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-   -   British Airways/American Airlines - recheck baggage? (https://www.fodors.com/community/air-travel/british-airways-american-airlines-recheck-baggage-934280/)

courtneylind May 7th, 2012 12:42 AM

British Airways/American Airlines - recheck baggage?
 
I will be flying from Paris to Boston via London Heathrow. To London is with British Airways and to Boston is with American. I have only an hour layover which normally would be fine, but I am not sure if I will have to claim my checked bag and go through everything again and recheck it. If that is the case I am worried about making the connection, especially since my bag is so big I can barely carry it, along with my two cabin bags.
I read in the past that the two airlines had an agreement making it so that passengers could check bags all the way through. Since London is not my final country destination, does this rule apply?
Thank you!

DonTopaz May 7th, 2012 05:04 AM

You will not have to recheck your bags. However, you should indeed be concerned about making your connection as you will need to change terminals and go through security lines.

And I am skeptical that you have a single ticket and a 1-hour connection in LHR, anyway.

Rastaguytoday May 7th, 2012 07:27 AM

DonTopaz - Agree. There are 3 flights a day to BOS.

One World shows all connections from CDG to BOS(BA to AA) with at least a three hour layover.

Gardyloo May 7th, 2012 10:40 AM

Assuming this is on one ticket, I'd urge you to look closely at the ticket and see if by any chance the London - Boston portion reads "Operated by British Airways." For the past year or two, American, British Airways and Iberia have been "codesharing" all their transatlantic flights, meaning each flight operated by any of the three carriers also has flight numbers assigned by the other two.

If it's on one ticket and the LHR-BOS flight is indeed on AA equipment, then there's been a mistake because one hour is under the minimum connection time for a Terminal 5 > Terminal 3 connection. You should phone whichever airline sold you the ticket (or the travel agent if that's the case) and get it changed to something more feasible - at least 90 min. between flights.

If it's on two tickets, then you have a major problem because AA would not be obliged to put you on the next BOS flight if you're late. I would take whatever steps are necessary to get the connection lengthened in that case.

If it DOES say "operated by British Airways," then one hour at Terminal 5 ought to be fine, but still no walk in the park. Follow the signs to "flight connections" and walk briskly.


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