Gardyloo--
As my children would say "you're the bomb!" I called AA tonight and was able to buy tickets through Manchester adding a leg with flybe (with plenty of time to clear customs in MAN) for much less ($150 per ticket!) than connecting through LHR. And when I asked the agent about the upgrading to better front of the bus seats, she was surprised. She did some checking and said "oh yes, I can move all four of you to the front of the plane!"

So FABULOUSLY HELPFUL advice!!!! Save me money and made part of my trip much more pleasant. And we fly directly to the UK--those possible US connections before flying to the UK made us nervous. Summer thunderstorms can screw things up.

Many thanks to all.

Gardyloo....hope I can help you on another trip. Think I"ve seen you either on the Italy board, or some US Fodors site.

ccrosner: That's great!

kasperdoggie: Think about it - how is an airline going to refuse luggage that is tagged through? All luggage is sorted at the airport by flight and then distributed and loaded. Do you think they would wade through the bags looking for ones tagged by other airlines????

<b>ccrosner,</b> glad to help.

Give my regards to Auld Reekie. Stow the kids one night and head up to Sandy Bell's for some okay beer and way better than okay music. Many of my brain cells gave their last full measure of devotion there...

Great job, ccrosner!

Janis, what I was told by the employees of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways after August 2005 when this change allegedly took effect that BMI has changed their policy and do not allow for luggage check through unless purchased on the same itinerary. Consequentially, since BMI no longer worked with other carriers on this, the 1st carrier (BA or VA) could not check the luggage all the way to EDI, given that 2nd leg of my journey was on BMI. So no, I did not expect buggage handles to fish out my bags and throw them away - due to changed agreements between BMI and other carriers, the other carriers were no longer able to send bags through if the 2nd leg was on BMI.

Now, VA or BA employees could have been lying to me on those 3 trips to EDI I took after August 2005 (was able to check luggage through before that, no problem) or could not have been bothered - true, although they had a remarkably consistent story. I would be trying again to check the luggage through on 2 separate tickest on my next trip, but I do not expect a great succeess and will plan my connection at LHR accordingly.

Gardyloo does indeed seem to have hit on a great solution. And Manchester is a MUCH more civilised airport to make the transfer in that LHR.