United operated by AC

[donkthemagicllama]

We're on a flight from YYC to LAX... the flight is "Operated by Air Canada", even though we have United tickets. The flight is an AC flight, but obviously United had some way to sell tickets for it.

2 questions for you:

1) do I check in at the AC or UA counter?
2) do we have to pay UA's baggage charge?

Please let me know if you've actually done this! The baggage fees really add up!

 

[dis_guy]

We're on a flight from YYC to LAX... the flight is "Operated by Air Canada", even though we have United tickets. The flight is an AC flight, but obviously United had some way to sell tickets for it.

2 questions for you:

1) do I check in at the AC or UA counter?
2) do we have to pay UA's baggage charge?

Please let me know if you've actually done this! The baggage fees really add up!

I've only gone the other way around, buying from AC and flying on United so until someone more knowledgeable comes along:

1. AC counter/kiosk.
2. No.

For us we checked in with UA and did pay baggage fees. If you have mixed flights, starting with AC on the first leg and transferring to UA you don't pay fees either.

 

[crashbb]

You check-in at the AC counter/kiosk. You do not pay for the first two bags.

You follow the AC, not UA rules. The only exception to this, would be if you had upgrade certificates to use (NAU, SWU, SSWU), you can only use these at the airport, rather than at booking or at your 7/4 day window (depending on the certificate and your status).

You may have trouble if you try to do on-line check-in since your booking number is a UA, rather than AC number. If you gave your Aeroplan number when booking, you should be able to do it by that or, if you call AC, they should be able to give you your AC booking number. Assuming you want to to do on-line check-in.

 

[minnie56]

I haven't done this firsthand.

BUT my understanding is..if you booked w/AC it is they that are 'collecting' the money. United is part of the Star Alliance and they follow the rules of each other. Soooooo you should not have to pay the United baggae fee in my opinion. As for check in..hmmm...I would think you would check in w/United. Air Canada likely isn't at the destination which is why you are on United in the first place!

 

[crashbb]

I haven't done this firsthand.

BUT my understanding is..if you booked w/AC it is they that are 'collecting' the money. United is part of the Star Alliance and they follow the rules of each other. Soooooo you should not have to pay the United baggae fee in my opinion. As for check in..hmmm...I would think you would check in w/United. Air Canada likely isn't at the destination which is why you are on United in the first place!

No. If AC is operating the flight, then AC definitely has a presence at the airport. If it didn't you they couldn't be operating the flight. The OP needs to check in with AC. And, although Star Alliance has some unverisal rules, each airline is free to set their own rules viz a viz baggage fees, upgrades, seating assignments, etc.

UA and AC are Star Alliance partners and, as such, have many code share flights and are able to sell tickets on flights operated by the other airline.

Sometimes, you end up booking via one airline for flights with the other airline due to connecting flights. For example, I am flying Toronto to Los Angeles to Maui. I booked my ticket on AC.com, but my Los Angeles to Maui flight is operated by United.

Other times, it can be cheaper to book an AC flight through UA.ca. Basically, UA has received X seats for the cheapest fare class and still has some seats left, while AC has sold out of that fare class. So, UA is able to sell them for cheaper than AC is able to sell them.

Whatever the reason, you follow the rules on the airline on which you are flying - not the airline through which you bought the tickets. AC is VERY clear about this - if you select a UA flight, a little pop-up opens telling you that you are booking a UA flight and that, if the UA flight is the first flight you are taking, you will be charged for your baggage. You then have an option of accepting this or choosing new flights. As a PP said, if you have connecting flights where the first flight is an AC flight (as in my YYZ-LAX-OGG example), you do not pay for your baggage. When coming home, (OGG-LAX-YYZ) I would be charged for my bags (except that I am not coming home the same way, so I have AC flights the whole way).

 

[minnie56]

So-even if you select a routing on aircanada.com and they just happen to have the choices available using a Star Alliance partner, you still are charged their baggage fees? Even if you had no choice in Carrier?

