 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking at flights to Japan for next Jan. With a variety of carriers they'll get me to Tokyo with their own planes but then have to switch to the local Japanese airline. Does anyone know whether it's standard practice for the other, local company to honour baggage carriage policies going both ways?
Some carriers say that if they're the first flight on the ticket the companies on subsequent legs will carry baggage according to the 'main' carrier's policies and prices but what about going the other way and it's the 'other' carrier first?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@justabod, I flew with BA and then onwards with their partner airline JAL. It was booked via British Airways as one ticket and the luggage was forwarded under the BA terms. I think if you book through as one ticket all airlines would do this.
Note; if you fly through Tokyo and then on you'll have to pick up your luggage for customs purposes, then drop off the bag at the 'ongoing connections' baggage drop.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@rogg, thanks: I had a more thorough nosey and there's something called a 'codeshare' which is when one airline sells a ticket that also uses another airline's services. The baggage rules are set by IATA and the most "significant" leg of the trip applies the baggage rules to the other legs.
My example is that Swiss Air would fly me to Tokyo via Zurich then the last bit is All Nippon Airlines. As the vast majority of the distance is Swiss Air their baggage rules (1 x free ski kit) applies to the whole lot. Sensible rule to have. Thanks for the bit about customs, didn't realise that was a problem.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What is you destination?
If Hokkaido, there are direct flights to New Chitose by Finnair (from Helsinki) saves one leg.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Hyst, thanks, but considerably more (~£200) expensive I'm afraid!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ok if you can fly GB to Chitose for 350 pound that must be a good deal.
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Just flying back and we're doing Saporro, Tokyo, Heathrow, Marseilles JAL BA and our luggage is booked all the way through so we're happy bunnies.
On the way out, yes you have to get bags at Tokyo and then check-in again for Saporro. This time round we could do it at the International Terminal where we arrived, unlike a couple of years ago where we had to lug it with us to domestic terminal in a mad rush and still missed the plane.
We also pack our boots (touring) in our hand luggage for the way out as don't want those going missing.
One other point, depending on your Saporro departure, might be worth booking airport hotel which we had before as opposed to downtown Saporro hotel, though depends on what your Tour Op offers or if you're independent, but we had to get a big taxi as we couldn't trust bus and or trains as early flight plus we could not get a taxi from hotel to the train / bus station and whilst downtown Saporro was great not too sure it was worth the hassle?
Sensible option would have been hotel Furrano and private taxi from there to airport.
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@Hyst, for my dates (early Jan to early Feb) the best I could get for 2021 was ~£750. Swiss Air have free ski carriage and are offering £520 with two pieces of £23kg baggage. I was looking at Finnair's own website btw. Where were you looking and what were the prices that you found?
@Weathercam, thanks I've been reading about this re-booking in of luggage. Going for a single ticket with a single operator all the way through seems wise to me. I've done the multiple tickets thing before and been shafted for luggage charges so keen to avoid that again!
At the moment I'm only booking flights so have no idea where I'll be. Plan is to go to Niseko for starters and then rent a car to get me about the place, hopefully sharing with others. I've not yet recruited any "others" as yet but that's the plan anyway!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@justabod, If you don't book for a while try BA periodically. They seem to have a flight sale most years in September, on or around the first week in the month. (I have seen sales in January too - I think you're best of just dipping in.) I paid about £550 from Shannon to Chitose (SNN>LHR>HND>CTS). Great flights and service all round
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@justabod, I think you should wait a while and you'll probably get better prices. You won't normally get the best deal booking this far in advance long haul.
I went to Japan mid-Jan to mid-Feb this year. I booked my flights with BA during a sale around June, but it would have been even cheaper if I'd waited for the September/October sale to book.
The price you found on Swiss sounds pretty reasonable, although a bit of a hassle having to connect in Zurich and Tokyo.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@musehead, yes it is a bit annoying. Finnair allow a little more ski luggage and miss a stop but the prices are ~£200 more unfortunately. BA would also charge more for luggage I think. Something to bear in mind though, but I will probably book pronto. What do you think of the advice here, which is to book early: https://www.fall-line.co.uk/ski-japan-on-a-budget/?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@justabod, It's probably a good idea to not leave the booking until a month or two before you go, but booking 1 year in advance is taking it too far IMO. You'll probably get the best price something like 4 to 8 months in advance (I think you can set up a price alert with Google flights)
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You know it makes sense.
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@musehead, OK. Out of interest how much did you pay, including baggage?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@justabod,
Baggage is always included, two pieces of 23kg, one of which could be a skibag. It is not intra-European flights or ryanair/easyjet where you pay in addition. Flew with ANA, Finnair and JAL and always the same baggage rules. I fit everything into one skibag and take my bootsbag as a carryon. This is for 2-2.5 weeks on both occasions.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I flew Qatar and JAL. No problems with airbag on either
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@justabod, My flights were not directly comparable because I flew BA in Premium Economy, but that cost £787 Jersey -> London -> Tokyo / Tokyo -> London
Internal flights I booked separately using airline points
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Flew LHR>HND HND>CTS CTS>HND NRT>LHR between 25th January and 8th Feb. Booked in June last year and cost 700 each in Economy. Was definitely not the best price we could have got.
All booked through BA but codeshare with JAL. 2 bags at 23kg included, plus hand luggage at 10kg and a laptop bag. Make sure your ski bag fits within the overall dimensions figure as we had ours measured on the last leg of the trip.
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