Thai Airways unable to interline to Virgin Australia

[Mattg]

I recently flew on a United award ticket BKK-MEL-CBR, with the first leg on Thai Airways and the second leg on Virgin Australia. All on one ticket with a same-day transit in MEL. According to the Thai Airways website (and ExpertFlyer), TG and VA are interline partners.

When I checked in at BKK, the Thai Airways staff were only able to tag my bag and issue a boarding pass to MEL. The guy even phoned a supervisor but was told that Thai could only through-check onto Qantas flights, not Virgin.

Does anyone know why this wasn't possible?

 

[SYD]

Different systems? Still odd for same booking.

I flew yesterday/overnight SQ -> QF (HKT-SIN-SYD) on seperate tix and SQ happily checked bags through to SYD, as well as issued BPs for both flights!

 

[HS-TQE]

Could be the UA issued ticket stock? As opposed to a ticket stock issued by VA.

 

[John Lee]

Presumably you'd need to clear customs/immigration at MEL so they can't be tagged through to CBR.

 

[AIRwin]

Presumably you'd need to clear customs/immigration at MEL so they can't be tagged through to CBR.

But it requires queueing up at VA checkin for a boarding pass and new bag tag instead of just a bag drop

 

[madrooster]

Does anyone know why this wasn't possible?

It's a limited agreement where TG can issue coupons for travel on VA only.

 

[oz_mark]

It's a limited agreement where TG can issue coupons for travel on VA only.

So they have an interline agreement, but no IATCI agreement?

 

[Mattg]

Presumably you'd need to clear customs/immigration at MEL so they can't be tagged through to CBR.

The TG employee checking me in at BKK also initially gave this as the reason why it couldn't be done, but it's not correct.

You do indeed need to pick up your luggage to clear customs at the first port of entry in Australia. But with most other airlines, your bag still gets tagged to the final destination and all boarding passes issued when checking in.

 

[PERLHR]

I was flying SIN-SYD-PER with QF a while back thanks to QF cancelling the direct SIN-PER service. Even though this is the same airline, one PNR and a reissued ticket with QF they insisted bags picked up at SYD and then to be re checked in for the domestic to PER. we had boarding cards for all sectors.

 

[encryptededdy]

I was flying SIN-SYD-PER with QF a while back thanks to QF cancelling the direct SIN-PER service. Even though this is the same airline, one PNR and a reissued ticket with QF they insisted bags picked up at SYD and then to be re checked in for the domestic to PER. we had boarding cards for all sectors.

That's... how it always is? Since you & your bags need to clear Customs/Biosecurity before you get on a Domestic flight.

 

[PERLHR]

That's... how it always is? Since you & your bags need to clear Customs/Biosecurity before you get on a Domestic flight.

Yes agreed. Hence I was using that as a similar comparison to the op flying Thai from BKK via MEL to CBR. Same type of issue. Bags were not tagged to PER but only SYD and required checking in in order to tag to PER.

 

[Ade]

Bags were not tagged to PER but only SYD and required checking in in order to tag to PER.

I'd have thought that QF would have tagged the bags till PER, but the tagged bags need to be collected at SYD and dropped (with the already issued tags intact) at domestic to be loaded for PER ... but if the bags were not even tagged till PER, then that's incorrect/incomplete behaviour by the airline

 

[muppet]

But it requires queueing up at VA checkin for a boarding pass and new bag tag instead of just a bag drop

You’d still have to lug it over to the domestic terminal anyway at MEL.

SYD international connections has no bag drop at Virgin so in the queue regardless of properly through checked baggage.

In the US there is a benefit as just past customs you can dump your bag straight back onto a conveyor - no AUS airports have that seamless bag connection, you’ve got to recheck it.

 

[PERLHR]

I'd have thought that QF would have tagged the bags till PER, but the tagged bags need to be collected at SYD and dropped (with the already issued tags intact) at domestic to be loaded for PER ... but if the bags were not even tagged till PER, then that's incorrect/incomplete behaviour by the airline

It's QF!! Surprised? I was grateful to get back to Aus...well a 5 hour flight turned into 15 hours but hey ho! Never again... (at least it was on AY metal which was a bit of a relief). Anyway off topic...a bit!

 

[Mattg]

Yes agreed. Hence I was using that as a similar comparison to the op flying Thai from BKK via MEL to CBR. Same type of issue. Bags were not tagged to PER but only SYD and required checking in in order to tag to PER.

Being based in CBR, I am used to picking up my bag at the first port of arrival in Australia and re-checking it in. However, normally, the bag is still tagged through to the final destination and all boarding passes issued when checking in overseas. This wasn't the case here - the bag tag was only to MEL and no boarding pass issued for the VA flight. That is unusual, especially when travelling on a single ticket with airlines that supposedly interline with each other.

 

[Rangalad]

So they have an interline agreement, but no IATCI agreement?

Correct.

They are two separate agreements.

 

[Rangalad]

Being based in CBR, I am used to picking up my bag at the first port of arrival in Australia and re-checking it in. However, normally, the bag is still tagged through to the final destination and all boarding passes issued when checking in overseas. This wasn't the case here - the bag tag was only to MEL and no boarding pass issued for the VA flight. That is unusual, especially when travelling on a single ticket with airlines that supposedly interline with each other.

As oz_mark noted, there is no IATCI (Inter Airline Through Check In) agreement in place between
TG and VA.

 

[Saab34]

Next 737M VH-8ID has surfaced with paint.

 

[jase05]

As oz_mark noted, there is no IATCI (Inter Airline Through Check In) agreement in place between
TG and VA.

I have a upcoming Aeroplan booking ADL-MEL-BKK-DEL-CDG so I’m guessing I will only get BP’s for ADL-MEL only and bags will only be checked to MEL?
Bit of a bummer as I’ll have to wait in MEL until TG check in opens so will have to kill several hours at MEL