US baggage fees when connecting

[jehane]

Hello

I will be travelling US - Aus soon and am confused by the baggage policies. Nothing is booked yet, I am still looking at my options. I am in the NE of the US and the nearest major intl airports are JFK, Chicago and Toronto. Each are several hours away by bus. If I book a single ticket which starts with a domestic flight (so far looks like into La Guardia) then connect with the intl flight to Aus (QF if I can), am I entitled to the 2 free checked bags + $123 for excess bags? Or, since the first flight is with a US airline, would I be subject to their bag fees? I am considering booking this as QF classic reward - will this make a difference? I'm prepared to take the bus or freight my stuff home if necessary.

Also, if my domestic flight arrives in La Guardia, and my intl flight leaves from JFK, will my bags still be checked all the way through, or will I have to collect them and transfer them myself? I'm guessing the latter, but hoping for the former.

I'm also considering going to Montreal for a week first, and leaving from there, if I can find decent flights.

I saw a thread from a couple of years ago, but was wondering if there had been any more recent experiences or changes in policy.

TIA, jehane

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I will be travelling US - Aus soon and am confused by the baggage policies. If I book a single ticket which starts with a domestic flight (so far looks like into La Guardia) then connect with the intl flight to Aus (QF if I can), am I entitled to the 2 free checked bags + $123 for excess bags?

The US Dot rule applies so the QF baggage allowance applies because the are the most significant carrier.

It doesn't matter if you have a separate paid or award ticket eg ORD/LAX on AA then another ticket on QF LAX/SYD.

Also, if my domestic flight arrives in La Guardia, and my intl flight leaves from JFK, will my bags still be checked all the way through, or will I have to collect them and transfer them myself? I'm guessing the latter, but hoping for the former.

If you are flying into LGA & out of JFK bags will not be through checked so you would be charged for baggage fees from xx_ to LGA where you'd need to claim your luggage then take it with you to JFK and checkin again.

I'm also considering going to Montreal for a week first, and leaving from there, if I can find decent flights.

I doubt flying ex Canada will be cheaper than ex USA but worth checking fares ex BUF of DTW as a lot of Canadians cross the border and fly ex the USA instead. You could also get Amtrak to NYC then fly QF JFK/SYD.

if you flew AA YUL/xORD/LAX then QF LAX/SYD your bags would be through checked and you would pre-clear US Customs in YUL so arrive in the US as a domestic passenger.

 

[madrooster]

The US Dot rule applies so the QF baggage allowance applies because the are the most significant carrier.

It doesn't matter if you have a separate paid or award ticket eg ORD/LAX on AA then another ticket on QF LAX/SYD.

The US DoT exemption to the IATA 302 resolution is first marketing carrier for the entire ticket driven. The IATA 302 resolution is most significant marketing carrier (since April) per leg driven.

In the example of LGA-x/DFW-SYD-x/DFW-LGA, the flight number booked for LGA-DFW will determine which carrier's baggage policy applies.

If you book on the AA prime for LGA-DFW followed by the QF prime for DFW-SYD, then it's AA's policy that will apply and not QF. However if you book on the QF codeshare for LGA-DFW then the QF prime for DFW-SYD, then it's QF's policy that applies.

However in this case, AA's policy is identical to QF's (2 x 23kg for Y etc.).

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The US DoT exemption to the IATA 302 resolution is first marketing carrier for the entire ticket driven. The IATA 302 resolution is most significant marketing carrier (since April) per leg driven.

In the example of LGA-x/DFW-SYD-x/DFW-LGA, the flight number booked for LGA-DFW will determine which carrier's baggage policy applies.

If you book on the AA prime for LGA-DFW followed by the QF prime for DFW-SYD, then it's AA's policy that will apply and not QF. However if you book on the QF codeshare for LGA-DFW then the QF prime for DFW-SYD, then it's QF's policy that applies.

However in this case, AA's policy is identical to QF's (2 x 23kg for Y etc.).

Some USA carriers still will recognise the international allowance of the connecting airline even on separate tickets.

My parents had a J class ticket on VA SYD/LAX/SYD booked on the VA website but homeward bound were flying SEA/LAX on AS booked on AS website.

AS state on their website that they will honour the connecting airline's luggage allowance as long as there is an interline luggage agreement in place and the connecting flight is within 12 hours.

Mum & Dad checked their bags SEA to SYD and only had to get their VA boarding passes in LAX.

 

[justinn]

AA flights from LGA-YUL I have seen as low as 80USD and a search for Aug shows around 130USD. I would book it as a multi city with QF to get the additional baggage

 

[jehane]

Thanks for all of the responses.

The US DoT exemption to the IATA 302 resolution is first marketing carrier for the entire ticket driven. The IATA 302 resolution is most significant marketing carrier (since April) per leg driven.

This is the bit that confuses me, since the first leg would be a domestic flight. My understanding was that the DoT of first carrier takes precedence over IATA most significant carrier, so I would be up for baggage charges according to the domestic rules. I'm not in a major air hub so I'm somewhat limited with flight choices.

If you are flying into LGA & out of JFK bags will not be through checked so you would be charged for baggage fees from xx_ to LGA where you'd need to claim your luggage then take it with you to JFK and checkin again.
You could also get Amtrak to NYC then fly QF JFK/SYD.

OK, in which case freight and/or bus starts to look attractive. Or an alternative route. I will look into DFW and LAX options as well. Unfortunately the nearest Amtrak is a couple of hours away otherwise it would be a no-brainer for me. Amtrak is also $$$, though I've done some trips just for the experience.

Some USA carriers still will recognise the international allowance of the connecting airline even on separate tickets.

AS state on their website that they will honour the connecting airline's luggage allowance as long as there is an interline luggage agreement in place and the connecting flight is within 12 hours.

Would you happen to know where I can find a list of which US carriers will do so? I had a look at some airline websites, but it wasn't clear to me. Not sure who AS is?

Thanks.

 

[jehane]

Going off-topic... I just read on another thread that transiting through the US requires entry/exit. That will generate additional problems if I go to Montreal, since I am currently here as a student. Student visas are only valid for a year, but as long as you don't leave the country you don't need a new visa. An additional complication is that my residency permit (not sure if that is the technically correct term) will expire soon, with an additional 2 months grace period to get my stuff sorted. So if I go to Montreal I would have to get a new visa to get back into the US, even if I'm just transiting. Might have to ask the international student office about this one...

OTOH, my sister is going to Europe later this year so I could freight everything home, go to Montreal, then on to Europe with my sister, then home. A RTW then starts to look attractive because I can have a few Aus flights and a flight to the US in hand. hmmm...more research required.