Seems unfair to me, but then these days, a lot does with Air travel!

 

[crashbb]

So-even if you select a routing on aircanada.com and they just happen to have the choices available using a Star Alliance partner, you still are charged their baggage fees? Even if you had no choice in Carrier?

Seems unfair to me, but then these days, a lot does with Air travel!

I don't understand the bolded bit. You don't have the choose the UA routing if you don't want to do so. If AC flies there than you can choose the AC flight (and not pay the baggage fee), no one is forcing you to choose the UA/US Airways/whoever flight. If AC doesn't fly there then, yes you do have to go with a partner airline (and pay their fees), but the alternative is no flight as all (since AC doesn't fly that routing).

I don't see what it unfair about this - AC is providing you a service by allowing you to book partner flights through AC.com rather than you having to search around to see which partners fly your routing (much like UA provides the service of allowing you to book AC or US Airways, etc. flights). The alternative is for AC to only show (and allow to be booked) AC flights, UA.ca to only allow UA flights, etc. This would would make life much more difficult to consumers than it is now.

For example, AC doesn't fly to Maui on the dates I want to go. So, if AC didn't allow me to book my flight on UA, I wouldn't be able to book my flight at all (without going to the UA website, where I'd be paying the baggage fee anyway).

If the websites were hiding who was actually operating the flights (and thus the fees), I would agree with you, but since they are not (at least UA and AC are not, I cannot speak to other websites), I don't see the problem at all. If you were to book on Expedia, for example, you pay whatever fees the airline you choose has, so you might have to make a choice between the flight times you want and the fees you'll have to pay (for example).

 

[minnie56]

I don't understand the bolded bit. You don't have the choose the UA routing if you don't want to do so. If AC flies there than you can choose the AC flight (and not pay the baggage fee), no one is forcing you to choose the UA/US Airways/whoever flight. If AC doesn't fly there then, yes you do have to go with a partner airline (and pay their fees), but the alternative is no flight as all (since AC doesn't fly that routing).

I don't see what it unfair about this - AC is providing you a service by allowing you to book partner flights through AC.com rather than you having to search around to see which partners fly your routing (much like UA provides the service of allowing you to book AC or US Airways, etc. flights). The alternative is for AC to only show (and allow to be booked) AC flights, UA.ca to only allow UA flights, etc. This would would make life much more difficult to consumers than it is now.

For example, AC doesn't fly to Maui on the dates I want to go. So, if AC didn't allow me to book my flight on UA, I wouldn't be able to book my flight at all (without going to the UA website, where I'd be paying the baggage fee anyway).

If the websites were hiding who was actually operating the flights (and thus the fees), I would agree with you, but since they are not (at least UA and AC are not, I cannot speak to other websites), I don't see the problem at all. If you were to book on Expedia, for example, you pay whatever fees the airline you choose has, so you might have to make a choice between the flight times you want and the fees you'll have to pay (for example).

I don't know why it bolded that part?? I didn't choose to...

I went to Italy this past Sept. My routing took me through Frankfurt with Lufthansa. I had no other choice but those flights. Had LH been a carrier that charged for bag #1..all I am saying is that seems unfair when there were no other options available to me.

 

[crashbb]

I don't know why it bolded that part?? I didn't choose to...

I went to Italy this past Sept. My routing took me through Frankfurt with Lufthansa. I had no other choice but those flights. Had LH been a carrier that charged for bag #1..all I am saying is that seems unfair when there were no other options available to me.

I bolded it to point out the part that I didn't understand.

I still don't understand why you think it is unfair. Clearly, AC is not going to fly to every city in the world or do all routings, so why would you expect their rules to apply?

Their code share flights allow you do fly on a single booking (rather than having to make separate bookings on separate airlines). The fact that you could book the LH flight via Air Canada is a huge benefit, not something to complain about.

I really don't want to go back to the days before alliances where you had to do separate bookings.

