connecting flights

[lumos]

this may be a really dumb question but just bear with me

i will be flying to vancouver via SIA next month and then from there take another flight (different airline, WestJet) to toronto. so my question is if i check in my baggage with SIA, do i have to go collect my baggage aat vancouver, come out of customs and then check in again for my flight to toronto? i'm really lost about this and i dont know where to get info for this!

[keiko]

There's no need to collect your baggage and check-in again at Vancouver. Just let the check-in counter know that you would like your baggage to be directly transferred to the connecting flight.
I've done that before, though not the same airlines that you'll be taking but i believe it works the same way.

Enjoy your trip!

[vixette]

my recent experience with connecting flights.
had a v short connecting time (<2h) and was flying BA then SQ.

well, BA counter staff simply REFUSED to check my bag all the way through to Singapore. she kept insisting that they had no agreement with the airline and therefore cannot check it all the way for me.

so, during the v short transit, i had to get off the plane, rush to immigration, wait 20min for my bag to appear, make my way to the other terminal (BA was terminal 1, SQ was terminal 3, i.e., very very far), find the SQ check-in row, queue up to check in. by the time i got my SQ boarding pass, i had only 40min. and i still had to wait in line to get pass security.

was panicking like MAD and it didn't help at all that i was suffering the beginnings of a very bad flu. (actually i think all that frantic running was what made it worse)


moral of the story, check with BOTH airlines whether they can check in your bag all the way.....
OR leave plenty plenty connecting time.

[lumos]

actually i think most airlines wont allow the baggage to be transfered across airlines. think its some new regulation due to 911. so as vixette said, leave PLENTY of time inbetween if you are changing flights halfway

[vixette]

i think it depends which airline you check in with.

SQ was able to check my bags in all the way. (went via SQ then Iberia)
but coming back via BA (BA then SQ), they wouldn't.

spoke to the BA person at heathrow during the v rushed transit and she said it depends on who's doing the checking in. it was possible, but needed a bit more hassle, which i guess the girl didn't want to go through.

sheesh.

[joeist]

i think thats usually the case......baggage can only be transfered within the airlines but not across airlines......

[michannat]

it's definitely no problem if you're going on the same airline. must double check if you're connecting with a different airline. like vix said, alot also depends on the checkin person at the counter. sometimes, they're too lazy to do it for you. i've heard alot of horror stories pertaining to luggage. to be on the safe side, i usually pack all that i really need in my cabin bag just in case anything happens to my cargo. at least one day's clothing, toiletries, valuables... etc.

i fully second the idea of having lots of connecting time. i imagine you're going vancouver via seoul, thus leaving ample opportunity for aircraft delays out of singapore and then again out of seoul.