Baggage Allowances When Using Multiple Carriers

[steve2]

Now Im really getting the run arounds.
First call to Swiss, we honor the rules of CO. So I asked for a written confirmation and and am told that cant be done, since Im on a CO ticket I must call CO. Called CO and they said 3 bags all the way through but just check with Swiss. Called back Swiss, 2 bags, nothing to talk about...and from Europe they dont charge by piece rather its 10 euro/kilo...ouch...

 youre arent getting any run around. All you are doing is speaking to agents who have no idea of what it is they are talking about, and why none of them will put it in writing for you, a sthey know that they really dont know the score

You really have 2 different tkts due to the 24+ hr stop over. You have a US-LHR and then a LHR-ZRH-TLV although its all on 1 tkt the stopover as planned raelly makes it 2 = you hav2 to abide by 2 different bag T&Cs , the 1st you know is 3 x 70, the 2nd you have learnt as some of us have said is 2 bags and you will pay for overweight on them as well for any other bag.

 Your only way around paying is to take 2 bags limited to the max LX will accept as per your cabin of travel or to Avoid a stopover of 24+ hrs @ LHR. otherwise pay you will. Good Luck if you still persiost in trying to get something in writing allowing 3 x 70 all the way thru with the 24+ stopover and unless its LX that writes it you will pay at LHR for it

[aussiebochur]

This is actually quite amazing, even the supervisors on both airlines don't know their own rules...
Looks like its going to cost, at least the ticket was basically free...

[SuperFlyer]

I wanted to save you a major headache. (living your whole life upside down, is a joke compared to this)

Read what the oracle wrote:

Unless you are handsome and traveling alone, forget about it.

LX will NOT honor it.

If they DON'T charge you, I pay for it. ;-)
 

[Mikeoracle]

I wanted to save you a major headache. (living your whole life upside down, is a joke compared to this)

Read what the oracle wrote:

I dont recall writing anything of the sort. Please dont put words in my mouth 

[Dan]

I changed the Country to rest of the World and UK and it still didnt show Europe-TLV

 but 1 thing for sure they will hit you as I said they would seems for both a 3rd bag and then for overweight on that 3rd bag, Call Swiss up and ask them to be sure, then will it be GBP,CHP,EUR or USD meaning if you give them a CC that isnt in the currency they will be charging you in youd get hit for FOREX as well on the total charge

http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/excess_baggage/Pages/piece_concept.aspx?1282021364476&Country=ROW

That's incorrect.
On Swiss for LHR-TLV you can check 100 bags and not get charged a fee.

It works solely on the "weight concept"
For non Star Golds in J you are allowed 30 kilos total between all your bags from LHR-TLV.
For Star Golds in J you are allowed 50 kilos total between all your bags from LHR-TLV.
You can combine the allowed weight limit with everyone in your reservation.
It will be 30 Euro per extra kilo!

[steve2]

That's incorrect.
On Swiss for LHR-TLV you can check 100 bags and not get charged a fee.

It works solely on the "weight concept"
For non Star Golds in J you are allowed 30 kilos total between all your bags from LHR-TLV.
For Star Golds in J you are allowed 50 kilos total between all your bags from LHR-TLV.
You can combine the allowed weight limit with everyone in your reservation.
It will be 30 Euro per extra kilo!

 well above Aus was told its 10 euro per kilo and that hes allowed 2 bags and after that its by the number of kilos

where did you ever get that you can bring say 100 bags if each bag weighs only say 1/2 kilo from? I hardly doubt that any Carrier will allow something like that as you can fill up their Hold in no time even thou it doesnt weigh anything = then having to leave precious ($$wise) cargo behind or other passengers bags, and most carriers make a ton of $$$ taking Cargo to/from TLV

[E]

my experience 2 years ago I few continental from JFK-LHR 2 bags no fees then oneworld LHR-MAD-TLV no fees 2 bags on the way back TLV-LHR   EL-AL charged me for one bag and LHR-JFK again no charge

[Dan]

well above Aus was told its 10 euro per kilo and that hes allowed 2 bags and after that its by the number of kilos

where did you ever get that you can bring say 100 bags if each bag weighs only say 1/2 kilo from? I hardly doubt that any Carrier will allow something like that as you can fill up their Hold in no time even thou it doesnt weigh anything = then having to leave precious ($$wise) cargo behind or other passengers bags, and most carriers make a ton of $$$ taking Cargo to/from TLV

Aussie was misinformed then.

I flew on Swiss and all of this was explained to me by airport managers.

See these links:
Weight concept versus piece concept.  Piece concept (2-3 pieces weighing 23-32 kilo based on class with a bonus piece for *G) basically only applies for travel to the Western Hemisphere.  For travel anywhere else it is solely based on aggregate weight (20-40 kilo based on class with a bonus 20 kilos for *G)  When flying under the weight concept they don't care how many pieces you take, so long as you don't go over the aggregate weight, or else you will pay out of your #$%^.
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/Pages/free_checked_baggage.aspx

30 Euro per kilo for excess baggage based on flying from zone 3 to zone 4:
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/excess_baggage/Pages/weight_concept_form.aspx

[steve2]

Aussie was misinformed then.

