Don't use ME resort bag check if you want an earlier flight home!!

[disneymom2twins]

Just found out the hard way - checked in for Continental Airlines in the morning for our 6:45 pm flight. Got back to hotel for a 3:45 pick up. When we got to the airport at like 4:30 or so, we found out there was a 5:55 flight. When we asked if we could get on it, they said no because we had to travel with our bags. Because we used ME, we hadn't seen our bags since 9:00am. We were not allowed to change the flight.

Just thought I would pass this info along.....

 

[tmt martins]

This really has nothing to do with ME .

It's because you usedthe resort check-in for your bags.They are a seperate company that checks in your luggage for you.

We use SWA they have no resort Check-in as of now so we just take our bags with us back to the airport.

Everyone else can do this as well if they want.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, then, the actual advice would be "don't check your luggage at the Resort Airline Checkin Counter if you want to try to get on an earlier flight, right?

 

[bicker]

This has always confused me. I know that baggage handling from resort to home is NOT Magical Express. However, what about baggage handling from home to resort -- is THAT part of ME? I mean, you get the tags from the ME folks...

 

[kaytieeldr]

Actually, yes. Inbound and outbound services are provided by two different companies. One is Bags, Inc. and the other is ASIGS.

 

[CleveRocks]

This has always confused me. I know that baggage handling from resort to home is NOT Magical Express. However, what about baggage handling from home to resort -- is THAT part of ME? I mean, you get the tags from the ME folks...

FROM HOME TO RESORT:
Automatic baggage handling/delivery is bundled with the DME ride. You MUST take the DME ride in order to get the automatic luggage delivery to your resort room. However, you don't have to use the automatic luggage delivery -- you can leave off the DME luggage tags, claim your own bags, and bring them to the bus. Also, EVERYONE is entitled to the free luggage handling/delivery regardles of airline.

FROM RESORT TO HOME:
Resort Airline Check-in and DME are two totally separate entities, one having nothing to do with the other. People are free to use RAC and then get back to the airport any way they like -- unlike with the arrival leg, you DON'T need to ride the DME bus to get the baggage service. Also, only people who fly on RAC "participating airlines" are eligible to use RAC. AND, people who DO fly a RAC participating airline are not required to check their luggage with RAC -- they can choose to just bring it to the bus with them on the way back to the airport.

 

[bicker]

Mind boggling. Okay, so then the inbound is part of ME, and the outbound is not. Wow.

It does sound inefficient, though -- so one company's trucks are empty eastbound and the other company's trucks are empty westbound.

 

[CleveRocks]

Mind boggling. Okay, so then the inbound is part of ME, and the outbound is not. Wow.

It does sound inefficient, though -- so one company's trucks are empty eastbound and the other company's trucks are empty westbound.

What I'm about to say is sheer guesswork. It may be so wrong as to be laughable, but here goes ....

I do know for sure that the subcontractor that transports bags from the resorts to MCO is TSA-approved and must meet TSA's security standards and operate under TSA's security regulations.

Taking the bags from the airport to the resorts is just basically a messenger duty, when you boil it down. We want our bags secure, we want to see them and their contents again, but it is not literally a matter of life or death.

If there is some sort of security breach between resort and airport, I could potentially die. If there is some sort of security breach between airport and resort, I could potentially lose my pool shoes.

My total guess is there are two different companies due to the different mission and level of service. One is probably much more expensive than the other.

 

[safetymom]

I have flown several times where my luggage went ahead of me so you don't have to travel with your bags.

 

[disneymom2twins]

I have flown several times where my luggage went ahead of me so you don't have to travel with your bags.

Sorry if I confused everyone, I guess I was confused that it wasn't ME. But we did check in with Continental, and when we got to the airport they told me we couldn't get on the earlier flight because are bags were checked in for the original flight. Don't know if it is because of the new security or what, but that's what I was told, and she said we weren't the first. Her comment was that the resort check in should tell people this JIC.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Sorry if I confused everyone, I guess I was confused that it wasn't ME. But we did check in with Continental, and when we got to the airport they told me we couldn't get on the earlier flight because are bags were checked in for the original flight. Don't know if it is because of the new security or what, but that's what I was told, and she said we weren't the first. Her comment was that the resort check in should tell people this JIC.

