Checking Baggage Through Different Reservation Numbers

[Tazza_0712]

Hi everyone,

I have booked a flight with VA to LAX from Sydney in August. Once there, I have a connecting flight to SFO the same morning, that I booked with Velocity Points via VA's website on Delta.

The reservation numbers for Syd to LAX and LAX to SFO are not the same.

Does anyone know whether in Sydney I will be able to check my bags through to SFO and obtain my boarding pass for the Delta flight?

A few years ago, I travelled to Vancouver on VA to LAX and Alaskan to YVR and in Sydney I received my boarding pass for the Alaskan flight and had my baggage checked through - I had to collect it from the carousel but then was able to hand it off after collecting it and head straight to my next flight's boarding gate.

Have done a bit of searching but wasn't able to find the info for this particular scenario, so decided to see if anyone here would know.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[codash1099]

Not sure whether this helps, but I had the same situation with QF and AA. I simply showed QF in Sydney the onward booking eticket and they checked the bags through to SFO.

Remember that QF and AA are both with Oneworld. Whether the same thing will work with VA's pseudo alliance you will need to check.

 

[jneufeld]

The unfortunate rule of thumb with VA is if it's not on the same ticket they will not through check baggage. This is the same for a SYD-LAX-SFO as it is for a SYD-CBR-MEL, they just won't do it.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The unfortunate rule of thumb with VA is if it's not on the same ticket they will not through check baggage. This is the same for a SYD-LAX-SFO as it is for a SYD-CBR-MEL, they just won't do it.

Sounds like the rule Air NZ now follow.

 

[Tazza_0712]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It doesn't sound like it's doable but I'll see what happens when I'm at the airport and try to remember to update this thread in case anyone wants to know.

 

[codash1099]

The perils of VA not being in a proper alliance.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It doesn't sound like it's doable but I'll see what happens when I'm at the airport and try to remember to update this thread in case anyone wants to know.

I would prepare yourself for bags only being tagged as far as LAX so after clearing customs on arrival you will need to take your luggage with you to T5 and checkin again with DL. Once you exit the TBIT (situated between T3 & T4) turn right then it's only a short walk down to T5.

At TBIT outside the customs area there are checkin counters however I've never seen any staff on duty there around 0700. Your VA flight may be arriving later so it's possible there may be checkin staff on duty, if not refer to above paragraph.

The problem with bags checked only as far as LAX is that DL will want to charge you for checked baggage. You could leave your VA bag tag on showing that you've just arrived into LAX on an international flight and see if DL will cut you some slack but I suspect not.

You can select your DL seats ahead of time and maybe even OLCI before you depart Australia to make the bag drop off process easier at T5.

 

[Tazza_0712]

I would prepare yourself for bags only being tagged as far as LAX so after clearing customs on arrival you will need to take your luggage with you to T5 and checkin again with DL. Once you exit the TBIT (situated between T3 & T4) turn right then it's only a short walk down to T5.

At TBIT outside the customs area there are checkin counters however I've never seen any staff on duty there around 0700. Your VA flight may be arriving later so it's possible there may be checkin staff on duty, if not refer to above paragraph.

The problem with bags checked only as far as LAX is that DL will want to charge you for checked baggage. You could leave your VA bag tag on showing that you've just arrived into LAX on an international flight and see if DL will cut you some slack but I suspect not.

You can select your DL seats ahead of time and maybe even OLCI before you depart Australia to make the bag drop off process easier at T5.

Thanks so much for your detailed reply. I'm pretty much certain based on feedback that I'll have to re check my bags for the SFO flight so I appreciate your info regarding where to go from TBIT so we don't wander around lost - wouldn't be the first time I've done that at LAX!

I managed to use my velocity points for first class on Delta for all of my inter US flights to pretty much alleviate any potential issues with baggage, as my partner and I will be travelling from SFO to Anchorage for an Alaskan cruise, then from Vancouver to Buffalo Niagara, then on to NYC and finally to Vegas before landing in LAX for the flight back home, so we'll be packing for both the cold and the heat and for the shopping I'm sure we'll pick up along the way! Didn't want to deal with the additional baggage fees and associated hassles. Unfortunately we won't hit Velocity Gold until we return to Sydney so we won't have Sky Club access along the way. As a side note, I find it strange that US airlines don't include lounge access with their business/first class tickets!

Thanks once again for your help.

 

[VRC]

My experience 5 weeks ago in MEL with VA was excellent. Had a VA reward booking MEL - BNE - LAX in business and had a paid Delta booking 4 hours after arrival LAX - SFO. Asked at MEL checkin if they could through check bags and all good, I just provide a printout of my Delta booking, SFO and flight number added to bag tag, just had to do the bag drop at TBIT. Also received Delta boarding passes. Saved me paying for checked luggage in LAX

 

[Tazza_0712]

My experience 5 weeks ago in MEL with VA was excellent. Had a VA reward booking MEL - BNE - LAX in business and had a paid Delta booking 4 hours after arrival LAX - SFO. Asked at MEL checkin if they could through check bags and all good, I just provide a printout of my Delta booking, SFO and flight number added to bag tag, just had to do the bag drop at TBIT. Also received Delta boarding passes. Saved me paying for checked luggage in LAX

Terrific. Thanks for posting. I'll definitely ask when I check in at Sydney airport. It'll be a help if it can be done but won't be the end of the world if not. Thanks again.

 

[Tazza_0712]

Hi everyone.
Currently in San Francisco. Just wanted to come back and let you know that the check in agent in Sydney was able to tag my bags straight through to SFO and also printed my boarding passes for the next flight segment. It all worked brilliantly and helped the relaxation factor (if you can call it that) when transiting through LAX this morning.

As an aside, VA International business class continues to impress with both service and food and the new product coming later this year will surely place them at the very top end of the transpacific business class experience. The crew were exceptional and Row 5 was as brilliantly private as I had read. Terrific!