V-Flyer

Just a quick question. My sister is on holiday after a bit of a messy divorce and has decided to go around california. She flew PE to LAS, stayed a few days there, then flew with UA to SFO, then today she flew to LAS with US but the flight was via LAS (taking four hours)

Not being really up on all booking methods (and to keep mother and father happy about their little girl) She booked the flights all through VS on the telephone (good price all in PE and internals for just under 900)

I can't understand why the agent didn't either book her on a flight that left ten minutes earlier direct to LAX from SFO? I did a dummy booking and the costs are the same. Also because of the one booking shes not been able to OLCI on any flights.

She has her PE baggage allowance but got wacked with $150 between LAS and SFO as she was four kilos over (despite pointing out she was on one big VS eticket) Is there any reason they would route her in such a way and does she have any comeback regarding the excess baggage charge as she was allowed up to 32 kg on the way out with VS who she bought all the tickets with?

Baggage - if the flights are not CONNECTING then the other party has no duty to honour the enhanced baggage allowance. I had that pleasure recently going from a 4 x 32kg (VS) to a 2 x 23kg (UA) to a 1 x 32Kg (VX) back to a 4 x 32kg (VS). So I just worked out which routing would cost me the most in terms of excess and packed taking that into account.

Routing - guessing this is what the software suggested - unhelpful as that is. Perhaps others have more of an insight.

The 32KG limit is a surprise to me, I always thought I could only have 1 bag at 32KG and the rest at 23KG.

US airlines have been cutting back on luggage allowances for some time now, and have been charging excess fees for just over a year.
When going to the US, I always think it's better to have 2 bags under the 23KG limit, and then stuffing them with purchases for the flight home

Normally for internal flights you get 1 checked bag for free, and then an additional charge for a second bag.

I've never had United charge me for an extra bag, as my flights are always on the same documents and include an international segment, even if they are actually on separate days. Where United have tried to get me, is when I've been a few lbs over weight on a bag. Simple shuffling around between bags or stuffing it in my carry on has always got me out of a charge.

No I do not think she has any comeback on VS for the luggage. And the Route does not take into consideration the amount of luggage she is taking.

At the end of the day it is up to the traveller to work out for themselves how much luggage and what items to take, not the airline.

Sounds like a case of 'computer says ...' and only an agent who had spotted this before may have picked up on the odd routing.

Ah luggage, even AA enforce 23KG for First Class passengers from LAX to LHR - as I found out last October and ended up $50 lighter.

Our luggage 'allowances' from the UK are worth fighting to hang on to.

late to the party on this topic. Since have internal flights with US this summer thought should check their baggage policy. Seems they charge for all bags, $15 for first checked item

http://www.usairways.com/awa/Content/in ... fault.aspx

guess they'll be joining Ryanair soon and be $1 for the bathroom.....

Yes US still charge for all baggage, except if you are in First or a high level of their FF program.

However if your on an international routing then there should be no charge, saying that, when it comes to US I have thrown my hands up in the air and walked away, their front line training leaves a lot to be desired.

In the old days it was an IATA convention (don't know if it was an actual rule) that the baggage allowance of the first international carrier applied to the entire routing. With the fuel prices and general belt tightening, airlines are refusing to accept this. If someone flis UC to the US with 64kg of baggage and then gets on a tiny island hopper to their resort they can hardly be expected to take the weight of an entire person as someone's luggage.

Since the beginning of the year Virgin have been trying to cover their backs with the wording on their add-on contracts such as with CO/AA/US for domestic US flights.

They now say that 'The baggage allowance (and Ticketing Time Limit) of the most restrictive airline shall apply to the entire routing.'
This means that technically if you have a domestic flight with a small allowance this would overrule the normal international allowance. This is not done in practice but they hav really covered their own behinds.

At the moment it works on a sector by sector basis so we have some trips like this:
LON - JFK 2x32kg
JFK - TYO 2x32kg
TYO - OSA 20kg
OSA - HKG 20kg
HKG - LON 23kg

As you can imagine this is getting pretty confusing!