Connecting from QF to AA in LAX on separate tickets - through check experiences?

[ontheaisle]

I am flying into LAX on QF11 and then on to SAN with AA about four hours later. I purchased the tickets separately because it was a lot cheaper than booking through with Qantas and needed some flexibility on the return leg to LAX.

My understanding is that, theoretically, under the OneWorld rules/policies I should be able to through check myself and my baggage from SYD to SAN even though I have separate tickets. I'm aware I'll have to collect my luggage in LAX and take it to the luggage transit point for my onward domestic flight after clearing immigration. I also assume I'll have to collect my boarding pass at LAX since I don't think Qantas in Sydney will be able to issue it.

Has anyone had experience with a similar situation? Did it all work out like it should? Should I be contacting Qantas beforehand to link the AA flight to my QF flight (if that's even possible)?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on the topic

 

[UP4014]

4 hours should be enough, but i have missed connections there with longer time. If QF11 doesn't leave on time, well you could be struggling.

But if it does you should make it easy in 4 hours.

Matt

 

[moa999]

Should be no problems and they should be able to print tags and bps in SYD..
Ensure you have both AA PNR and ticket number

 

[serfty]

Being a QF to *O connection, Qantas will through check your luggage.

Also, AA have a documented policy of protecting PAX *O->AA should you misconnect - even on separate tickets.

 

[russ]

Has anyone had experience with a similar situation? Did it all work out like it should? Should I be contacting Qantas beforehand to link the AA flight to my QF flight (if that's even possible)?

I do it regularly. When you check in at SYD, tell the QF agent your AA flight details and they will tag yours bags right though to SAN and give you boarding passes through to SAN. As you stated, you'll have to pick up and drop off your bags at LAX.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Has anyone had experience with a similar situation? Did it all work out like it should? Should I be contacting Qantas beforehand to link the AA flight to my QF flight (if that's even possible)?

Last month we had separate tickets BNE/LAX/BNE on QF booked back in July through Expedia when they (and other OTA's) had an attractive fare.

We'd booked a separate ticket LAX/MIA for USD119.00 pp via the US AA.com site which was the bare bones zero inclusions fare. We just showed our AA eticket itinerary receipt to the QF CSA who added the AA flight so our bags were tagged to MIA plus we received both our BNE/LAX and LAX/MIA boarding passes.

Don't bother calling up res ahead of time because even if they do add the AA flight LAX/SAN into the pnr as an information segment, it won't be visible in the checkin system anyway so will still need to be added in SYD when you checkin for QF11. Even if you hold no frequent flyer status or are NB your QF baggage allowance of two pieces will carry through to the AA flight to SAN.

 

[ontheaisle]

Thanks for all the feedback! Glad to know it should be a fairly straightforward process... *fingers crossed*