Switching airlines at LAX- baggage rule

[minch]

I am looking to fly one-way from LHR to MEL via LAX and AKL. With this ticket, we fly out of LHR on Virgin Atlantic and then change planes in LAX to Air New Zealand. It is all done on a single ticket.

I know that Virgin Atlantic and Air New Zealand have an interline agreement for baggage, and I know that in LAX we will have to pick up our luggage, carry it through customs then drop them off at the Interline Transfer desk.

Virgin Atlantic has a more generous baggage policy than Air New Zealand when it comes to sorting equipment - 2 bags of 23kg plus one piece of sporting squipment (in my case a windsurfer) up to 32kg free.

What I want to work out is this: given that we will be checking in with Virgin Atlantic at LHR and we will be complying with their baggage rules, and the bags will be tagged through to MEL- is there any chance that we will be charged excess for the Air New Zealand leg of the flight (given we won't be re-checking the bags, just dropping them off at the interline transfer desk).

Air New Zealand's Condition's of carriage say that carriage performed by them, or other carrieres under a single ticket, is regarded as a single operation. Does this mean they will honour Virgin Atlantic's sporting goods policy or does it mean Virgin Atlantic will enforce Air new Zealand's policy on us at check-in at LHR and make us pay excess?

[TightSlot]

To start with... Do you have the ticket yet? If so, what does the allowance show on the ticket?

[minch]

No Tightslot, i don't have the ticket yet. The fare looks very good, but might not be our cheapest option if we don't get to carry back the sporting equipment free of excess charges. That's why I am defferring to this board's expertise to work out if i will get stung or not. :)

In terms of the printed allowance on the ticket, is it common for a ticket to specify the additional sporting good allowances? Tickets I have had in the past certainly specify the standard baggage (which is 2x 23kg for both Virgin Atlantic and Air New Zealand), but have not printed the sporting equipment and all the other special allowances (it would be a huge list I would think?).

The main difference between the two airlines is Virgin allow 2 x 23kg plus 1 x 32kg sporting goods for free. Air New Zealand only allow 2 x 23.

[RevMan2]

Knowing Air New Zealand, they'll probably apply the more restrictive interpretation.

Email both airlines and get their definitive positions, print out the replies and use them where necessary

[minch]

Air New Zealand won't answer my emails about baggage they only tell me to call the booking line. I suspect they try to avoid getting anything in writing.

Oh well, it looks like I will take my chances and cross my fingers. I will only be in "excess" for the leg from the USA so at least I will pay a lower amount of excess than straight from LHR.