And you did have a choice. You could have booked directly through LH (though you'd still have to abide by their rules), AC does fly to Frankfurt, so you could have booked a different routing or as separate flights, you could have flown Alitalia (Italian airline) or another airline entirely (American, Delta, BA, etc.). Now, these choices may not have been as easy/cheap/convenient, but you had plenty of other choices. You choose a choice that meant you had to abide by LH's rules - but you had other choices.

 

[donkthemagicllama]

Huh, thanks for all the replies!

It seems the consensus is that for a UA ticket operated by AC, we checkin and are subject to AC baggage fees (which is none, for the first 2 bags under 50lbs).

I guess this works out in our favor all around. We booked with UA because the taxes and fees were less, now it sounds like we still get the better baggage deal as well.

I'll post back after our trip and let you know how it works out.

Thanks again!

 

[minnie56]

I bolded it to point out the part that I didn't understand.

I still don't understand why you think it is unfair. Clearly, AC is not going to fly to every city in the world or do all routings, so why would you expect their rules to apply?

Their code share flights allow you do fly on a single booking (rather than having to make separate bookings on separate airlines). The fact that you could book the LH flight via Air Canada is a huge benefit, not something to complain about.

I really don't want to go back to the days before alliances where you had to do separate bookings.

And you did have a choice. You could have booked directly through LH (though you'd still have to abide by their rules), AC does fly to Frankfurt, so you could have booked a different routing or as separate flights, you could have flown Alitalia (Italian airline) or another airline entirely (American, Delta, BA, etc.). Now, these choices may not have been as easy/cheap/convenient, but you had plenty of other choices. You choose a choice that meant you had to abide by LH's rules - but you had other choices.

My first choice was Air Canada's non stop to Rome. Unfortunately, though an extremely popular route they have only one per day. Soooo I had to take what was offered. I am just of the opinion that if I am booking on Air Canada's site that the fact they cannot meet my needs and their partner can, then the rules of travel with AC should be enforced on my booking.

Alitalia? Not a chance!

 

[dis_guy]

So-even if you select a routing on aircanada.com and they just happen to have the choices available using a Star Alliance partner, you still are charged their baggage fees? Even if you had no choice in Carrier?

Seems unfair to me, but then these days, a lot does with Air travel!

Yes, in fact on the AC website you'll get a popup telling you that you'll pay the baggage and possibly other fees because you have selected a codeshare flight.

 

[crashbb]

My first choice was Air Canada's non stop to Rome. Unfortunately, though an extremely popular route they have only one per day. Soooo I had to take what was offered. I am just of the opinion that if I am booking on Air Canada's site that the fact they cannot meet my needs and their partner can, then the rules of travel with AC should be enforced on my booking.

Alitalia? Not a chance!

I give up.

Seriously, go ahead and keep whining. I take you'd rather that AC didn't offer you the partner options? And you did have options, as you just pointed out yourself.

To the OP - you definitely, without a doubt, check-in at the AC desk and you'll definitely, without a doubt, not pay for your first two bags (assuming that they meet weight/size requirements).

 

[bavaria]

The rules of the operating carrier apply, so crashbb and dis guy are correct.

As for check in..hmmm...I would think you would check in w/United. Air Canada likely isn't at the destination which is why you are on United in the first place!

You would check in with the operating carrier. Every week at the airport I see people upset and frustrated after waiting a long time in the UA line, only to be told that they need to go check in with AC (or US or LH or whatever operating carrier)

My first choice was Air Canada's non stop to Rome. Unfortunately, though an extremely popular route they have only one per day. Soooo I had to take what was offered. I am just of the opinion that if I am booking on Air Canada's site that the fact they cannot meet my needs and their partner can, then the rules of travel with AC should be enforced on my booking.

Alitalia? Not a chance!

We all have free will. If you don't want to travel on a code share partner (and there are certainly valid reasons not to do so) it is best to be aware that code shares exist on many routes, and to know what you are booking. I would suggest booking on your own and not via a travel agent if you are concerned about ending up on a code share.

