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Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

Budanam
Explorer B

We are flying from Kona to Honolulu and then Honolulu to Oakland to Denver all on Southwest. The Kona to Honolulu flight is a separate reservation from the Honolulu to Denver flight because you could not book direct Kona to Denver. My question is when we check-in and check our bags in Kona for the 1st flight will we be able to set up the checked bags to be transferred to the plane going from Honolulu to Oakland? Or will we have to go to baggage claim in Honolulu and then recheck the bags there? We have a 1hr45 min layover in Honolulu so I’m concerned we might cut it close if we have to recheck everything.

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A
Solution

I dug up an answer for this same question given by @chgoflyer several months ago. It sums it up perfectly....

 

"The baggage agent should be able to check your bags through to your destination, regardless of confirmation numbers. (Note that if you do have a single confirmation number this won't be an issue at all -- you'll even be able to use the kiosk to self-check your bags.) This does require additional effort on the agent's part, and I've learned that, following the system conversion, some agents know how to do this and are willing to assist without issue, and some others unfortunately are not. If you are polite, patient, and persistent you hopefully won't have a problem. Please do come back and let us know how it goes!"

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

Budanam
Explorer B

Ok, I’ll take that as a 50/50 shot. Thanks for the info!

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I'd put the odds more in your favor than 50/50, but you're right, it's still a gamble. I'm 1 for 1 doing this, it was right after the system upgrade and staff wasn't fully trained. I had to be persistent, yet polite, and they finally figured out how to do it. It was clearly a training issue and not staff just being difficult. I'm guessing the folks in KOA have gotten this request a fair number of times because, as you mentioned KOA-DEN and other cities isn't bookable for some reason. I actually was going to do that exact route in May before changing plans and deciding to just stay in HNL for the whole trip. While planning the trip I was working under the assumption that I could check bags through so I think you're pretty safe.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

chgoflyer
Aviator A

I guess my only concern in this particular case would be with the perhaps limited systems knowledge of the employees working locally at a new station. Good luck!

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

Budanam
Explorer B
Solution

We just completed our trip and were successful in getting our bags checked in Kona and transferred all the way to Denver. It just required going to the full service counter. It appeared there were probably 4 other families that did the same thing as us on our flight. Thanks for all the feedback!

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

bec102896
Aviator A

@Budanam wrote:

We just completed our trip and were successful in getting our bags checked in Kona and transferred all the way to Denver. It just required going to the full service counter. It appeared there were probably 4 other families that did the same thing as us on our flight. Thanks for all the feedback!


glad to hear that the agent at the ticket counter was able to check your bags all the way to your final destination to help you avoid the check and re check at your connecting city.

 

Thanks for coming back to share your experience with the community!

Blake

Re: Checked bags KOA-HNL-OAK

empPT2020
Explorer C

Thank you for sharing the end to this question! I'm flying the same route in two weeks and have been hoping for an answer like this! Good to know the Southwest employees in Kona were able to help you get the bags checked all the way to Denver!