Thanks for the heads up! You did not confuse me. I knew exactly what you meant - send your bags ahead for check through rather than carry them to the airport with you means no changes to your flights.

ME to most of us means the service that gets the person and their bags to and from the airport. Distinctions between what corporate entity actually operates the distinct parts of the service are way too much minutia for Mickey advertises the program and pays for it. That makes it all the same thing in my book.

 

[CarolA]

Sorry if I confused everyone, I guess I was confused that it wasn't ME. But we did check in with Continental, and when we got to the airport they told me we couldn't get on the earlier flight because are bags were checked in for the original flight. Don't know if it is because of the new security or what, but that's what I was told, and she said we weren't the first. Her comment was that the resort check in should tell people this JIC.

This is becasue CO did NOT want to go to the trouble to find and move your luggage..... They can do this, airlines do it all the time, but..... CO didn't want to.

 

[bicker]

I have flown several times where my luggage went ahead of me so you don't have to travel with your bags.

The principle is that you should not be able to voluntarily cause a situation whereby you'd know that your luggage wasn't going to traveling on the same flight as you're on. If they swap things out from under you, and transport your luggage ahead of time, you weren't in control of that disconnection, so ostensibly it would be considered safe.

 

[clkelley]

The principle is that you should not be able to voluntarily cause a situation whereby you'd know that your luggage wasn't going to traveling on the same flight as you're on. If they swap things out from under you, and transport your luggage ahead of time, you weren't in control of that disconnection, so ostensibly it would be considered safe.

Exactly. The airlines can put your bags on any flight they wish as long as THEY decide to.

However, YOU cannot volunteer to fly on a separate flight from your bags.

 

[havencruiser]

If I wanted my bags to go via DME but I was renting a car, couldn't I just check in at the DME desk and then go to the car rental across the street? I don't think there is anyway to check who actually got on the bus, is there? They stamp your voucher at the desk and then the driver checks it but doesn't take any part of it.

 

[tmt martins]

If I wanted my bags to go via DME but I was renting a car, couldn't I just check in at the DME desk and then go to the car rental across the street? I don't think there is anyway to check who actually got on the bus, is there? They stamp your voucher at the desk and then the driver checks it but doesn't take any part of it.

Nope The bus driver scans the voucher as you enter the door .

If that doesn't happen your bags ( That are also barcoded with the same code) won't get released into the truck for transport.

Now what we did was some went to an empty rental van and 3 went on ME with all the bags checked under their barcodes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Don't know if it is because of the new security or what, but that's what I was told, and she said we weren't the first. Her comment was that the resort check in should tell people this JIC

Okay, now I'm confused! I don't understand why Continental (or any airline) would be thing that the RAC staffers should even expect that passengers may want to change their flights once at the airport. Really, when you come down to it, it's the passenger's responsibility to know her/his airline's rules for changing flights, and if the passenger might be considering it then they shouldn't check luggage through the RAC.

If I wanted my bags to go via DME but I was renting a car, couldn't I just check in at the DME desk and then go to the car rental across the street? I don't think there is anyway to check who actually got on the bus, is there? They stamp your voucher at the desk and then the driver checks it but doesn't take any part of it.

No, you can't.
Yes, there is.
The driver scans your voucher/s when you board the bus.

 

[disneymom2twins]

This was what I was told. I have traveled a lot in the past, but we made this decision at 9 am so we could go to the park for the day. After a few hours we were tired, and wished we could go home a little earlier. I am just trying to say if this may be a possibility for anyone, we had a problem changing flights once we checked our bags in at the hotel

 

[kaytieeldr]

I apologize that I wasn't clear in indicating my amazement rests on Continental, NOT on you!

 

[disneymom2twins]

I apologize that I wasn't clear in indicating my amazement rests on Continental, NOT on you!

No worries!!