Connecting flights with BA and Virgin (Gatwick)

Hope I have posted this in the correct place - apologies if not.

Right, 6 of us are looking to fly out to Las Vegas next May, spend a week there and then get an internal flight to Orlando (for a week) then fly back from Orlando to manchester (which we are near).

Now the problem lies with the outbound flight.

Have priced up one way BMI > Las Vegas and one way Virgin Orlando > Man and its extortionate (over 2k), BUT if we fly Virgin both legs (Gatwick to Las Vegas) then is much better (approx 700)

So have priced up Man > BA and that seems fine but here comes the problem / question...

Virgin have told me that they can do this (not sure if on through ticket or not) BUT will not be able to check in luggage all way (will have to pick up in Gatwick and then re check in at Virgin Desk). Not good as we will then only have BA internal flight allowance of 23kg.

BA disagree with this and say they can check luggage in all way, even though we will still have to check in separately with Virgin, although can do this online. This is better for us as we only check luggage in once and BA will give us Virgin's allowance if we are on through ticket.

Trouble is, I don't know who to believe, and don't want to get to airport and be told we have to re check in with luggage at Gatwick.

Anybody know anything definitive on this, or can suggest anything else?????

[preiffer]

Virgin is correct. It's the initial carrier that has to check the bags through (the one operating the first sector) and they have a policy that says they'll only check through bags on 'through tickets' (where it's booked all as one reference number)

You MAY get lucky with the agent in LAS, but their rules state no.



PS - welcome [y][;)]

The least stressful (but more time-consuming and costly) option would be to fly from Manchester to LGW the night before your flight to Vegas, do twilight check-in and kick back in an airport hotel for the night!

Have you tried pricing up an 'open jaw'/'multi-destination' (you mention that you have tried pricing up the two legs 'seperately') on a system like Expedia?

Boo

Originally posted by preiffer
Virgin is correct. It's the initial carrier that has to check the bags through (the one operating the first sector) and they have a policy that says they'll only check through bags on 'through tickets' (where it's booked all as one reference number)

You MAY get lucky with the agent in LAS, but their rules state no.

PS - welcome [y][;)]

Thanks for the welcome, but you have confused me even more. [?]

BA, who would be the first carrier, have said YES, they will check the bags through from MAN > GATWICK > LAS, but it is Virgin, who will be the second leg, and who we will buy the through ticket from, who have said no!

What do you also mean about the agent in Vegas, surely that would not come into it as it is only our outbound flight that is the problem?

Have you tried pricing up an 'open jaw'/'multi-destination' (you mention that you have tried pricing up the two legs 'seperately') on a system like Expedia?

Yes we have, and other than Continental flights which are about the same cost (although have stops inbound and outbound) then the prices are also expensive.

The least stressful (but more time-consuming and costly) option would be to fly from Manchester to LGW the night before your flight to Vegas, do twilight check-in and kick back in an airport hotel for the night!

I would happily do that, but unfortunately our friends are looking for the cheapest option, and adding a nights hotel bill onto the cost, and also an extra days holiday from work, is looking like a no no.

[preiffer]

Sorry - my fault, I got it the wrong way round! IF BA say yes, then cool - but I *thought* BA had changed their policy also (in line with Virgin's) so that may still come down to the agent on the day...?

[preiffer]

Yup - I knew it. BA are the same as Virgin:

link here (hoping it works!)

If not,

What is my baggage allowance if I have connecting flights?

Question

What is my baggage allowance if I have connecting flights?


Answer

When all flights are on British Airways and you have purchased one ticket for your entire journey
(a through ticket), you will receive the most generous allowance.

When travelling with more than one carrier, for example British Airways and Qantas, the baggage policy of the operating carrier for the first sector in each direction will apply.

It is possible that there will be a different carrier operating the first sectors (outbound and return) of your journey. In this situation a different baggage policy may apply for each direction.

Where separate tickets have been purchased for a connection, the individual baggage allowances will apply.

