Transiting in Dubai on back-to-back return tickets

In December this year, I am planning to fly the Helsinki–Dubai–Mumbai route (and return). I am planning to stay in Dubai for few days on my way to Mumbai. If I book this as one ticket, I have to pay much more compared to booking two separate return tickets for Helsinki–Dubai and Dubai–Mumbai. I will have to book these with separate airlines (Finnair for Helsinki–Dubai and some other airline for Dubai–Mumbai).

I have two questions:

I am not sure about checking my luggage through on my way back. I won't have a Dubai visa on my way back, so I cannot go out of the transit area to retrieve my luggage and check it in again. Do you think the airline that operates the Mumbai–Dubai route will be able to check my luggage in all the way to Helsinki?
Assuming that Mumbai-Dubai airline doesn't forward my luggage, I can get by with just carry-on luggage. But can there be a problem checking in at Mumbai if I don't have Dubai transit visa?

Best Answer

It's difficult to know for sure but it seems too risky to rely on it if your ability to transit without visa depends on it (worse case scenario, you could be denied boarding on the return leg and be forced to pay much more for a direct flight or a proper connection). It's more likely to be possible if the airlines are both full service airlines from the same alliance or have some partnership (codeshare or interlining). It's almost certainly impossible if one of them is a low-cost carrier.

Also, even if the cheaper fares do not show up when searching for Helsinki-Mumbai directly, you might still be able to buy this itinerary as one ticket with a stopover (using the “multi-city” functionality on the web or going through a travel agent). If that's not possible (either because the airlines have no interlining agreement or because the cheap fares don't allow it), it does not bode well for your luggage situation.

You should in any case try to confirm this beforehand with the airlines.