Can I claim my luggage if I am forced to stop after only the first leg of my journey
I booked a ticket from Toronto to Rome with Air Canada. The flight has one stop, in Frankfurt. For personal reasons I need to get off in Frankfurt (it was not a cheaper ticket, I didn't know that when I was booking my ticket). Note that the stop is a bit less than 2 hours and that the second leg is operated by Lufthansa.
I am travelling with a checked-in luggage. What's the best way to get my registered luggage in Frankfurt? Should I inform the airline before I board in Toronto? Should I tell a stewardess before landing at Frankfurt? Or is it better to say that after I land?
Also note that I actually live in Germany. I don't need a visa etc.
Best Answer
You can call in advance and ask your booking be changed (for a fee and potential fare difference) or you can ask at check-in that your booking be changed (again for fee and fare difference). Be right up front about it, with your reasons why you need to change, airline employees are not heartless beings. Don't try and change once you are airborne or upon arrival at Frankfurt.
But keep in mind this change will effect any other flights on the ticket (if you are just starting a round trip, not an issue if you are homeward bound).
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What happens if you only take one leg of a flight?
"Normally what happens is if you miss one leg, your entire itinerary is cancelled," he said over the phone. "That's just a standard practice.Can you only fly the first leg of a flight?
Can I skip the first leg of my flight? No, you cannot skip the first leg of any itinerary. As stated above, after you've skipped a flight, all remaining flight legs on your itinerary will be canceled by the airline. It may seem silly, but this is a common mistake many infrequent travelers make.Do I have to collect my luggage on a layover?
Normally, when layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.Lost luggage: What happens to your baggage after check-in
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Answer 2
When you initially check your luggage, you can always request that it gets short-checked to Frankfurt only. That should be no problem.
Note though - as others stated - by walking out in Frankfurt, you are losing all remaining segments on the complete round-trip ticket. Losing as in 'non-refundable, non-re-whatever, gone-gone'.
Answer 3
Once in Frankfurt you should inform the airline that you are not going to take your connection and they must get your bags off the plane for security reasons.
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