Unaccompanied luggage

[GCS]

My brother recently transferred at LHR to a BA fight to NRT, then on to SYD. Due to delay, the connection was tight and his luggage was forwarded on one of the other BA flights to SYD (via BKK I think).

I always understood that luggage must travel with the passenger. Could anyone shed some light on what the policy is these days.

 

[Dave Noble]

In most cases this is the case however there can be exceptions such as when luggage goes astray

Dave

 

[Lonely Flyer]

In most cases this is the case however there can be exceptions such as when luggage goes astray

Dave

When we travelled on AA several weeks ago we missed our connection in Dallas (their fault) and also missed next flight as it was overbooked but our luggage went and was there waiting for us as we deplaned in MCI

 

[KVS]

I always understood that luggage must travel with the passenger. Could anyone shed some light on what the policy is these days.

The idea is that you should not be able to knowlingly make your luggage travel on specific flight, unless you're also on it...

Otherwise, lots of shipments travel 'unaccompanied', including cargo, etc.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I always understood that luggage must travel with the passenger. Could anyone shed some light on what the policy is these days.

Nope - else any baggage missing a flight would result in never getting it back (unless pax returns to that airport).

The security idea is that pax cannot choose a specific flight to put baggage onto, unless they are flying on that flight. A bit silly in that it ignores the threat of suicide bombers etc.