Checking baggage through

[Ozzy]

We are heading to Edinburgh from Boston on BA this Wednesday and will check our bags right through. No problem there. However the following Wednesday, the wife and kids are flying EDI to LHR on BA, but then flying Luxair from LHR to LUX. Myself, I am flying BA EDI-LHR-BOS.

Will it be possible to check the wife and kids bags in EDI right through to LUX if we show the BA check in agent the Luxair tickets? I expect they will have to pick up their Luxair boarding passes at LHR or can the BA agent issue a boarding pass for the Luxair leg?

Same questions on their LUX-LHR-BOS route back on the 11th of July.

Thanks
Ozzy

[Hartington]

It's a lottery. The official answer as far as EDI/LHR LHR/LUX is "no" because you are travelling on two separate tickets. Each ticket is a separate contract and as such should be checked in separately. BA used to through check their own flights in such circumstances but something over a year ago they decided to stop it. There have however been stories since which suggest some out station check in staff do through checkin and bag tagging even when they are not supposed to.

There are a number of technical issues wrt the check in element. To check someone in you need to have access to the other airline DCS (that's a severe simplification) and whether that exists between BA and LG I am not sure.

I don't know the LG policy in Luxembourg.

It may even depend on whether the bookings are all in one PNR. If they are then the BA Check in agent in EDI will "see" the LHRLUX segment. But if you booked EDILHR on one PNR and then LHRLUX on a different PNR there is no link and the checkin agent won't see it and waving the ticket at him/her probably won't help.

[lexxity]

There have however been stories since which suggest some out station check in staff do through checkin and bag tagging even when they are not supposed to.

Yes they do and it's a right PITA!

[Curious Pax]

Progress eh? Remember going back 11 years or so flying Newquay-LHR on BA (well Brymon really) then on to Amsterdam on British Midland (as was). Assumed thru check in wouldn't be possible given that there was no link between the 2 airlines, and NQY wasn't the highest-tech airport in the world. Surprisingly it was, and even more surprisingly given AMS and LHR were involved the bags arrived at Schiphol on the same flight as us!

[Ozzy]

Yes, these are two separate PNRs, tickets purchased separately. So, if the bags can't be checked through "officially" that means they need to pick them up at LHR and must transfer ground side? Then check in at Luxair? Ditto on the return journey and then check in at BA for the LHR-BOS leg?

What a pain. I hope there's enough time for the transfers. Of course, if they just take carry on there's no problem apart from getting the boarding pass for the Luxair.

Ozzy

[J-Man]

in 99% of cases at manchester we can check the bags through regardless of airline changes, but we cannot do the boarding passes.

[Ozzy]

Just to let you know BA was unable to check the bags through to LUX at EDI. So the family had to pick up the bags at T1 arrivals and walk to T2 groundside and check in there.

They will have to pick up bags at T2 today, go groundside and get to T4 to check in today. I think there is enough time but it will be close.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Ozzy

[Ozzy]

Update. Okay, I don't understand this. In fact Luxair was able to check the bags through from LUX thru LHR and onto BOS and issue boarding passes even though 2 separate PNRs. BA were unable to do a similar thing from EDI thru LHR to LUX.

What gives? Where can one read the rules and procedures on such things as to understand in advance what is and is not possible?

Thanks
Ozzy