and dry as 'MSC applies'.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It's my understanding that carriers must choose to adhere to the MSC rules, it's not automatic. As far as I can tell, AS explicitly states only that MSC applies to Canadian itineraries.

If the carrier chooses not to follow the rules, that must be explicitly stated on the ticket though. It is assumed MSC applies unless and until the carrier explicitly tells you otherwise.

A few weeks ago, I enquired with AS about the baggage allowance on a single journey PDX-SFO with AS Y, connecting to SFO-HKG with CX in J for a passenger with no oneworld status. Nicola in Seattle told me there'd no free bags; the passenger would have to pay to check even one. Murianne in Phoenix told me it would be the Qantas baggage allowance because the ticket was on Qantas stock. Reza in Phoenix told me it would be the CX allowance. Certainly Murianne is wrong and I suspect Nicola is too. The point is, though, it doesn't appear to be as cut and dry as 'MSC applies'.

Baggage allowance can be... complicated. There's a lot of moving parts. Part of it comes down to the most significant carrier rule as I stated earlier for international itineraries. Another consideration is what flight number is tied to what segment. For instance if the Alaska flight has a Qantas flight number applied, Qantas baggage rules apply and I think on all Qantas flights at least one bag is allowed (even on the cheapest red e-deal). Then of course the fare class you are booked into makes a difference too. For instance, if this is booked as a classic award on Qantas, what does that correspond to for baggage allowance? On some frequent flyer programs that corresponds to a regular economy fare that gives you a free bag, on others not so much. That's one of the reasons why I have FF status since I'm always guaranteed to have at least one free bag.

-RooFlyer88