Connecting flights on separate PNRs

[clarmich]

I'm travelling on Thursday to Sydney connecting to Port Macquarie. They were booked on separate PNRs as MEL-SYD is a reward redemption, SYD-PQQ a paid fare.

I have more than two hours in Sydney. - enough time to retrieve baggage and re-check but I wonder whether through-checking luggage is possible now with the move to Sabre?

Can anyone advise??

 

[notzac]

In theory, should be possible. In practice ... perhaps you could report back?

 

[clarmich]

Will definitely report back. Any advances on my question AFFers?

 

[eastwest101]

Will definitely report back. Any advances on my question AFFers?

All I can suggest is that you get to the airport a little bit earlier than usual at MEL (if possible), and if you are a Velocity Gold or are flying VA J class from MEL-SYD then try doing it at Business/Priority check-in counters at Melbourne, I would not do online checkin and i would not use the kiosk auto checkins. And yes - please report back if they can/will do it or not. I would also be interested. thanks.

 

[clarmich]

Thanks eastwest101. I'm a Platinum flying MEL-SYD in J (my 3 year old needs the legroom) so I'll give it a go at priority check-in.

 

[clarmich]

Any other comments - my flight is Thursday and I'd like to know what my chances of connecting baggage are...thanks!

 

[serfty]

As others have said (and a little more) - get there early, approach the premium counters, pleasantly brandish printouts of both e-tickets and request luggage be through checked.

 

[clarmich]

Thanks serfty. Will give it a go and report back!

 

[totd]

I just got back from 10 days in NZ. The flight over was ABX-SYD-AKL. When I checked in the gate agent at ABX told me that she could have checked the bags through if the flights were on a single PNR, but as it was I was on my own. She also suggested calling the GCC to get the PNRs sorted out. I did call the GCC just for a giggle and they said that there was no way to put the two separate bookings onto a single PNR.

When I got back I was expecting to go through the same pain, but was pleasantly surprised when I cleared customs and headed into the Virgin domestic transfers area. There were only 6 people in PE, combined with express path cards, priority bags & being pretty much the only flight arriving at 9:50... We walked into a deserted domestic transfers area. It was so deserted that neither of the angels were logged in (apparently the checkin computers log off if they're not used for a certain length of time. Despite clearly having two separate bookings, they just checked the bags through and gave us both bus passes. The only pain I really had was getting through domestic security. It's amazing how quickly you get used to going down the priority line all the time. (before anyone says it, yes I know there is a kerb-side entry... I completely forgot about it. Live and learn.)

FWIW ABX-SYD is only on SkyWest ATR-72s (all economy), but I was on NZ107 in J and PE return on VA51

 

[clarmich]

So the answer in my experience is NO. I asked nicely at check-in yesterday morning. No dice. Will try out of PQQ on the return on Sunday. If I can great, if I can't no matter. It gives the boy (3yo) and I something to do during our transit in SYD!