Code shares have expanded airline route networks without raising costs even higher. They are definitely a very positive thing, but one should be aware of the aspects of flying a code share. (Baggage, seating, frequent flyer rules etc may all vary)

Here is AC's page regarding code shares
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/codeshare.html

Code sharing refers to a practice through which a flight operated by one airline is jointly marketed as a flight by one or more other airlines. Air Canada, through its codeshare partnerships, places its designator code (AC) on flights operated by the codeshare partners, which allows us to provide you with worldwide services through an extensive network of convenient flight connections.

You can tell that a flight is operated by a codeshare partner by looking for the "Operated by" note appearing after each codeshare flight when you are selecting flights for purchase on aircanada.com. Your electronic itinerary/receipt also provides the name of the operating carrier of each flight.

Because each airline has its own terms and conditions of carriage, whenever you are travelling on a flight operated by one of Air Canada's codeshare partners, you may be subject to terms and conditions that differ from those of Air Canada. It is therefore important to familiarize yourself with the operating carrier's terms and conditions, including those regarding:

• Check-in times and procedures
• Carry-on and checked baggage
• Excess baggage fees
• Sports and hunting equipment
• Musical instruments
• Fragile and perishable items
• Infants and children
• Passengers with special needs
• Traveling with your pet
• In-flight services
• Special meals
• Airport lounge access

 

[minnie56]

I give up.

Seriously, go ahead and keep whining. I take you'd rather that AC didn't offer you the partner options? And you did have options, as you just pointed out yourself.

To the OP - you definitely, without a doubt, check-in at the AC desk and you'll definitely, without a doubt, not pay for your first two bags (assuming that they meet weight/size requirements).

I am not whining.
I am a Travel Agent and before that was in the Airline business for many many years! I see first hand-every single day - things I think are not just and guess what? I am entitled to my opinion! DH's best bud is an AC Captain. We had dinner with him last nite..THAT'S whining! I could tell you a lot that might change your mind!

By the way--9 times out of 10 we travel with him and his wife on Buddy passes anyways..I can STILL feel justified to think the way I do when it comes to booking AC and it's partners air!

 

[crashbb]

WAIT!!

You are a travel agent and yet you told the OP that they would check in at the UA counter.

AND you didn't know that with Star Alliance you follow the rules of the operating airline.

I sure as heck hope that you don't provide your clients with such terrible information.

 

[minnie56]

No YOU wait!
I said "I would think" they would check in at the United counter! I by no means said I was certain! Actually--whilst I was posting I was chatting to my AC friend and that was his consensus as well! It was logical-as far as we were concerned. When I sell air to my Clients..I take care of the reservation. I make it clear that they check with the airline as for online check in etc etc etc...I sell very little AC and even less UA. I am by no means an expert in the Star Alliance check in protocol and at no time did I say I was!

As I book flights, land pkgs, cruises etc..I am thorough in checking the details. I do not at any time provide "terrible information". None of my clients have ever had an inconvenience caused by my wrong doing!

AT all times...I posted what I thought was correct.
I didn't realize that we had SUCH an expert among us. Perhaps you should be out there sharing your infinite knowledge!

I think you need to chill tho...

 

[bavaria]

Perhaps you should be out there sharing your infinite knowledge!

I do believe that crashbb is actually one of the most helpful posters over on the Transportation Board, and many readers have benefited over the years as a result.

 

[minnie56]

Well that's no excuse for being rude and judgemental!

 

[drag n' fly]

We're on a flight from YYC to LAX... the flight is "Operated by Air Canada", even though we have United tickets. The flight is an AC flight, but obviously United had some way to sell tickets for it.

2 questions for you:

1) do I check in at the AC or UA counter?
2) do we have to pay UA's baggage charge?

Please let me know if you've actually done this! The baggage fees really add up!

You check in at Air Canada
The way it is usually handled is you pay the carrier luggage fees. If you fly an AC plane you pay AC fees. If you fly United plane you pay United fees. HTH