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H C Chai

Transitting in SIN on MH flights booked separately

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Hi all

 

Need some advice here. A friend of mine who lives in Kuching recently bought a SIN-KUL-LHR return with MAS. His original plan was to book the KCH-SIN flight separately, spend a few days in Singapore before flying off to London.

 

Due to work committment he is now thinking about skipping Singapore and do KCH-SIN-KUL-LHR in one go. =@

 

The SIN-KUL flight leaves at 0645hrs, connecting into MH4 to LHR which leaves KUL around 10am.

 

My questions are:

 

1) Can he book a one-way KCH-SIN separately with either MAS or Silkair, arriving SIN roughly 10pm the night before the KUL flight and have the luggage checked through all the way from KCH to LHR?

 

2) If he chooses to fly MAS on the KCH-SIN sector, can he receive boarding passes for all his flights when checking in at KCH (since all flights are operated by the same airline)?

 

3) If he can't check through the luggage to LHR, what is the possiblity of checking in at a MAS counter at SIN T2 the night before the SIN-KUL-LHR flight so that he can use the transit hotel located at the airside? I remember MAS used to offer early check in at SIN - they may have gotten rid of this sometime ago?

 

Many Thanks in advance of your help :)

Edited by H C Chai

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I would have thought that it would be easier to switch the booking from SIN-KUL-LHR to KCH-KUL-LHR? Anyway, why not contact MH and get advice on the available options?

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I cannot say for sure, but from my experience booking separate tickets, as long as these are mainline carriers and not budget carriers, you can always check your bags all the way through. About getting the boarding passes, I also don't think this should be a problem because all the flights are within half a day of each other.

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Thanks chaps. I thought I'd ask here first before I speak to someone in MAS.

 

Flee, I agree with you that KCH-KUL-LHR is making much more sense. But doing this will involve a charge for rerouting / repricing of fare from ex-SIN to ex-KCH and unfortunately there is a huge difference in price between the two! Must be due to the high disposable income of Sarawakians :D

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If he flies MI...he could have his luggage check all the way to LHR...because of interlining...no problem...but he will have to proceed to the transfer desk to check in for his SIN KUL LHR flight...or do a web check in and print his own boarding pass...if he chooses MH...they will try print your boarding pass...if they fail...they will refer you to the transfer desk...if he sleeps at the airside hotel...just check in to SIN...after deplane...sleep at hotel next day check out and get luggage from lost counter...they will keep for you...its very common to leave the luggage at the lost counter till the next day...the proceed to landside for normal check in...been there done that...make sure your hand carry has your clothes and things you need for the night...

Edited by Kenneth Chong WT

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MAS allows online check in 48 hrs before departure. Get the boarding pass printed and go to any MAS counter to get your passport swiped and verified.

 

I did 2 separate bookings before (domestic flights) on the internet because of cheaper fares and after the booking was done, I called the toll free number to link that booking together and it was done on the spot. I was told that they put remarks on the first sector that the same pax has a connecting flight on MH XXXX with PNR (booking reference for second sector) attached.

 

Once it is done, I do not see any reason why you can't check you bags through to your final destination. I was informed that the transit time should not be more than 12 hrs or you will have to collect your bag at the first transit point.

 

 

:hi:

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Thanks for all the feedback... much appreciated.

 

Kenneth, its interesting to know that one could stay in the transit hotel and pick up the bags from the lost counter!

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BTW it looks like Silkair has reduced the Kuching service from 3x to 2x weekly.... the Friday flight has gone! Now left with just Tue and Sun.

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The way things are going looks like people will have to travel by boat between KCH and SIN.

Foreign carriers are not doing well on this route. But MAS and Air Asia both seem to be doing quite ok.

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I suggest booking MH. There is some OneWorld Rule that protects your connection even on separate tickets, assuming both are on OneWorld Carriers. Go check it out.

 

As for checking bags through, you just need to see if the carriers have an interlining agreement.

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Generally, Is KCH-SIN-KUL-LHR cheaper than KCH-KUL-SIN ?

Logically, no - but then stranger things have been known :)

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I suggest booking MH. There is some OneWorld Rule that protects your connection even on separate tickets, assuming both are on OneWorld Carriers. Go check it out.

 

As for checking bags through, you just need to see if the carriers have an interlining agreement.

 

There's a misconception about Interline agreements - they are only a benefit that is guaranteed on through tickets. An example: AF has an interline agreement with just about all the major airlines of the world. On through tickets, no problem. On separate tickets, (especially ex CDG) anecdotal evidence suggests they haven't been accepting anything outside ST.

 

When on separate tickets, it's up to individual rules of the airline or alliance (as per your OW example above). If the airline permits it, then they look up to see whether there is an interline agreement or not in the first place before they accept the bag.

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