Please note: if travelling onward to a Caribbean island with Liat, we recommend that you take only 1 piece of checked baggage weighing no more than 23kg, due to the size of the aircraft used.

So, specifically relating to your question - the BA agent you spoke to was wrong: 'Where separate tickets have been purchased for a connection, the individual baggage allowances will apply.'

This is a trip I have made a couple of times - connecting to Edinburgh with a BA flight off the LAS Virgin flight. I have never been successful in transfering my bags either way and I would not count on anything. Sorry [n]

Originally posted by preiffer
Sorry - my fault, I got it the wrong way round! IF BA say yes, then cool - but I *thought* BA had changed their policy also (in line with Virgin's) so that may still come down to the agent on the day...?

Two weeks ago I travelled LHR-FRA-FDH on BA/LH. Initially, the BA check-in agent said no problem, they could do it even though I indicated clearly that I was on separate tickets issued by different airlines. However after about 5 seconds he said 'I can't see your second booking'. No sh!t I thought, but I would have been impressed had he been able to. At the time I got the impression that the spotty teenager at the T5 check-in desk either had a case of computer-says-no syndrome, or simply that he couldn't be arsed, based both on the amount of time he spent trying, and the apparent lack of listening to what I'd said.

I was also wondering if it might also because I'd already OLCI'd the second segment.

So I had to pick up my bag up at FRA, go landside, change terminals, and recheck the bags at the LH terminal. And no, the bag didn't make it in the end.

I think it's luck of the draw at times, as I have managed to interline UA/VS, CO/VS, and DL/VS on some occasions but not others: every time I was on separate ticket stock.

H

I've tried on separate tickets doing BR/TG. The agent had a jolly good go but in the end had to admit defeat.

Originally posted by aks120
This is a trip I have made a couple of times - connecting to Edinburgh with a BA flight off the LAS Virgin flight. I have never been successful in transfering my bags either way and I would not count on anything. Sorry [n]

Have tried this many times (used to work until a couple of years ago) but now ... not a hope. Have tried many times and no luck.

David

I always find it is purely down to the agent who checks you in. Although I would never bank on it, I would always advise asking!

Our agents in the USA will NOT do it! Having dealt with numerous issues reagarding bags etc when he are have way across the atlantic, our USA agents are very strict. It is literally ONLY if it is a VS ticket all the way through and for some strange reason BA don't seem to want to codeshare with us!?

When you are sorting out your flights, make sure you give yourself plenty of time from landing to getting the next flight both outbound and inbound. As someone who regularly flies BA ex LGW and back into it as well as having to deal with the wonder that is LGW South when on holiday, you will need a good few hours! Also take advantage of Online check-in for both VS & BA, this therefore means you just have to go to the bag drops and should take some hassle out of running between the 2 terminals.

One VERY IMPORTANT note is that unless the ticket has been booked by VS all the way through, then our ground staff do not HAVE to help you with your BA connection, they generally will, but they don't HAVE to.

Oh and 3 hours is a good idea for a connection even at LGW!

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by Boeingcat
Our agents in the USA will NOT do it!

Well, yesterday in SFO the agent did. Admittedly it was with EI and not BA and I didn't even ask since I was on separate tickets.

In the past I have had luck with agents from US airlines and SAA checking me all the way through to the VS gateway and on to ORK - the last occasion being last February

Should have said that SFO are generally the exception to the rule! Although no matter which outstation it is, depends on their mood!

Originally posted by Boeingcat
Oh and 3 hours is a good idea for a connection even at LGW!

Agreed, although on Wednesday I risked and made a 45 minute connection at the North terminal domestic to domestic. Despite having to wait for steps (at the rear only Grrr) and a bus on arrival, and then having to go landside and back airside, I still made it. Without wishing to tempt fate, I can't remember having to wait more than three or four minutes for LGW North Terminal security in my past ten or so trips through there in as many weeks.

Cheers, Howard