USA baggage allowances for connecting flights?

Hi,

We are flying this summer LGW-MCO returning MCO-MAN. However, we are from Northern Ireland and first flying BHD-LGW with Flybe and then, on return, flying MAN-BHD with BA.

We plan to check bags through to MCO on way out of BHD and also to check all way through when coming home. Virgin said that this should be OK.

Can anyone tell me what dictates our baggage allowances? Is is Virgin Transatlantic or Flybe domestic out? Similarly, is it Virgin Transatlantic or BA domestic back?

Thanks.

Ken.

[Scrooge]

It depends, I am guessing you made two separate bookings, if so then the lower figure is the one you are stuck with, which should be your domestic flight, if you made the bookings on the same ticket with the same PNR then the higher weight limit is the one that will be followed.

Interesting point. I though that as a LCC, no interlining of bags were allowed (i.e. checking bags all the way through). However per this link

Like most LCCs, it does not have any codeshare partners. It is a member of IATA, however, and thus is able to check baggage through for passengers holding tickets with its interline partners British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Continental Airlines.

So the question here is if you have one PNR or two.

Per [url=https://tabs.flybe.com/obs/booking-controller/?systemName=tabs&action=FAQ¨isterPage=false]this link[/url] for travel agents

Interlining/Through flight services
The Travel Agent site only allows 'point-to-point' reservations. Clients wishing to book interline/through flight services in conjunction with other airlines will need to be booked via your Global Distribution System (GDS). This may also be done by contacting the Customer Call Centre on 0871 700 0521

So the issue here is did you use a travel agent and did they do the booking correctly.

You will be stuck with the allowance on the internal UK flight!!

If you check the maximum weight on the transatllantic flight and then have onward flights on the same ticket then the US carriers are obliged to carry the same baggage allowance as the transatlantic carrier![y]

Thanks for feednback - not sure what the answer is but maybe this helps .... all flights were booked with Virgin directly, Virgin booked the two NI flights and the tickets (for all flights) have the same PNR code.

Can someone clarify my position on the basis of this info?

Thanks.

Ken

Hi
I recently had a similar problem with connecting domestic flights in the USA, it was fine outbound as United carried what I had checked in at LHR. When it came to the return I could only check in the United allowance at BOI which was 23kgs, had to pay excess, regardless of my allowance with Virgin. [:(!]

Cheers

Mark

Yesterday, I emailed Flybe and BA and asked them what baggage allowances are applicable in these circumstances.

Flybe have confirmed that "the baggage allowance would be as your international carrier"

BA haven't responded yet.

I'll post back if/when BA respond.

Ken

I returned to MAN today from JFK via LHR with Virgin this morning, was fine on the JFK-LHR leg due to VS's relatively generous allowance. However on the LHR-MAN leg with Bmi I had to pay £20 excess due to their limited 20kg allowance, still the guy let me off a few kilos but it just annoys me how bmi have such a small allowance when they know alot of people are connecting from long haul services.

[Decker]

MM were the two flights booked separately?

For info, BA have now confirmed Virgin baggage allowance from USA will apply to BA domestic connecting flight as long as booked on the same ticket.

Ken

Yeh I booked the flights separately as to book the exact same flights on one booking added over £200 to the price! So I suppose I can't complain.