Connecting flights and checked luggage

[Hidden_Mickey]

We've never flown connecting flights before and are wondering... How does it work? When you check luggage at your original airport, do you not see it again until you reach your destination, or do you retrieve it and check it again at your layover? How can you be sure it gets on your second flight? On our return flights, we will have a one hour and 40 minute layover. Is that enough time to retrieve luggage, check it again, and check in for the second flight? I am paranoid about losing our luggage during the layover. I think I would prefer to make sure it gets on the second plane myself... but, I have control issues Am I overreacting or is this a real concern? I know I should call the airline but.. right now it's easier to ask y'all TIA!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

We've never flown connecting flights before and are wondering... How does it work? When you check luggage at your original airport, do you not see it again until you reach your destination, or do you retrieve it and check it again at your layover? How can you be sure it gets on your second flight? On our return flights, we will have a one hour and 40 minute layover. Is that enough time to retrieve luggage, check it again, and check in for the second flight? I am paranoid about losing our luggage during the layover. I think I would prefer to make sure it gets on the second plane myself... but, I have control issues Am I overreacting or is this a real concern? I know I should call the airline but.. right now it's easier to ask y'all TIA!

Your luggage will be checked through to your final destination. You won't see it again until you get there. I would be a total zoo if everyone had to go collect their luggage and then check it again for every leg of their flight. Your layover should be plenty long enough. I've had late flights where I literally ran from one end of the Denver airport to the other. I had less than 30 minutes and my luggage still made it.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Domestic flight, correct?

International flights, you get your luggage and go thru customs. Or at least we had to when we flew thru Miami from Mexico.

 

[PBF199]

Agree with Ohio on the international vs. Domestic.

Check with the airline when you check the bags in. I've connected with 2 different airlines and with the same one. sometimes the bags make it sometimes they don't....OK ok, most of the time they make it.

But seriously, check with the airline when you check your bag in and make sure it gets tagged appropriately. in most airports you have to check the bag (now a days you have to pay for checking it in) then carry it over to TSA to get screened then the Airport/Airline personnel take custody of the bag and get it on the correct plane.

 

[AnnR]

You also don't have to check in again for your second leg. When you get your boarding passes you will get them for each leg. So you just go to the next gate and wait for them to board the flight

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Thank you!

DH was right... Could it really be?!

 

[AnnR]

The chances of losing your luggage are small but it does happen.
So make sure your carry on has any medicine and enough clothes to get you through at least 1 day. I always put a bathing suit in mine, so difficult to buy and can double as underwear in an emergency! Also an extra T-Shirt big enough to double as a night shirt or cover up. And of course a set of underwear/socks. I put them all in one of those space bags so they are easy to take out and put back if your carry on gets inspected.

 

[scrapquitler]

You leave the bags with the airline at your original point of departure, and you don't touch them again until you reach your final destination. No need to pick them up and deal with them in between. The most important thing to do is when you check your bags check the ticket they put on the bag and make sure that the airport code for your FINAL destination is the one on the tag.

The only exception to this is if you are on an international flight. For example if you were flying from London to New York then onto Chicago, you would have to pick up the bags and clear customs with them 'in transit' in New York. Then check them back in before you board your flight to Chicago.

 

[whatcateydid]

I'd just like to add that the need to collect and then re-check your bags only applies if you're flying into the USA, and not every international flight. I'm flying Newcastle (UK) - Amsterdam - Atlanta - Orlando, and I only need to check in my bags in Newcastle and Atlanta. Which is going to make my 40 minute layover interesting!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As long as it is a domestic flight you are over-reacting..

When you check in you will receive not only the boarding passes for the first flight, but for all conecting flights. The luggage tag is computerized and will have your name on it, as well as all frlight information.

At any intermediate airport(s) your luggage will be taken directly from your airplane to a central location where it will be put on a cart for your next flight. It will only go to luggage claim at your final destination.

 

[DebbieB]

One hour and 40 minutes is plenty of time. I only had my luggage delayed on a connection when the time was very close, within a half hour (first plane was delayed). The baggage handlers sort the luggage so that they get the connecting bags off quickly and on their way.

