Same flight number, intermediate stopover. Is baggage offloaded?

Question

I'm flying on CI66 and CI55: CI66 flies via BKK, and CI55 flies via SYD. I might check some non-valuable (but fragile) items in my checked luggage, but I'm worried about how frequently the luggage will be handled.

I'm on two different planes and two flight numbers, but there are four legs to the journey so my luggage will be tossed about, loaded, and unloaded between two and four times.

Are there any general rules as to whether all the checked baggage on a direct flight is offloaded at a stopover, or only the baggage that's not continuing on the same flight? Is this up to the ground handlers at the airport, the airline, random chance on the day, or is it dictated by security protocols?

Answer 1

The aircraft you are flying on use containers for baggage, so even if they were off loaded at the stopover, chances are your bags would remain in the original container they were loaded in. Bags are loaded into containers based on destination to expedite loading and handling.

Whether bags are off loaded or not depends on multiple factors from both the airline and airport. As bags are the last thing loaded, so they can be first off upon landing, containers holding through bags may have to also be offloaded to allow cargo to be unloaded.