Advice Required - Flight Transfer

amaidment

Thanks everyone.

As many have said, it's a BA flight operated by Comair as a franchise. I'm pretty sure it's a single ticket as BA gave me a ticket number and Air Seychelles could identify it.

I have asked our travel company to get something in writing from both airlines stating our baggage will be checked through, or book us on an earlier flight at no cost. I'm waiting on their reply.

I only went to the airlines myself as the agents response was a stock 'of course your bags will check through, that's what always happens' with no drive to actually confirm with the airlines. I figured it was easier to email/call them myself!

I'll try Comair shortly but I'd be disappointed if they give me a different answer to BA. BA should know, or find out if they don't!

amaidment

jpsartre wrote: »

As far as I can tell MCT's at JNB is 60 minutes for international-to-international and 90 minutes for domestic-to-international connections (the OP has the latter). The 3 hours mentioned in your link is a response to a passenger with separate tickets.

Thanks for this. Does the MCT calculation take into account whether the luggage will go straight through or not? If so, would someone calculating the MCT be able to see if it will?
I'd hope it does, as the time you'd need would be very different if you need to collect luggage in between.

Heliflyguy wrote: »

Best speak to Comair as well as mentioned, they probably have more experience of these connections than BA in the UK/India.

Comair passed me on to 'BA Domestic Regional' who very helpfully said I will need to 'enquire at the airport on the day of departure'. Which doesn't help me if they can't transfer through my luggage!

jpsartre

amaidment wrote: »

Thanks for this. Does the MCT calculation take into account whether the luggage will go straight through or not?

Yes, it assumes that luggage is checked through. There are no official MTC's if you need to pick up luggage and re-check it. Did you ask on Flyertalk as I suggested?

Edit: Nevermind, just found your post there. As someone mentioned there, look up your booking on checkmytrip.com to see if you have one or two ticket numbers.

amaidment

jpsartre wrote: »

Edit: Nevermind, just found your post there. As someone mentioned there, look up your booking on checkmytrip.com to see if you have one or two ticket numbers.

Thanks. I've done that and definitely only one ticket number. No idea then why both airlines are saying that my baggage won't go through.

My travel agent is now helping, so hopefully I'll hear back shortly.

leylandsunaddict

amaidment wrote: »

Thanks. I've done that and definitely only one ticket number. No idea then why both airlines are saying that my baggage won't go through.

My travel agent is now helping, so hopefully I'll hear back shortly.

If you're on one ticket your bags will be checked through. Have you logged into your booking on BA website to see if it shows all your flights?

amaidment

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

If you're on one ticket your bags will be checked through. Have you logged into your booking on BA website to see if it shows all your flights?

Yes, logged in and it shows both under the PNR. I quoted it each time I rang them and each time they said they wouldn't be checked through. They also knew it was one ticket as they gave me the ticket number.

I'm beginn8ng to wonder if their call centre staff are just useless.

1trainer1

if you are on one ticket then its the airlines responsibility to get you from one flight to another, they will probably rush you through when you get off the BA flight as they dont want you stuck there costing them money.

eDicky

I have no experience of procedures at JNB, but could it be that South African customs or other regulations require that all baggage in transit from domestic to international flights must be picked up and checked in again, regardless of it being a through booking on a single ticket? The airlines would be aware of this specific local situation, but the agent could be just assuming it's the same principle as anywhere else and they will be checked through.

jpsartre

amaidment wrote: »

I'm beginn8ng to wonder if their call centre staff are just useless.

Don't know if I'd go that far but I have been given daft advice from them on more than one occassion. If you get through to their UK call centers they are usually pretty competent.

jpsartre

eDicky wrote: »

could it be that South African customs or other regulations require that all baggage in transit from domestic to international flights must be picked up and checked in again, regardless of it being a through booking on a single ticket?

No, that's not it.