I flew on Swiss and all of this was explained to me by airport managers.

See these links:
Weight concept versus piece concept.  Piece concept (2-3 pieces weighing 23-32 kilo based on class with a bonus piece for *G) basically only applies for travel to the Western Hemisphere.  For travel anywhere else it is solely based on aggregate weight (20-40 kilo based on class with a bonus 20 kilos for *G)  When flying under the weight concept they don't care how many pieces you take, so long as you don't go over the aggregate weight, or else you will pay out of your #$%^.
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/Pages/free_checked_baggage.aspx

30 Euro per kilo for excess baggage based on flying from zone 3 to zone 4:
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/excess_baggage/Pages/weight_concept_form.aspx

 Ok its 30 per kilo Z3-Z4

 and it does mention about using cardboard boxes or bags but I highly doubt that they will accept 80 1/2 kilo bags that totals up to 40k if 40k is ones max weight allowed. I took what they said to mean that they will allow you to put yur things where the bag is over 32k into boxes or bags so long as you dont exceed your max allotment weight wise and not that you can check in as many bags as you want as long as you dont exceed 40k (FC) +20k according to you if a *G or 60k

[aussiebochur]

Why can't they get some competent people to work for the airlines

[steve2]

Why can't they get some competent people to work for the airlines

+1

 but you have to agree that not many people are going to fly with 3 bags @ 70 lbs each and be making stopovers along the way, most wont want to deal with claiming the bags and schelping them to where ever they will be staying and then having to schelp them back to the airport and check them in again

[aussiebochur]

I know I've spent too much time calling when the agent says, "I had this question this morning...".
Even with the chance Ill get the money back from CO its not worth the risk of thousands of Euro.
I've given up on getting written confirmation from the ignorant agents (they know they dont know) and just decided to play it straight and hope for the best.
I gave the Swiss agent the details for the flight, she looked it up and told me as follows,
since the ticket originates in the USA I'm allowed 2 pieces of 70 pounds (Business class allowance).
Better then nothing...

[steve2]

I know I've spent too much time calling when the agent says, "I had this question this morning...".
Even with the chance Ill get the money back from CO its not worth the risk of thousands of Euro.
I've given up on getting written confirmation from the ignorant agents (they know they dont know) and just decided to play it straight and hope for the best.
I gave the Swiss agent the details for the flight, she looked it up and told me as follows,
since the ticket originates in the USA I'm allowed 2 pieces of 70 pounds (Business class allowance).
Better then nothing...

 seems that agent is saying that since its all 1 tkt that the T&Cs that govern a NY-TLV flight will be in place, and thats 32k and 2 bags

 a friend gave up on a multi-day stopover in Europe this summer when he was told he was allowed 1 bag max if he didnt fly straight thru (it wasnt on LX)

 Thanks for getting back to Us

[SuperFlyer]

Mr ausie, don't be a kangooroo!

Forget about it, every post here is a waste of pixels.

[aussiebochur]

I'm back with being frustrated about the baggage allowance issue.

Because of last min. plans, had to change dates on an award ticket from TLV to Australia. Booked with AA miles. Originally booked in business but now there isn't any availability and had to take the only seat on any flight that day which is in Coach.(Also ended up with quite a convoluted itinerary).

AA doesn't allow routing via Europe so it had to be an El Al flight.

It seems that when flying multiple carriers, the baggage allowance goes by the first airline, when you check in.
So even though its a business class award, since the first flight is on El Al economy the allowance will only be 20kg? 

Would there be any way around this? Even if not, the excess baggage charge seems to be 1.5% of Y ticket. How are they going to calculate El Al connecting to CX to Qantas...?

Bit OT but in general, how do people manage with such small baggage allowances?

[Dan]

Dates/Routing?

[moish]

i think aa told me that if its a business reward even though theres a vouluntary downgrade, youre still permitted the business allowances.
call them to be sure and record the call

[YOSEF]

It seems that when flying multiple carriers, the baggage allowance goes by the first airline, when you check in.

I don't think that's true; EL AL may tell you it is, but it isn't.
It goes by the oceanic-leg. IOW, when I flew TLV-DME-ORD, and the leg to Moscow was ELAL, while leg to Chicago was AA, it went by AA's rules, because they were the carrier across the Atlantic. I don't know what would happen here, but it doesn't go by the first leg.

[aussiebochur]

Dates/Routing?

April 2 TLV-PEK-HKG-SYD-MEL

[Dan]

April 2 TLV-PEK-HKG-SYD-MEL

Dates flexible?