 

[Green Tea]

I think if you even broached the subject of picking up the luggage at a transfer point, so many red flags would be raised by TSA you'd never get on the flight at all.

But thanks to the ones who mentioned flying into the US. One of my children is doing that this summer, and I never thought about them having to go out to get luggage, then re-enter the secured area.

If anyone has info on how it done at IAD, please let me know.

 

[DebbieB]

I think if you even broached the subject of picking up the luggage at a transfer point, so many red flags would be raised by TSA you'd never get on the flight at all.

But thanks to the ones who mentioned flying into the US. One of my children is doing that this summer, and I never thought about them having to go out to get luggage, then re-enter the secured area.

If anyone has info on how it done at IAD, please let me know.

I flew from FRA to IAD last year. After you exit the plane, you do not enter the gate area. You are directed down a hall and down escalators. At the bottom of the escalators there is a sign directing passengers ending in IAD one way and those connecting to other flights the other way. Now I was connecting, so it might be a little different. After we got down there, we were directed to a line where our passports were checked and stamped. Then after that, we went to a secure baggage claim area to pickup our luggage. Then got in another line to have our customs declaration looked at. After we got past that, we had to put our luggage on a belt to be sent to our connecting flight. Then we went through a regular security checkpoint and then finally out into the airport.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Virtually every flight DH and I take involve connecting flights. In all the flights we;ve taken, we've only had luggage lost/delayed once. And that was a flight that involved 2 connections, and the middle leg was a different airline (weather problems-a horror story).

 

[Green Tea]

I flew from FRA to IAD last year. After you exit the plane, you do not enter the gate area. You are directed down a hall and down escalators. At the bottom of the escalators there is a sign directing passengers ending in IAD one way and those connecting to other flights the other way. Now I was connecting, so it might be a little different. After we got down there, we were directed to a line where our passports were checked and stamped. Then after that, we went to a secure baggage claim area to pickup our luggage. Then got in another line to have our customs declaration looked at. After we got past that, we had to put our luggage on a belt to be sent to our connecting flight. Then we went through a regular security checkpoint and then finally out into the airport.

Thank you! This is connecting in IAD as well so perfect information. I think it is only a 2 hour gap. Is that a problem with this added step?

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

OK, it's good to know I'm just paranoid! I'm still worried about the first flight being delayed due to weather and then missing our connection home. At that point I'm sure we will be ready to come home, and being stuck in an airport would stink. I'm buying new matching luggage tags and TSA approved locks today!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

OK, it's good to know I'm just paranoid! I'm still worried about the first flight being delayed due to weather and then missing our connection home. At that point I'm sure we will be ready to come home, and being stuck in an airport would stink. I'm buying new matching luggage tags and TSA approved locks today!

On average, something like that only happens to me once every 6 or 7 flights (of course, my friends all swear I'm a trouble magnet. . .) and I always get another connection. Having to stay somewhere odd overnight due to weather happens once ever few years, but not very often. My reccomendation for that is to keep a pair of clean panties and a clean t-shirt in your carry on. The clean t-shirt is also useful if you spill your coffee or whatever on the plane, and clean panties take up no room whatsoever, but are sooooo wonderful to have if you are stranded. (I can put on the same bra and the same jeans and the same socks and go without makeup for a day or two, but used panties are just )Everything else you can either do without or buy fairly cheaply in one of those book/magazine/gift/sundry shops at the airport.

What I reccomend for a carry on is simple: a comfy backpack. Inside comfy backpack I have my laptop, my laptop charger, the chargers for my cell phones (work and personal) and my kindle, one or two paperback books or a magazine or two (for the ascent/descent when I can't use my kindle), a clean t-shirt, clean panties, possibly some makeup, a few hair thingies, Excedrin, my anti-inflammatory stuff in case my bursitis acts up and the random flotsam and jetsom that accumulates in the bottom of a backpack. I carry a Coach crossbody purse that fits inside my backpack if/when needed.

That's it. Everything else goes into my luggage. And you wouldn't be stuck at the airport if there was a delay. You'd rent a hotel room somewhere or other and spend a night - it's not so bad.