Rewards Seat Booked through QF for Westjet/QF Sectors. Baggage Questions

[eeliechick]

My partner has a ticket from FCO to SYD via YYC & SFO booked on QF Rewards - 1 Ticket
First two sectors are West Jet FCO/YYC & YYC/SFO
Last sector is Qantas SFO/SYD
Its all one long consecutive journey
I have been advised by Westjet that baggage will need to be purchased at the airport which is ok, however does anyone know if that will cover the SFO/SYD sector or whether that auto-includes bags? Just trying to determine how many times we will need to pay for bags on this journey.
Also does anyone know the process on this ticket whether he will need to collect bags or whether they are tagged right through to SYD?

 

[eeliechick]

Thanks and one more question as they are all on one ticket if a connection happens to be missed as there is a lot of collecting and re-checking bags does the airline have the responsibility to get you on a new flight or would you be reliant on travel insurance?

 

[Quickstatus]

Definitely immigration/customs and pickup bags then recheck at SFO.
US pre clearance at YYC

It's confusing in Canada. The procedure may be different depending on the airport IIRC.

YYC yes immigration/customs pick up bags
YVR yes immigration/customs, bags transfer automatically if same airline/one ticket
YYZ no immigration/customs, bags transfer automatically if same airline/ one ticket

(Using info from AC)

You say it's one long consecutive journey. Are there any stopovers in YYC or SFO? For example WS arrives into YYC in the afternoon but departs for SFO the next day?

If you have a stopover you might have to pay x2 for baggage on WS

QF flights will include baggage

Single ticket means your booking is protected - the airlines responsibility to rebook you on flights if problems occur

 

[eeliechick]

Thankyou, that helps around baggage fees. There are no stopovers just transiting we are a little bit worried considering the palava involved however at least we know what is actually involved and fingers crossed there aren't too many long waits in YYC and SFO!

 

[Quickstatus]

What is your transit times in YYC and SFO?

 

[eeliechick]

What is your transit times in YYC and SFO?

YYC 2hrs 20 mins
SFO 1hr 50 mins

 

[Quickstatus]

These are very tight connections.

 

[eeliechick]

These are very tight connections.

Agree I didn't quite realise the process as I thought the flight from Calgary to SFO would be treated as domestic or pre-clearance may have been a thing for the SFO connection. I have read about pre-clearance but it doesn't detail too much about transit pax

 

[Quickstatus]

pre-clearance

Totally forgot

There is US pre clearance at YYC for flights Canada to USA - above edited

Basically you go through Canada immigration then walk over to US immigration before the flight

At SFO you should be able to remain airside as there are airside connectors between T1 and Int T

 

[eeliechick]

Totally forgot

There is US pre clearance at YYC for flights Canada to USA - above edited

Basically you go through Canada immigration then walk over to US immigration before the flight

At SFO you should be able to remain airside as there are airside connectors between T1 and Int T

That sounds a little easier, thanks so much for the advice!

 

[Quickstatus]

Paging @RooFlyer

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm afraid I completed my flying to YYC & to/from USA just aS the airport was finished being redeveloped, and in any case, 2016. so I don't think my experiences would help much.

I never transited Canada, onwards to the USA, so don't know if you have to enter Canada before doing USA pre clearance.

In any event, can you come back and tell us?

Check the YYC website.

On arrival at SFO, you arrive as if a domestic flight, so go straight to international departures. You'll have to clear security ( I'm pretty sure).

 

[henrus]

have been advised by Westjet that baggage will need to be purchased at the airport which is ok, however does anyone know if that will cover the SFO/SYD sector or whether that auto-includes bags?

My suspicion (confirmed by recreating this trip on some random dates in Aug) is that WestJet are the most significant carrier of the trip meaning their luggage allowance of 0 included bags applies across the trip:


Whilst odd that a QF flight wouldn't include luggage this does indeed match QF's documentation:

https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/qac/policies-and-guidelines/interline-baggage-faqs.pdf

WestJet are the first carrier to take you across regions so their policy applies to the entire trip, and their economy fares don't include luggage.
Note that despite flying through the US, the US DoT rules don't apply as stopovers are exempt from Dot baggage rules.

I'd expect that they'll follow the to/from Europe prices meaning CAD $70-82.60 for the first checked bag (up to 23kg):

Service fees

Depending on your fare type and Rewards tier, there may be additional service fees for travel. See fees for baggage, change, cancel, seats, pets, unaccompanied minors and more.

www.westjet.com

Due to the lack of stops this fee should in theory be only collected once in Rome (unless prepaid prior to travel). You should be able to add bags via the westjet website to confirm these fees regadless I'd ask for a recipt in Rome if paid at the airport becuase there shouldn't be a charge elsewhere.

When searching QF74 on it's own you can see it shows the QF luggage allowance instead:

First two sectors are West Jet FCO/YYC & YYC/SFO

Others have already mentioned the lack of airside transit in both YYC and SFO but if travelling on an Australian or European passport they will need to get ESTA's for both Canada and the US.

Process at YYC will look a little like:
Arrival in YYC
Canada passport control (may need ESTA as this is a normal entry into the country)
Collect luggage/customs
Head upstairs to check in again at a WestJet desk (here they'll retag the bag to Sydney and issue boarding passes but you keep the checked bag)
Trip through US passport control and customs (which is done with your luggage in tow)
After clearing US pre clearance you drop luggage on a belt and then into the departure area

Second page of this Air Canada document provides a good job outlining the steps

https://www.aircanada.com/content/dam/aircanada/portal/documents/PDF/en/yyc.pdf

In the US they shouldn't need to go through security again, just head over to the Qantas gate with luggage automatically transferred across.

 

[madrooster]

Others have already mentioned the lack of airside transit in both YYC and SFO but if travelling on an Australian or European passport they will need to get ESTA's for both Canada and the US.

Process at YYC will look a little like:
Arrival in YYC
Canada passport control (may need ESTA as this is a normal entry into the country)
Collect luggage/customs
Head upstairs to check in again at a WestJet desk (here they'll retag the bag to Sydney and issue boarding passes but you keep the checked bag)
Trip through US passport control and customs (which is done with your luggage in tow)
After clearing US pre clearance you drop luggage on a belt and then into the departure area

Second page of this Air Canada document provides a good job outlining the steps

https://www.aircanada.com/content/dam/aircanada/portal/documents/PDF/en/yyc.pdf

In the US they shouldn't need to go through security again, just head over to the Qantas gate with luggage automatically transferred across.

You're following a document from 2010.

YYC underwent a number of changes during COVID, eg. the D gates are no longer segregated and the majority of these changes have not been reversed so YYC has become a bit of a dog of an airport to transit through even for domestic.

FCO should be able to tag your bags all the way to SYD. YYC's US CBP facilities allow bags to be brought up for FIS inspection on demand so bags can be through checked. SFO is treated as domestic to international so no baggage collection is required at SFO.

At YYC, expect:

1. FCO-YYC flight to arrive at the D gates

2. Head straight to US security and CBP in that order

3. You'll be in the segregated E gates

At SFO, expect:

1. You'll arrive at the low numbered B gates or possibly A gates for WS usually

2. You may remain airside. QF departs from the A gates

You do require BOTH a Canada eTA and a USA ESTA.

 

[eeliechick]

Thank you all so much for this comprehensive information. Really appreciate it!