New Baggage Rules Coming Jan 1st on Delta
For Multi Tickets……
(October 25, 2012) -- Effective for travel on or after January 15, 2013, Delta Air Lines policy will be to check a passenger’s baggage between the origin and destination points that are indicated on a single or conjuncted ticket exclusively. If a second ticket is presented for travel on another airline beyond the destination of the first ticket, the passenger will be advised that Delta will only check the bag to the destination on the first ticket(s). The passenger must collect the baggage at baggage claim for their first ticketed destination, and then re-check their baggage with the down-line carrier for the next flight.
Previously, in cases where a passenger presented more than one ticket to a Delta airport agent at the origination point, Delta would offer to check the baggage from the origin on one Delta ticket to the final destination on the second ticket, collecting both Delta’s and the other airline’s fees. This was done on a courtesy basis but has never been part of an official policy.
The policy update does not apply to interline itineraries, wherein the passenger has an entire journey on one ticket. In these situations, Delta will continue to check baggage through to the ticketed destination as normal policy.
This clarification of policy helps Delta ensure that checked baggage service is consistent for all customers.
Below are examples of a single-ticket and multi-ticket scenarios.
Single ticket example:
Ticket 1 - ATL-LAX on a Delta flight connecting to another airline operating LAX-NRT.
Delta Policy: Delta will check the baggage from ATL to LAX to NRT.
Multi ticket example:
Ticket 1 – ATL-LAX on a Delta flight
Ticket 2 – LAX-NRT on a different airline
Delta Policy: Delta will check the baggage for the ATL to LAX flight only. Upon the flight’s arrival at LAX, the passenger must collect the baggage at the Delta baggage claim and then proceed to check it with the down-line carrier for the next flight LAX to NRT.
Some on FlyerTalk are complaining about this "downgrade in service". This new policy will affect me for my Feb Hawaii trip. In Feb, I need to do CMH-LIH and KOA-CMH. Was looking for an award ticket but couldn't do the Hawaii part on Delta (no availability). Just this week I booked an award on Delta roundtrip CMH-HNL. The Delta agent told me I could book a separate ticket on HA (Hawaiian Airlines) but have my bags checked all the way through. HA is an airline partner of Delta where this was routinely done, but with this new policy effective Jan1st, I'll now need to collect my bag and recheck it, also forcing me to change to a later flight on HA. :(